Time to Plant Garlic, So What Price Should You Expect?

Garlic is a high value crop that is relatively easy-to-grow in Maine. Prices for garlic have gone up in recent years according to the latest New England Vegetable Report with the price per pound in Maine averaging $9.60 in 2021. According to the same report yield per acre in Maine has varied somewhat in recent years with the lowest average yield per acre in 2019 being 1,400 pounds per acre while the highest yield was 1,900 pounds per acre the following year. Certified Organic Garlic brought $14.00 per pound in August of 2020 according to the Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Price Report.  

Farmers Who Rely on Rainfall Seek More Reliable Water Sources

Dr. Rachel Schattman, assistant professor of sustainable agriculture at the University of Maine, is leading study of a novel shallow well that is 50 to 75 percent cheaper to dig than current designs. These new wells are dug into glacial till, which is common throughout the Northeast. They offer lower operating costs than current alternatives. The team hopes to dig the wells across the region to test their ability to provide supplemental water to farms.

The latest milestone in Schattman’s ongoing partnership with the Climate Hub will be to test the design at UMaine’s forthcoming  Wyman’s Wild Blueberry Research and Innovation Center. The well at the Wyman’s Center will irrigate three acres of wild blueberries. The research plots will offer control of moisture, temperature and genotype of the wild crop. This will help UMaine scientists study crop-environment interactions with precision.

Farmers interested in digging a shallow well and sharing data should contact Dr. Schattman at rachel.schattman@maine.edu

Farm Beginnings Now Accepting Applications

Applications for MOFGA's Farm Beginnings are now open!

Designed for Maine farmers and value added food producers with at least one year of sales records, this nine-week, farmer-led business course helps participants develop a business plan through realistic goal setting, reflection, and assessment of resources, skills and markets — and gives them the business planning tools necessary to successfully implement the plan. 

The course runs November through February ONLINE with a holiday break. Applications are due November 1.

It's Conference Season!

Farmer to Farmer Conference now open for registration. November 5-7, 2022. In person at the Hutchinson Center in Belfast, Maine. Join us for two farm tours in Old Town and Newburgh and over 28 sessions covering topics like leasing land, selling to schools, protected strawberry production, stress management, slaughter capacity in Maine, QuickBooks, grant writing and more! Plus a keynote address from Maggie Cheney, co-owner and general manager of Rock Steady Farm in Millerton, New York.

New England Vegetable and Fruit Conference registration now open. December 13-15, 2022. Register early: You will get a much more affordable rate if you register before the end of November (and if you register as a group!). Although the schedule of presenters and workshops has yet to be published, this event will be in person in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Maine Flower Collective Launches

Maine Flower Collective has recently launched to establish a statewide network of growers and buyers. They aim to provide an online ordering system which will allow the collective to schedule pick-ups from growers at farms or hubs for distribution to buyers. Join them virtually for an inaugural convergence on Sunday, October 30, 2022, for dynamic discussions and networking opportunities designed to increase access, availability and distribution of Maine-grown cut flowers across the state and region.

Maine Animal Health Officials Encourage Bird Owners to Continue Protecting Flocks from HPAI as Wild Birds Migrate

Vigilance is still needed as Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continues to be detected in Maine's wildlife. HPAI is a highly contagious virus that can be spread in various ways from flock to flock, including through wild birds, contact with infected poultry, equipment, and on the clothing and shoes of caretakers. Starting in February 2022, the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) reported detecting 12 cases of the disease in domestic birds, all involving non-commercial backyard flocks. DACF found these cases in six counties across the state. Though the DACF has not reported any HPAI cases in domestic bird flocks since June 29, 2022, the virus is still being detected in wild birds. Read more here.

QuickBooks for Farms Course

Starting Nov. 7th: SCORE Maine and University of Maine Cooperative Extension are pleased to offer this QuickBooks workshop series tailored to small farms and agriculture businesses. This important software can help with your invoicing, tracking sales and expenses, and handling your bookkeeping requirements for tax preparation. QuickBooks will let you sync your data across your computer, tablet and smart phone mobile devices when you need it. This is a hands-on workshop so you need either a desktop PC or a laptop available! The version we will use targets the PC platform and not the Apple laptop so please ensure you are a PC-based user. Free! More info and register here.

High Tunnel Workshop

University of Maine Cooperative Extension will hold a two-part workshop on building a high tunnel from 4–5:30 p.m. Oct. 17 and Oct. 24 at the Tidewater Farm demonstration gardens in Falmouth.

This hands-on workshop will cover how to build a structurally sound high tunnel, including techniques for squaring your site, installing bows and baseboards and framing end walls. UMaine Extension staff will lead the event. 

The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact Pamela Hargest, pamela.hargest@maine.edu; 207.949.4524. More information also is available on the event webpage.

The Role of Resilience in Maine Ag

Current Maine farmworker and Peace and Reconciliation Graduate student, Izzy Ruffin, is launching a research project focused on understanding the role of resilience in Maine agriculture through place-based and culture-centered methodologies.

Visit the official survey link for more information and to participate in the anonymous electronic survey. If there are any questions about the project, please contact the lead researcher by email at isabel.ruffin@maine.edu. Please share with any Maine farmers, farmworkers, agrarians or land stewards within your professional or personal networks. If you are a farm owner or manager, thank you for sharing this opportunity with your crew.

Swine Management Seminar

The Animal Health Program at the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry is pleased to present a half day Swine Management Seminar at the Pineland Campus in New Gloucester, Maine. This opportunity is sponsored by USDA/NIFA Northeast SARE, and features the final report and handouts developed from the project, Biosecurity Preparedness, Infectious Disease Prevention, and Farmer Training on Northern New England Swine Farms. 

In response to this project’s assessment of current on-farm disposal practices, we are pleased to offer a dynamic presentation on compost pile construction and management, including a hands-on assessment of material quality. The seminar will also feature a presentation on funding opportunities for on-farm composting projects. Click here for full agenda. The day will conclude with a taste of how feeding practices and alternative feeds affect pork carcass quality.Before you leave, there will be a distribution of FREE biosecurity and composting supplies to send you out the door ready to apply what you have learned on your own operations!

Date: Friday, October 28, 2022

Times: 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Location: Room A, Pineland Farms Conference Center, 16 Pineland Dr, New Gloucester, ME 04260

Lunch: Provided by Black Tie Catering – deadline for registration for lunch is October 19^th end of day. Registrations after October 19 are not guaranteed a lunch. Water, coffee and tea provided.

Cost: No fee, includes lunch, supported by USDA/NIFA Northeast SARE

Registration Contact: Erica Coombs erica.coombs@maine.gov or 207-287-3701 to register anytime. Name, phone, email address, # for lunch, choice of ham, turkey or tuna sandwich (by end of October 19 for lunch reservation). May register to attend up until October 27, 3:00 pm.

Northeast Solar Sheep Survey

The survey is intended for existing sheep farmers (solar grazing or not), other farmers considering sheep production, and new or beginning farmers. The survey should take between 15 and 20 minutes to complete. Persons completing the survey and sharing their name and email address at the end of the survey will be eligible for one of three $100 Amazon gift cards (one survey per farmer only).

Thanks you for assisting in this important industry effort!