Pasture Pork and Beginners Guide to Keeping Pigs

May 10th

11 am to 2 pm

Penobscot County Extension Office, Bangor

Dr. Colt Knight will present this program for folks who are planning to get a couple pigs this spring to raise through the summer and harvest in the fall as well as folks who are planning to get a sow to raise their own piglets.

Also, for folks considering using pasture as a portion of their pig’s diet, Dr. Knight will go over some management information. 

A light lunch will be included. 

Course fee: $10

For more information and to register go to  sign up page.

Eggs - Wash, refrigerate or not?

The results of a recent research project showed that refrigerated eggs, regardless of whether they were washed or oiled, were still Grade A quality after 15 weeks, and that the quality of eggs stored at room temperature degraded from Grade AA to Grade B in just a week, and they also lost 15 percent of their weight over that time. Under refrigeration unwashed eggs lost the same amount as washed eggs.

Some producers claim that the chicken egg is coated with a thin, protective "cuticle," or membrane, that prevents bacteria from penetrating the shell. In reality, the cuticle dries and comes off, and is only present to control respiration during incubation. It does nothing to prevent bacteria from entering the egg.

Best practices include spray-washing eggs in warm water, use a sanitizing rinse and air-dry, then maintain at 45 degrees F.

Source: How We Store Our Eggs - and Why , USDA Tellus, 4/23/2019.

Maine Migrant Education Program (MEP)

MEP provides free educational assistance to families who move to work in agriculture or fishing. Children in these families often struggle to succeed academically because of frequent moves, poverty, and other barriers. The MEP provides services to help migratory children and youth (ages 0-20) succeed in school by maintaining their grade level and meeting high academic standards.

The Maine Migrant Education Program is administered by Mano en Mano / Hand in Hand, a nonprofit with offices Downeast and in Portland.

  

To qualify for Migrant Education services, a family must have moved from one school district to another within the past three years to do seasonal or temporary work in agriculture or fishing. If you are interested in receiving free educational support, you may contact:

Sean Douglas, Enrollment and Outreach Coordinator

(207) 598-8925

[email protected]

FSA Storage Facility Loan Program

Farm Storage Facility Loans (FSFLs) provide low-interest financing for producers to store, handle and/or transport eligible commodities they produce. This includes the following:

• Acquire, construct or upgrade new or used, portable or permanently affixed, on-farm storage and handling facilities;

• Acquire new or used storage and handling trucks; and

• Acquire portable or permanently affixed storage and handling equipment.

The eligible commodities are quite diverse. In addition to grain crops, hay, honey, fruits & vegetables, hops, maple sap, milk, cheese, butter, eggs, meat/poultry (unprocessed)

The types of facilities and equipment that are eligible include: bins or cribs, oxygen-limiting structures, electrical & handling equipment, bulk tanks, cold storage buildings, storage & handling trucks (including refrigerated trucks.)

The program is administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA).

Penobscot County Office

Piscataquis County Office