 |
|
Your Monthly News & Updates
|
New Year, New Newsletter!
You may have noticed our new name and new look. We're now "Central Maine Gardening Newsletter," and we've got beautiful new banner graphics to prove it! We have also expanded listings of interest to Somerset County gardeners and Master Gardener Volunteers as well as those in Penobscot and Piscataquis.
More and more of you use a mobile device to access email, newletters, and other internet content. We hope our new format is easier to read and navigate.
We want to hear from you! Please share feedback, events, and especially garden "hacks" for our new reader contribution section. Deadline for inclusion in February's newsletter is January 30. Email trisha.smith1@maine.edu.
|
|
|
|
|
|
January is the month to...
Feed the birds! Bring color and life into your winter landscape. Check out Bird Feeding Basics for tips and recipes.
Stoke the fire and curl up with a pile of seed catalogs! Vegetable Varieties for Maine can help your decision-making process. Brush up on Seed Saving facts before you order if you're thinking about saving seeds next year. Many seed catalogs are excellent references and contain a wealth of information. Most of you are likely pretty savvy, but here's a brief primer of common terms you may encounter in your perusals: Seed Catalogs Made Easy.
Enter a coloring contest! Fedco Seeds, famous for their exceptionally informative, but monochromatic catalog, has challenged customers to color this year's cover image "Magic Molly." Download a copy and print it out, use your favorite media, and send it to Fedco Coloring Contest, PO Box 520, Clinton ME 04927 by February 28. You could win a $200, $100, or $50 gift certificate from Fedco!
Look into Penobscot County's Master Gardener Volunteer Training. This program provides participants with in-depth training in the art and science of horticulture. In return, trainees are expected to volunteer their time and expertise to projects that educate the public and/or address food insecurity in our region. Apply here. Residents of counties outside Penobscot are welcome. Arrangements can be made to fulfill most of your volunteer commitment in your home county.
|
|
|
Upcoming Events and Activities
- January 6-Deadline to register for Maine Agriculture in the Classroom's workshop "Curriculum Connections for School Garden Projects" for school garden coordinators and teachers (workshop January 20). Registration Form
- January 7 Beaver:Ecosystems Engineer presentation, 10-11 am, Bangor Land Trust, 8 Harlow St. Suite 4b
- January 10-12 Maine Agricultural Trades Show, Augusta Civic Center.
- January 12 Hops School at the Augusta Civic Center.10 am to 3:30 pm. For those interested in commercial hops production. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. Cost $25. FMI and to register click here.
- January 12-Just Eat It! film showing at Maine Agricultural Trades Show, 10 am. Sponsored by Maine Nutrition Council
- January 18-Deadline to apply for Master Gardener Volunteer Training in Penobscot County. Classes begin 2/14.
- January 20-Maine Agriculture in the Classroom Workshop, Augusta.
- January 29-Maine Federation of Farmers' Market Convention, 8-3:30, Hinkley.
- February 11-Beginning Beekeeping, 10am-4pm, MOFGA Education Center, Unity.
- February 17- Winter Family Day, 3-6 pm, Hirundo Wildlife Refuge, Old Town
|
|
|
|
Zinnia - Red Profusion - Photo AAS
|
All America Selections Announced
All-America Selections, the only non-profit trialing organization for plants that demonstrate great garden performance throughout North America, presents eleven exciting new AAS Winners for the 2017 garden season. Each of the following varieties was trialed in North America by professional, independent, volunteer judges during one growing season. Each was trialed next to comparison varieties that are considered best-in-class among those currently on the market.
|
|
|
|
Tomato Patio Choice Yellow F1 - Photo AAS
|
|
This group of AAS Winners for 2017 includes:
|
|
|
Squash Honeybaby FI - Photo AAS
|
The first group of AAS Winners for 2017 were announced in July 2016. Those are:
This brings the grand total to sixteen AAS Winners for 2017.
You will see these selections in the 2017 garden catalogs as seed supplies become available. If you are looking for a place to find more garden catalogs (both paper and digital) you can go to the
Direct Gardening Association website and click on the "Member Newsletter and Catalog" link to see their member's links to their web pages. There are over 18 pages of listings.
Maine gardeners can visit a demonstration garden to view these and more selections this coming gardening season. We have two in Maine: Penobscot County Master Gardener Demonstration Garden at Rogers Farm in Old Town and the University of Maine Gardens at Tidewater Farm in Falmouth.
|
|
|
|
|
|
In the coming months we'll be sharing updates about the great work University of Maine Cooperative Extension Master Gardener and Maine Harvest for Hunger volunteers are doing in Central Maine. In 2016, our Penobscot, Piscataquis and Somerset County team:
- volunteered over 10,200 hours,
- donated over 70,000 lbs of fresh produce,
- and involved 520 youth in planting projects.
Their work supported:
- 40 food pantries, shelters, and free meal sites
- 13 community gardens
- 16 school gardens
- 18 demonstration gardens
- 21 youth programs
- 4 programs supporting seniors
- 7 gleaning sites
Join us!
Contact your local UMaine Cooperative Extension office to learn more about how you can help.
Master Gardener Volunteers,
Please be sure to let us know about your great work by reporting your hours using the appropriate online form below. Reporting can happen anytime, but is especially helpful if done before our annual reporting deadline of September 30th. If you have questions or troubles with the form, simply contact your local MGV coordinator. It's very important that our county, state, and federal funders are able to know about your efforts. Please choose the form for the county where you were trained.
|
|
|
|
|
Reader Tips, Tricks, and Techniques
This section is for you, our readers, to share some of your favorite gardening "hacks." Send your clever ideas to
trisha.smith1@maine.edu. We may not post all submissions depending on the volume we receive.
Here's a fun one from Master Gardener Volunteer Elaine Gustafson: to rid the house of cobwebs in hard to reach corners and tight spaces, attach dried seed heads from Echinacea to a long handle (such as a broomstick) and whisk away those spooky dust catchers!
|
|
|
The Maine Food System, What's That?
University of Maine Cooperative Extension helps support, sustain, and grow the $3.9 billion food-based economy in Maine. We are the only entity in our state that touches every aspect of the Maine Food System, where policy, research, production, processing, commerce, nutrition, and food security and safety are integral and interrelated. Read more here.
|
|
|
| Graphic by Michael Mendoza |
|
If you eat, you are part of the Maine Food System!
You may also be growing food for yourself and/or others, supporting farmers' markets and CSAs, volunteering at food cupboards, community meals, or soup kitchens. If you aren't, we're trying to make it easier for you to get involved.
Most communities have organizations that address food insecurity, and many welcome volunteers as well as donations of food, including fresh garden produce in season. We aim to provide a comprehensive list of these resources. Please do not hesitate to contact me (trisha.smith1@maine.edu) with additional or corrected information.
|
Organizations of Interest
Click the links to learn more, find a chapter near you, and get involved.
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.
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 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.
Maine State Beekeepers Association
Northern Penobscot County Beekepers Association
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.
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.
|
|
|
|
|
Mission
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.
|
Quick Links
|
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.
|
|
Contributors
Donna Coffin, Extension Educator
The goal of the Central Maine Gardening Newsletter is to connect gardeners with resources and events that encourage and inform.
|
T
he 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.
|
|
|
|
Open Monday - Friday
8 am to 4:30 pm
307 Maine Ave. Bangor, ME 04401 207-942-7396 or 800-287-1485
|
Open Monday, Thursday, Friday
8 am to 4:30 pm,
Open By-chance on Wednesday
, Closed Tuesday
165 East Main St. Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 207-564-3301 or 800-287-1491
|
Open Monday - Friday
8 am to 4:30 pm
7 County Drive Skowhegan, ME 04976-3117 Phone: 207.474.9622 or 800.287.1495 (in Maine)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
