Your Monthly News & Updates
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What's New?
- Growing in a Greenhouse - March 25th
- Backyard Poultry Care - March 24th
- Crop Insurance - Hemp Policy Available
- COVID-19 Not Caused by Poultry
- Vegetable School - April 9th
- Last Freeze Date Changing
- Maine Meat Cutting School - May 11th - 15th
- Maine Grazing Conference - March 28th
- SARE Grants Awarded to Maine Farmers
- SARE Grants Awarded to Maine Researchers, Grad Students, & Partnerships
- Hands-on Workshop: Introduction to Sausage Making at Home
- UMaine Extension receives grant to recycle agricultural greenhouse plastic
- Growing and Utilizing Hemp in the Home Garden - April 2nd
- 4-H Silent Auction at Bangor Mall near J.C. Penneys - March 21st
- Items of Interest - Featured Resources - Upcoming Events
- Newsletter Subscription Information
- Mission and Quick Links - Local Weather Anytime - Need Pesticide Credits?
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March 25, 202, 10 a.m. – noon
Penobscot County UMaine Extension Office
307 Maine Ave, Bangor, Maine (by the airport)
Last year we had a program on structures for home and small-scale greenhouses.
This year we are sponsoring a program with Dr. Matt Wallhead, UMaine Extension Horticultural Specialist focused on specific crops, scheduling seeding, using plugs, transplanting, watering, common pests, pest control, and harvest. Also, the challenges of growing crops with different temperatures and moisture needs in one greenhouse as well as producing vegetables year-round.
The Growing in a Greenhouse Program will be held March 12th from 1 pm to 3 pm at the UMaine Extension at the Piscataquis County Extension Office, 165 East Main St., in Dover-Foxcroft and repeated March 25th from 10 am to noon at the Penobscot County Extension Office, 307 Maine Ave. (by the airport), Bangor.
A program fee of $10 to cover handout materials. Pre-registration is required either online
HERE
or by calling 564-3301 or email
anette.moulton@maine.edu
. Limited financial assistance is available, contact Anette Moulton for details.
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Backyard Poultry Care
March 24, 2020
6 pm to 8:30 pm
NOKOMIS High School, Newport
Prospective and beginning small-scale meat and egg producers will gain a general understanding of what it takes to have poultry. Poultry breeds, housing, health, and nutrition for small-scale meat and egg producers will be explored with Donna Coffin, UMaine Extension & Dr. Colt Knight, UMaine Extension Livestock Specialist. Also, demonstration of various waterers and lighting options will be shown along with ideas for do-it-yourself poultry equipment. Sponsored by UMaine Extension.
or by calling 207-368-3290.
An optional course book “Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens,” can be purchased for $20 at the meeting.
For more information or to request a disability accommodation, call 207-564-3301 or in Maine 1-800-287-1491.
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Crop Insurance
Hemp Coverage:
The Multi-Peril Crop Insurance coverage is for hemp grown for fiber, grain or CBD oil for the 2020 crop year. The deadline to enroll for 2020 coverage is March 15, 2020.
Insurable & Non-insurable Crops:
March 15, 2020 is also the deadline to
enroll
,
cancel
, or
change
policy coverage for crop insurance on spring-seeded crops in Maine such as corn, sweet corn, barley, oats, spring wheat, and potato.
Those producing other, “non-insurable” spring-seeded crops such as tomatoes, pumpkins, squash, etc. may seek coverage through the Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) available through the Farm Service Agency. March 15th is also the deadline to enroll in Whole Farm Revenue Protection, a crop insurance policy that protects a farm’s adjusted gross revenue.
A list of crop insurance agents is available at all USDA Service Centers and online at the
RMA Agent Locator. Learn more about crop insurance and the modern farm safety net at
rma.usda.gov.
Contact Erin Roche with the UMaine Crop Insurance Education Program (
erin.roche@maine.edu — 207.949.2490 ) with questions.
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COVID-19 Not Caused by Poultry
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Specific coronaviruses cause disease — often mild — in many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats and bats. Animal coronaviruses may, rarely, infect people and then spread, as was seen with MERS and SARS CoV. This seems to have been the case with the COVID-19 outbreak in China, which is thought to be most closely related to bat viruses.
Currently, the COVID-19 virus strain has been spreading person-to-person. No animal cases have been confirmed, though there is a report that a virus similar to the COVID-19 strain was found in a dog belonging to a COVID-19 patient. The dog is not displaying symptoms. There is no evidence that poultry are a risk. In some countries, animal industries are affected by consumer fears rather than by actual risks.
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April 9th at Bangor Motor Inn & Conference Center
701 Hogan Road,
Bangor, Maine
Agenda Topics;
Legislative Update
Deep Mulching Compost for Crop Nutrition and Weed Management
Irrigation Strategies to Maximize Effectiveness and Efficiency
A View from the Plant Disease Lab Common and Uncommon Problems
Rasp Production in High Tunnels: Scaling Up in Quebec
Swede Midge and Leek Moth in Maine: New Threats to Crucifers and Alliums
Growing Healthy Transplants: Best Greenhouse Practices
Transitioning the Farm: Getting Started
Ticks and Brown Tail Moths: Health Implications for Farmers
Update on Risk Management Options for Fruit & Vegetable Growers
Emery Farm: Bringing Local Produce to Maine Schools
Please contact Pamela Doherty with any registration inquiries at 207.832.0343 or pamela.doherty@maine.edu. Registration and information is also online.
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Last Freeze Date Changing
Depending on what part of the state you are in the date of the last freeze is either getting earlier or getting later according to
Climate Central. While Bangor is projected to experience later dates for the last freeze of the season, Presque Isle is projected to have earlier last freeze dates.
Climate Central is
an
independent
group of scientists and communicators who research and report the facts about our changing climate and how it affects people’s lives.
Climate Central uses science, big data, and technology to generate thousands of local storylines and compelling visuals that make climate change personal and show what can be done about it. They address climate science, sea level rise, extreme weather, energy, and related topics. They collaborate widely with TV meteorologists, journalists, and other respected voices to reach audiences across diverse geographies and beliefs.
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May 11 - 15, 2020
8:30 am to 5:30 pm
Hitchner Hall, Orono
We have been working hard to improve and expand the Maine Meat Cutting School. This year we are excited to announce that the Maine Meat Cutting School will be held on Campus at the University of Maine in Orono. We will have access to larger and more comfortable classrooms.
The pilot plant is now a custom exempt licensed meat processing facility equipped with freezers, walk in coolers, smokehouse, sausage grinders, and more! This year we will be able to break the class into smaller groups for hands on cutting demos and learning. We are also making arrangements to have many more animals available to cut up. Last year we filled up in about a week and half, act quickly!
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March 28, 2020
9:30 am to 3 pm
KVCC - Alfond Campus, Hinkley
This year, the conference will be highlighted by a keynote address by Troy Bishopp. Troy, affectionately known as “The Grass Whisperer”, is a 32-year well-seasoned grass farmer and grasslands advocate. Troy owns and manages Bishopp Family Farm in Deansboro, NY with his understanding wife, daughters and parents. Their certified organic, 100% grass-fed, custom grazing operation raises dairy heifers, grass-finished beef and backgrounds feeder cattle on 180 acres of owned and leased cool season pastures in the Mohawk Valley. Toy’s keynote address is titled “My Quest for Extended Grazing: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly”
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- Evaluating Alternative Malting Barley Varieties and their Acceptance in the Northeast Craft Brewing Community $14,509 Jacob Buck Maine Malt House
- European Corn Borer Detection in Local Hopyards $6,247 Ryan Houghton The Hop Yard
- Using Shading to Control Algal Biofouling on a Floating Oyster Farm $12,805 Jordan Kramer Winnegance Oyster Farm
- Development of a New Seaweed Growing System for Nori Production in the Northeast $15,000 Sarah Redmond Springtide Seaweed,
- Developing Management Options for Staph aureus on Organic Dairies $13,157 Katie Webb Clark
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- Nutrient and Weed Management Strategies for Organic Wild Blueberry Growers $199,828 Dr.Lily Calderwood Cornell Cooperative Extension
- Building Social Sustainability on Farms through Online and In-Person Education $197,676 Leslie Forstadt University of Maine Cooperative Extension
- Automated Net Return Mapping: Using Inexpensive Technology for Maximizing Profit of Small-Scale Farms $14,806 Dr.Eric Gallandt University of Maine Johnny Sanchez University of Maine
- Analyzing Early Growth Characteristics and Anchorage Force to Improve Cultivation Tolerance in Carrots $14,683 Dr. Eric Gallandt University of Maine Rebecca Champagne The University of Maine
- Maine Climate Resilience Training Program $29,787 Ryan Dennett Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association
- Expanding Quahog and Oyster Polyculture in Maine $29,575 Dr. Marissa McMahan Manomet
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Friday, April 17, 2020
5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
UMaine Extension Penobscot County
307 Maine Avenue, Bangor, Maine
Space is limited. Maximum number of participants: 25
Cost: $30. Limited financial assistance available. Samples/taste testing included, as well as refreshments.
Who should attend: Anyone interested in learning more about sausage making is welcome to attend. This workshop will cover meat selection, seasoning, grinding, stuffing, storage, and sanitation. Great for homesteaders wanting to learn more about processing their products, home chefs wanting to know where their food comes from and what ingredients are used, and potential chefs wanting to expand their knowledge by adding value to less expensive cuts of meat.
Description: This beginners guide to making sausage will encompass all the basics you need to know to get started making your own sausage. Topics include: Meat Selection, equipment needed, how to grind, how to stuff sausage, natural vs. collagen casings, sausage linking, basics of seasoning, storage, and sanitation. Participants will have the opportunity for hands-on experience selecting meat, grinding, seasoning, stuffing, and packaging. We will be making breakfast sausage and traditional linked Italian sausage/bratwurst.
Instructors: Dr. Colt W. Knight, Assistant Extension Professor and State Livestock Specialist for the UMaine Extension, and Donna Coffin, Extension Professor for UMaine Extension.
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UMaine Extension receives grant to recycle agricultural greenhouse plastic
The target material for recycling, low-density polyethylene (LDPE #4), is a clear film used to cover greenhouses, high tunnels, hoop houses and other agricultural structures.
The program’s goal is to collect at least one-third of Maine’s annual waste greenhouse plastic, and partner with an end-user who can convert the collected plastic into resin feedstock used in the manufacture of new plastic products.
Collection of the waste plastic will run from May through September 2020.
Participation will be free of charge and open to all growers who register for the project.
Photo: Remsberg
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Growing and Utilizing Hemp in the Home Garden
April 2, 2020
6:30 pm to 8 pm
Penobscot County Extension Office
307 Maine Ave. (by the airport)
Bangor
Dr. John Jemison, UMaine Extension Soil and Water Quality Specialist who has been interested in CBD hemp production since learning about its potential health effects related to seizure disorders and other beneficial uses.
He will cover how to effectively grow CBD hemp at home and how to harvest, dry, cure, and extract for your personal use.
Registration required by contacting Wendy Robertson, wendy.robertson@maine.edu, 207-942-7396 or in Maine 1-800-287-1485.
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4-Hers are busy collecting items for your thrifty shopping pleasure! Stop by to see the Penobscot County 4-H Leaders’ Association’s Annual 4-H Silent Auction on Saturday, March 21, 2020 from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM at the Bangor Mall, near JCPenney. All proceeds from the Auction go towards scholarships, camperships and educational programs for Penobscot County 4-H youth.
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- Single-use Plastic Bag Ban and Farmers' Markets & Farm Stands. The Maine Federated Farmers' Market website has a great article on this new law and what you can use and can't use for farm products (produce & meat.)
- The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) is accepting proposals for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grants (SCBG). Through the SCBG program, DACF anticipates awarding approximately $600,000 in funding in 2020. Deadline is March 31st.
- Researchers Put Cornstarch to Use Fighting Pests. Add yet another use for cornstarch—besides thickening soups and gravies, making adhesives, soothing skin and removing stains. Through the use of patented procedures Research Service (ARS) scientists in Peoria, Illinois, are now using the versatile commodity to make products that can fight insect pests, prevent disease and decay and impart water resistance to surfaces.
- The Power of Meat 2020 explores consumption trends, sales growth and consumer preferences and found demand for meat is accelerating with $50.5 billion in sales for 2019. The study sponsored by the Food Industry Association and the North American Meat Institute found brands continued to benefit from being a preferred purchase among younger shoppers, but 2019 was a strong year for private brands (up 12.3%). Shoppers say they want to hear from brands about nutrition (58%), food safety practices (57%), animal care practices (46%) and the brand’s environmental impact (40%).
- NAHMS Swine Survey (pdf) this summer is to characterize the opportunities, risks and health challenges faced by small enterprise swine producers. Data on health and management practices will be compared with similar data collected in 2007 and 2012, which will provide a picture of trends in U.S. swine production on small enterprise operations.
- Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) RFP. Deadline March 5th. VAPG program helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and marketing of new products. The goals of this program are to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities and increase producer income.
- Northeast Irrigation Supply and Designers (new list)
- Maine Hay Directory - is available to help farmers with hay to sell and farmers looking for hay to buy. Be cautious of hay scams.
- Maine Farm Labor Link Network - MDACF to link potential employers with job seekers.
- Jobs at UMaine Extension: a number positions throughout the state.
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Videos:
Frost Seeding
time will be here soon.
University of Maine Cooperative Extension discusses the technique of frost seeding to he
lp improve production, and increase diversity, in hayfield grasses and legumes.
Podcasts:
Webinar:
Mid-Atlantic Women in Wednesday Webinars -
Offered the second and fourth Wednesday of each month. Topics cover all areas of risk management. To see the full listing and to register visit:
http://extension.umd.edu/womeninag/webinars
Publications:
Visit UMaine Extension online Publications Catalog for agricultural publications such as:
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- March 13, 2020 Maine Grain Conference, 9 am to 3:45 pm, Black Bear Inn, Orono
- March 19, 2020 Selling More Maine Foods Conference, USM Campus Portland. Sponsored by Maine Food Strategy.
- March 19 & 20, 2020 Meat and Poultry HACCP Training, 8 am to 5 pm, Penobscot County Extension Office, 307 Maine Ave., Bangor. Limited space, if interested sign up asap. For more information contact: Theresa Tilton at 207.942.7396, 800.287.1485 (in Maine) or theresa.tilton@maine.edu.
- March 21, 2020 4-H Silent Auction, 10 am to 5 pm Bangor Mall (near J. C. Penney)
- March 24, 2020 Backyard Poultry Care, 6 pm to 8:30 pm NOKOMIS High School. $5 register through NOKOMIS Adult Ed.
- March 25, 2020 Growing in a Greenhouse, 10 am to noon, Penobscot County Extension Office, 307 Maine Ave., Bangor. Contact Wendy Robertson at 207-942-7396 or wendy.robertson@maine.edu to register.
- March 28, 2020 Grass Farmers Conference, KVCC Fairfield
- April 2, 2020 Growing and Utilizing Hemp in the Home Garden, 6:30 pm to 8 pm, Penobscot County Extension Office, 307 Maine Ave., Bangor. $10. To register contact Wendy Robertson, wendy.robertson@maine.edu or 207-942-7396 or 1-800-287-1485. Online registration coming soon.
- April 4, 2020 Rural Living Day, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Mount View High School, 577 Mount View Rd (Rt 220), Thorndike - lots of concurrent sessions on gardening and homesteading.
- April 4, 2020 Gear Up for Gardening, 12:30 pm to 4:00 pm, Moore Community Center, Ellsworth. Concurrent sessions on gardening.
- April 7, 2020 Farm Business Management Forum, 8:30 am to 3:30 pm O'Brians Best Western, Waterville, by SCORE Maine, in collaboration with Farm Credit East, This free forum is for in-business Maine farmers to enhance their business management skills. Includes lunch. Registration required.
- April 8, 2020 Signs of the Season Training, 4 pm to 6:30 pm, SEDOMOCHA Middle School, 63 Harrison Ave., Dover-Foxcroft. The training is free, b
- April 9, 2020 Maine Vegetable and Fruit School, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, Bangor Motor Inn, $45/$55 Registration required.
- April 17, 2020 Hands-on Workshop: Introduction to Sausage Making at Home, 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm, Penobscot County Extension Office, 307 Maine Ave., Bangor.
- April 18, 2020 Keeping Ruminants Healthy, Little Organics Learning Center, 112 Park St., Dover-Foxcroft
- April 29th, 2020 Fiddleheads 101 with David Fuller, 2 pm to 3 pm, Ellsworth Library
- October 27 to 29, 2020 International Agri-tourism Conference, Burlington, VT.
- November 11 & 12, 2020 Northeast Greenhouse Conference & Expo, Boxborough, MA 01719
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Newsletter Subscription Information
The Central Maine Farming Newsletter (CMFN), now received by over 900 readers, has been offered as an educational resource by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension for over 15 years. On January 1, 2015 the CMFN transitioned to electronic-only delivery. There is still three ways to receive the CMFN from your local UMaine Extension:
- Central Maine Farming Newsletter remains available online for free! You can sign up to receive the newsletter through your email or view the archived issues anytime at at this website If you currently do not have an email, you can get one for free from several email hosts. If you do not have a computer, community libraries have computers for you to use to access information on the Internet and to view your email.
- Those with no email can opt to pay an annual subscription to receive the newsletters monthly for $15/year by contacting your County office.
- A third option is to come into the Piscataquis or Penobscot County Extension Offices and pick up a free printed copy of the newsletter.
We appreciate our readers referring others to the newsletter, and sharing it with their family and friends. Thank you for your continued support of the CMFN, providing valuable agricultural information from Extension for folks in the central Maine area since 2003.
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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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Local Weather Anytime
Many farming 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 rain 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
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Edited by
Donna Coffin, Extension Educator
Goal
The goal of the Central Maine Farming Newsletter is to provide timely information on the production and marketing of crops and livestock grown in central Maine.
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.
Photos: Donna Coffin unless indicated otherwise.
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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
Open By-chance on Wednesday, Closed Tuesday
165 East Main St Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 207-564-3301 or 800-287-1491
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