(Mostly) Monthly News for Gardeners
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News and events for gardeners from Penobscot, Piscataquis, and Somerset Counties from University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, and other trusted partners
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Regular Features
- This is the time to...
- Plant Picks
- Volunteer and Project Profile
- Food and Nutrition
- Organizations and Resources
- Upcoming Events
- Mission and Quick Links
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This is the time to...
by Trisha Smith, Community Education Assistant (Home Horticulture), Piscataquis County
Curl up next to the fire and shop for seeds and supplies from Maine companies!
Fedco
("cold-hardy selections especially adapted to our demanding Northeast climate"),
Johnny's Selected Seeds
("employee-owned seed producer and merchant headquartered in Winslow, ME"),
Pinetree Garden Seeds
("founded with the simple mission of offering low prices on quality seeds to the home gardener"),
Allen, Sterling, & Lothrup
("Maine's oldest seed company"),
Wood Prairie Family Farm
("farm-direct and organic"), and
The Maine Potato Lady
("organic seed potatoes, fingerlings, onion sets, shallots, and garlic") have all signed the "Safe Seed Pledge;" they do not knowingly sell GMO seed.
Shop at the farmers' market.
Many markets move to indoor locations for the colder months. Storage vegetables, baked goods, eggs, milk, and meat are staples of a winter market.
Find a winter farmers' market near you.
Keep an eye on stored vegetables
. Temperature and humidity greatly affect the length of time you can enjoy your harvest. Learn more about storage conditions and even find plans for a basement vegetable storage room
here
!
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Gardening to Conserve Maine’s Native Landscape: Plants to Use and Plants to Avoid
Developed by Extension Ornamental Horticulture Specialist, Lois Stack, University of Maine Cooperative Extension with Judy Hazen Connery, Natural Resource Program Manager, Acadia National Park.
Maine’s landscape offers spectacular variety, with ocean beaches, lakes, rivers, mountains, fields and forests. Maine is locally influenced by both coastal and inland weather patterns. This creates relatively mild areas, and areas that are almost arctic, all within the state’s 300 mile length and 200 mile width. Maine rises from sea level to over 5,000 feet in elevation at the top of Mount Katahdin. This wide range of elevation results in a diversity of habitats including flat sandy plains, rolling hills, rounded summits and craggy mountains with shear cliffs. Maine’s forests vary from spruce and fir near the coast, to hardwoods in the western hills, and mixed hardwood/softwood forests in the North. More than 100 types of habitats have been identified with about 1,500 native plant species spread across the state’s varied landscape.
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Kids Can Grow
Kids Can Grow is a University of Maine Cooperative Extension youth gardening program for ages 7-12.
Through a series of “hands on” gardening classes, Kids Can Grow teaches children:
- How to choose, plant, and grow nutritious vegetables, herbs, and beautiful flowers for their families
- The basics of good nutrition and food safety
- How to build and plant a 3’ X 5’ raised bed garden at home, with materials, seedlings, and amended topsoil supplied by us.
Children are matched with Master Gardener or 4H Volunteers as mentors to assist and inspire them with their home gardens.
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Food and Nutrition
The new year often brings renewed commitment to building healthier habits. Take advantage of the wealth of UMaine Cooperative Extension
workshops
, fact sheets,
recipes
, and more to support your goals with research-based information.
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Organizations and Resources
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Click the links to learn more, find a chapter near you, and get involved.
Bangor Land Trust
is a nonprofit organization that has conserved over 800 acres of land with public access in the Bangor area. Our mission is to protect for public benefit land and water in the Bangor region that have special ecological, natural, scenic, agricultural, or recreational significance; and to increase public understanding of the value of land and water conservation.
The Garden Club Federation of Maine
National Garden Clubs, Inc. provides education, resources and national networking opportunities for its members, to promote the love of gardening, floral design, civic and environmental responsibility.
Good Shepherd Food Bank
In addition to distributing food to Mainers in need, the Food Bank is leading a statewide effort to combat the root causes of hunger by engaging in advocacy, nutrition education, and strategic partnerships. Good Shepherd welcomes you to join in this effort.
Maine Audubon
is a member-based organization that engages people in conservation, education and advocacy to advance wildlife and wildlife habitat conservation in Maine.
Maine Federation of Farmers' Markets
' mission is to cultivate a vibrant, sustainable farmers' market community as a vital part of Maine's local food network. The Federation works with farmers, consumers, and communities to make wholesome, locally-grown foods available to all residents, to educate consumers about food resources, and to support farm viability.
Maine Gleaning Network
A collaborative farm surplus rescue effort gathering crops from Maine's fields and engaging communities in resourceful and equitable food system activities.
Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA)
The purpose of the Association is to help farmers and gardeners: grow organic food, fiber and other crops; protect the environment; recycle natural resources; increase local food production; support rural communities; and illuminate for consumers the connection between healthful food and environmentally sound farming practices.
The Grange provides opportunities for individuals and families to develop to their highest potential in order to build stronger communities and states, as well as a stronger nation.To inquire about finding a nearby Grange, contact Walter Boomsma at
grange@boomsmaonline.com
Transition Towns
The Transition Movement is comprised of vibrant, grassroots community initiatives that seek to build community resilience in the face of such challenges as peak oil, climate change and the economic crisis. Transition Initiatives differentiate themselves from other sustainability and "environmental" groups by seeking to mitigate these converging global crises by engaging their communities in home-grown, citizen-led education, action, and multi-stakeholder planning to increase local self reliance and resilience.
Transition Skowhegan meets every 1st Thursday at 6 pm, Skowhegan Public Library.
Contact Iver Lofving 474-7370 or Jason Tessier 474-4380
Dexter Dover Area Towns in Transition (DDATT) meets every first Friday at 6 pm, Abbott Memorial Library, Dexter. Contact Sam Brown 277-4221 or email
info@ddatt.org
Wild Seed Project
works to increase the use of [Maine] native plants in all landscape settings in order to conserve biodiversity, encourage plant adaption in the face of climate change, safeguard wildlife habitat, and create pollination and migration corridors for insects and birds. Check out their
Native Plant Blog
.
Maine Agriculture in the Classroom
promotes the understanding of agriculture and natural resources among students, educators, and the general public. Curricula and resources for educators and others working with young people. Check out newsletters and/or subscribe
here
.
Maine Farm to School Network
supports the rapidly spreading farm to school movement in Maine. This network knits together a wide diversity of students, teachers, school nutritionists, parents, farmers and groups who support child nutrition and Maine agriculture.
Search
their resource database,
join
the network.
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Upcoming Events
January 16
-
Free Nutrition and Cooking Classes
series begins. UMaine Cooperative Extension Penobscot County, Maine Ave., Bangor. 9:30-12:30. Pre-registration required: call 207.942.7396.
January 24-
Growing Microgreens at Home
-Foxgreen Farm, 527 North Howland Rd., Howland. 5 pm. Class is free; donations accepted to cover cost of materials.
January 29
-Camden Garden Club's
Winter Horticulture Series
begins with
Irene Brady Barber, Program Coordinator and Educator for Adult Horticulture at the Coastal Maine Botanic Gardens speaking on "Gardening for the Senses." Camden Public Library, Camden. 10 am; free.
January 29-30-
Flowering in the North Conference
. Learn about growing, marketing, and designing with Zone 5 farm fresh flowers. Abromson Center, USM Campus. Portland. 2 days, $150/person.
February 4
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Food Prep Demonstration
by MaineGeneral Prevention and Healthy Living. KVCC Hinkley Campus, Hinkley. 5:30-7:30; $20/person.
February 5
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Edible Backyards
with Aaron Parker of Edgewood Nursery. Camden Public Library, Camden. 10 am; free.
February 11
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Cooking Matters
-Learn to prepare healthy foods on a budget. Free 6-week series begins. The Commons at Central Hall, Dover-Foxcroft. 1-4 pm.
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Master Gardener Volunteers
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Please remember to report your volunteer hours and produce donations! It's important that our county, state, and federal funders know about your efforts and impact in our communities. Choose the link to the online form for the county where you were trained (unless you have made other arrangements):
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Mission
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension is the major educational outreach program of the University of Maine with offices statewide. UMaine Extension provides Maine people with research-based educational programs to help them live fuller, more productive lives.
Mention or display of a trademark, proprietary product, or firm in text or figures does not constitute an endorsement and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.
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The goal
of the Central Maine Gardening Newsletter is to connect gardeners with resources and events that encourage and inform.
Quick Links
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Local Weather Anytime
Most outdoor activities are driven by the weather. Our local National Weather Service in Caribou has meteorologists on staff 24 hours a day. They are willing to talk with you about predictions for your town. Give them a call at 492-0180. Or check out their online detailed maps at
http://www.weather.gov/car/.
Need Pesticide Credits?
Interested in Volunteering with UMaine Extension?
Nearly 8,000 volunteers devoted more than 150,000 hours to their communities last year through the University of Maine Cooperative Extension! Look around our
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Contributors
Donna Coffin, Extension Educator
Kate Garland, Horticulturist
Kathy Hopkins, Extension Educator
Trisha Smith, Community Education Assistant
The goal of the Central Maine Gardening Newsletter is to connect gardeners with resources and events that encourage and inform.
The University of Maine does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, including transgender status and gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director, Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall, 207.581.1226.
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Piscataquis County Office
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Open Monday - Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm
307 Maine Ave Bangor, ME 04401 207.942.7396 or 800.287.1485
Piscataquis County Office -
website
Open Monday, Thursday, Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm
165 East Main St Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 207.564.3301 or 800.287.1491
7 County Drive Skowhegan, Maine 04976-4209
Tel: 207.474.9622 or 1.800.287.1495 (in Maine)
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