 |
|
Your Monthly News & Updates
|
|
|
|
July is the month to...
By Liz Stanley, Horticulture Program Coordinator, UMaine Extension Knox, Lincoln & Waldo Counties; and Trisha Smith, Home Horticulture Aide, Piscataquis County
Plan your Fair season! Maine's agricultural fairs are great educational entertainment for your entire family. Each fair has its unique charm and flavor. Find one near you, or travel to see something new! See the Maine Association of Agricultural Fairs website.
Sign up to get MOFGA's Pest Report in your inbox. Every 1-2 weeks during the growing season, Eric Sideman sends emails about pests to watch for. Information includes
biology of the pest organism, its effects on the plant, and recommended solutions. Archives and fact sheets are also available.
Check for insect pest damage to your plants by making "walk throughs" weekly. Look for leaf, stem, and blossom damage. Check the undersides of leaves for egg masses. Make an accurate identification of the pest(s) before making any treatments. Visit UMaine Extension's Insect Pests, Plant Diseases &Pesticide Safety website for fact sheets about common insect pests in Maine. Submit an Insect Specimen for free identification and diagnostic help.
Participate in a research project! The University of Rhode Island Biological Control Lab is researching ways to find a biological control for lily leaf beetle. In an attempt to
track parasitic insects, URI will collect larvae (identified as the brown blobs, since they cover themselves in their excrement) and dissect them to identify parasitic insects.
To collect larvae in your yard,
put about 10-20 of the largest larvae you can find with some lily leaves into a rigid container with a lid (a cottage cheese or yogurt container works well). Do not add water; the lily leaves will provide some moisture. Label the lid with your name, complete address (include email if you're interested in the results), and the date you collected the larvae. Tape container closed so that the larvae don't escape. Mail to:
Lisa Tewksbury,
Dept. of Plant Sciences,
9 E. Alumni Ave. Room 210C Woodward Hall,
University of Rhode Island,
Kingston, RI 02881
Shop at farmers' markets for veggies you don't grow yourself, plus local meat, dairy, bread, flowers, and more! Find a farmers' market near you.
Drop in at Rogers Farm on a Tuesday evening with gardening questions, 5:30-6:30. 914 Bennoch Rd., Old Town. Call 942-7396 or email laurie.bowen@maine.edu for details. Demonstration gardens are open daily during daylight hours.
Prune an overgrown forsythia. Remove the oldest wood at the base to create a vase-like shape and encourage more flowering next season. (Is it a jungle? You can also do this in late winter/early spring when you can see what you're doing.) For more information, see Bulletin #2513,
Pruning Forsythias in Maine
Pamper your asparagus patch. Weed it well, and apply compost, manure, or fertilizer. For more information, see Bulletin #2071,
Growing Asparagus in Maine.
Be aware of the threat of ticks. Learn more about ticks at
Shop sales at nursery and garden centers. Many perennials (and even annuals) can be transplanted late and will soon flourish if given plenty of water until they've gotten over their shock.
Find more tips
here.
|
|
|
Upcoming Events and Activities-
Do you know of a class, activity, or event that may interest gardeners in Piscataquis, Penobscot, or Somerset Counties? Please forward information to trisha.smith1@maine.edu for possible inclusion in our next newsletter.
Check UMaine Extension's calendar for educational opportunities all over the state
- July 14-"An Artist's Garden" tour, 10 South Spring St.,Stillwater, 3pm. Nancy Leavitt will lead a tour of her beautiful garden. Over 250 individual perennial species ensure an ever-changing array of blooming perennials. Call Ann Davidoff, 866-8641 FMI.
- July 19-Raised Beds and Containers Gardening Series, Session 3: Caring for Your Garden. UMaine Extension Somerset County office in Skowhegan, 9-11am. $20-take one or all of the classes in the series. Register here.
- July 23-Open Farm Day, statewide. Check out Get Real, Get Maine FMI or to download a schedule.
- July 26-Highmoor Farm Field Day, Highmoor Farm, Monmouth, 8:30-3. $25 registration includes lunch. Pre-register by July 17 at Highmoor Farm Field Day. This year's field day will include tours of current research projects in tree fruit, and projects in vegetables, pumpkin trials, broccoli evaluations, as well as reduced tillage in organic systems and permanent beds; high tunnel tomatoes, cucumbers and strawberries; and irrigation and compost application in high tunnels.
- July 29-Artisan Bread Fair, Skowhegan Fair Grounds, Skowhegan, 9-3. Parking $3, admission free. Or check out the 2017 Kneading Conference if you're really serious!
- July 28-August 6-Bangor State Fair-click for schedule and information.
- August 1-Backyard Blueberries with Dr. David Handley, UMaine Cooperative Extension Vegetable and Small Fruit Specialist. Rogers Farm, 914 Bennoch Rd., Old Town, 6-7pm.
- August 2-"A Master Gardener's Master Garden" tour. 26 Mainewood, Orono, 10 am. Lisa Colburn will lead a tour of her wonderful and ingenious "idea garden" with many ideas that gardeners can apply in their own yards. Call Ann Davidoff, 866-8641 FMI.
- August 10-19-Skowhegan State Fair-Learn more here.
- August 16-Raised Beds and Containers Gardening Series, Session 4: Extending Your Growing Season. UMaine Extension Somerset County office in Skowhegan, 9-11am. one or all of the classes. Register here.
- August 18-20-Maine Apple Camp, Camp NEOFA, Liberty. $165 MOFGA members/$215 non-members. Registration includes housing and meals. Register online.
- August 19-Maine Permaculture Day 2017. 9-5, various sites around Maine. Admission is free, please pre-register. A list/map will be made available 10 days prior to the event.
- August 24-27-Piscataquis Valley Fair-Learn more here.
- September 1-4-Harmony Free Fair-Follow them on Facebook.
- September 2-Skowhegan Craft Brew Festival, downtown Skowhegan, 2-7 pm. www.skowhegancraftbrewfest.com FMI.
- September 9-Fall Field Day at Rogers Farm, 914 Bennoch Rd., Old Town,10-1pm, rain or shine. Free events, no registration needed.
- September 13-Raised Beds and Containers Gardening Series, Session 5: Using Your Harvest. UMaine Extension Somerset County office in Skowhegan, 9-11am. $20 for the series, take one or all of the classes. Register here.
-
Located on Route 146 in North New Portland, Maine, 20 minutes from Skowhegan.
|
Plant of the Month: White Pine (Pinus strobus)
By Tori Lee Jackson, Associate Professor of Agriculture & Natural Resources, UMaine Extension Androscoggin and Sagadahoc Counties
What do the Maine State flower, tree, seal, flag, nickname, quarter, and coat of arms all have in common? If you guessed the Eastern white pine, you're correct! Pinus strobus is such an iconic symbol in our state that we have officially commemorated it in many of our official designations and it's not difficult to figure out why.
The Eastern white pine is a native species to "The Pine Tree State" and is the tallest conifer in our forests.
|
|
|
Growing Peppers Hot and Sweet!
by Kathryn Hopkins, Extension Educator, UMaine Extension Somerset County
In July, many gardeners get excited about harvesting fresh summer vegetables and preparing dishes from their garden produce. Many traditional summer dishes include ingredients such as tomatoes and peppers. Though gardeners often argue persuasively about their favorite flavored tomato, peppers present a much wider range of flavors from mild bell peppers to "how hot do you need"?
|
|
|
Maine State Beekeepers Are Buzzing Around the State!
By Richard McLaughlin, EAS Master Beekeeper and President of the Maine State Beekeepers Association
Summer is the time of year we all get outside and enjoy the warm sunny weather. As the gardening season progresses we notice the increased activity of the many pollinators around us - bumble bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, and of course, honey bees. With this comes the curiosity on just how these pollinators do their job and how they live their lives. To help answer some of these questions each year, members of the Maine State Beekeepers Association give talks and demonstrations, collect swarms, and just generally volunteer in all kinds of ways to help people understand the important role pollinators play in making our flower and vegetable gardens more beautiful and abundant.
---------------
MASTER GARDENER VOLUNTEERS
Check in with the MGV coordinator in your county to discuss plans and ideas, make sure your enrollment is current, and pick up Extension publications to support your endeavors. We appreciate all you do in our communities!
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):
Extension's reporting deadline is September 30, but you may enter your hours anytime. Google forms will magically compile your entries!
|
|
|
|
Food & Nutrition: Freezing Green Beans
By Kate McCarty, Food Preservation Community Education Assistant, UMaine Extension Cumberland County
July brings the first harvest of green beans ready for fresh eating, pickling, and freezing. Freezing green beans is a great way to preserve them for year-round use and results in a product that is closer to fresh than canning does. For best results, the USDA recommends blanching green beans before freezing. Blanching kills enzymes inside the vegetables that can cause a loss of color, texture, and flavor over time. The trick to avoiding mushy green beans is to stop the cooking process before they become overcooked. Use an ice water bath to shock green beans after blanching for a higher-quality frozen product. Freeze beans in freezer-grade plastic containers and use within 6 to 8 months for best results.
|
|
|
Volunteer and Employment Opportunities
Summer is here, and kids are looking for things to do. If you're interested in working with youth, consider becoming a 4-H volunteer leader. Learn more about 4-H here, and find out what it takes to be a volunteer.
County Extension Association Executive Committees are crucial to the success of Extension in our communities. In partnership with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension staff, the Executive Committee of each County Extension Association assists with providing input on local educational programming needs, helps hire staff, and oversees the county budget appropriations that support educational Extension programs for county residents.
Read more here, and contact
your county's Cooperative Extension office.
Free Summer Meals is a national program offering free meals to anyone under 18. In many locations, adults are welcome to eat for a low price (under $5). Inquire with site coordinators about offering enrichment activities.
Find a site near you.
Shared Earthly Blessings community garden in Dexter welcomes volunteers. Work days are Saturdays 9-11 and Wednesday afternoons at the Sherburne Farm, about 2 miles out of Dexter on the Ripley Rd (Rt 23). Produce is grown, harvested, packed, and delivered to local seniors. For more information call John Gornall at 207.924.5232.
University of Maine Cooperative Extension has employment opportunities across the state. Find the list
here.
|
|
|
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.
Organizations that address food insecurity with distributions of free food and meals exist in most communities. Many welcome volunteers as well as donations of food, including fresh garden produce in season. Access to refrigeration and timing of food distributions can limit an organization's ability to accept donations. It is best to contact them first. With this in mind, we aim to provide a comprehensive list of these organizations. Please do not hesitate to email trisha.smith1@maine.edu with additional or corrected information.
The Maine Food Atlas is an interactive mapping project created by the Maine Network of Community Food Councils and the Center for Community GIS. Explore or even contribute-The Maine Food Atlas relies on individuals to submit and update listings.
Click here to see a list of organizations tackling food insecurity in Penobscot, Piscataquis, and Somerset Counties.
|
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.
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.
|
|
|
|
|
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)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
