Controlled Grazing Ideas:

For a number of years studies have indicated that grasses that are grazed through a rotational system will yield more forage that results in increased weight gain on young animals or increased milk yield on lactating animals.  The increased forage yields can enable more animals to be pastured on a given area of land. 

   With all these advantages it can still be difficult for a farmer to start a grazing system in an established pasture.  In fact producers are usually better off "growing" into a grazing system rather than jumping in and subdividing their farm into paddocks.  Simply dividing existing pastures in half, closing some pasture gates, or stringing temporary fencing can be a beginning to controlled grazing. 

  Watching livestock graze, learning to monitor pastures and using temporary fencing for subdivisions all advance the system without the producer having to take large risks or incurring large expenses.

  Some producers will use temporary fencing to help them grow into a grazing system, and then put in high-tensile wire after they see where they would like to have it and how frequently they want to rotate. 

  Things to consider when setting up a grazing system are how much forage do your animals need on a daily or weekly basis?  How productive is the forage in your fields? What type of fencing is needed to keep your animals in the paddocks?  What type of watering facility do you need? 

  There are a number of resources available to help walk you through the development of your paddock system.  University of Maine Cooperative Extension produced the UMaine Pasture Online Study Course.  The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service has a number of publications on grazing management that would be helpful to the livestock producer including their publication Paddock Design, Fencing, and Water Systems for Controlled Grazing. 

   It also helps to attend pasture walks to see how other farmers are managing the grazing of their animals in multiple paddocks.  Maine Grass Farmers Network sponsors a number of pasture walks throughout the summer. Be sure to check their calendar for upcoming pasture walks that we are doing in your area. Everyone is welcome to attend these free walks.

Source: Morrow, R; "Paddock Design, Fencing, and Water Systems for Controlled Grazing; ATTRA, the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, www.attra.ncat.org or 1-800-346-9140.

Farm Finance Options

The No Small Potatoes Investment Club seeks to strengthen Maine's sustainable food system by providing low interest micro-loans (up to $5,000) to Maine's farms and food businesses for equipment or working capital. Applications for our next round of loans are due on June 15th, and we will make loan decisions by the end of July. Please contact Chris Hallweaver (329-5048 or chrishallweaver@gmail.com) to receive an application.

FSA offers Rural Youth Loans

Rural Youth Loans are available as direct loans only and have a maximum loan amount of $5,000. Rural youth loans may be made to individuals who are sponsored by a project advisor, such as a 4-H Club, FFA or local vocational instructor. Individuals must be at least 10 but not more than 20 years old to be eligible and reside in a town or city with a population. For more information and to apply, please call the FSA Loan office at 564-2151 or 947-3555. 

Unsecured SBA Small Business Loans

Many small business, including farms, can have difficulty obtaining capital at reasonable rate. Strategies For Small Business offers both low interest rates, and a quick turn around, so you can receive up to $25,000 for any business expense, including working capital.

Source: Brzozowski, R. & T. Jackson, Farm Scoop, June 2011.  

REAP Funding Available

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Rural Business-Cooperative Service is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2010 for the purchase of renewable energy systems and the making of energy efficiency improvements for agriculture producers and rural small businesses in eligible rural areas.  Complete applications must be received by the appropriate USDA Rural Development State Office by June 30, 2010. For more information, visit the following website:  http://www.naseo.org/news/newsletter/documents/2011-05-06/REAP.pdf.

The contact in Maine is John F. Sheehan, USDA Rural Development, 967 Illinois Avenue, Suite 4, P.O. Box 405, Bangor, ME 04402-0405, (207) 990-9168, john.sheehan@me.usda.gov

Source: Joy Adamson, Efficiency Maine, email May 2011  

Brown Hens

Applied Poultry Science Project

Twenty-five agricultural service providers throughout New England are participating in a three-year project to gain practical knowledge and skills in applied poultry science. Each participant is expected to assist local farmers (or individuals planning to farm) with establishing, expanding or adapting small scale poultry enterprises in their respective state. These enterprises may range from 25 to 10,000 birds and may involve the production of eggs, meat, feathers or other poultry-related products. Poultry enterprises involving the sale of live birds such as hatcheries and pullet production could also be included. If you are interested in participating as a producer and receiving input for a poultry-related enterprise, please read the farmer invitation letter and get in touch with Dick Brzozowski or Tori Jackson. 

Items of Interest

• Newsletters: 

Apple, Strawberry and Sweet Corn IPM Newsletters for the 2011 season.  These newsletters are posted with color pictures on the Integrated Pest Management Site where you can subscribe to weekly updates.

Potato Pest Alert Newsletter is emailed every Friday with the latest information on pests and control options for Maine growers.  You can subscribe at Maine Potato IPM.

Wild Blueberry Newsletter subscription information is located at Wild Blueberry Newsletter 

• 2011 Maine Potato Pest Guide: Steve Johnson, UMaine Extension Potato Specialist announced the updated version of the Maine Potato Pest Guide has been posted on the website.  The Potato Program team at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension provides information on potato production. They update the pesticide recommendations annually by May; more frequently if new products become labeled. This is not an exhaustive list of materials labeled on potatoes in Maine, this is a list of recommended chemicals.
• Smart Phones: Do you use a smart phone? If so, what applications do you use in your farm business? We are interested in how Maine farmers are using mobile technology. Are there applications you wish were available for your iPhone or Android, but haven't been able to find? Please contact Donna Coffin with your feedback.
• Blueberry Weed Images: Our web master Cindy Eves-Thomas announced a new web resource for staff and clients  Blueberry Weed Images. The purpose of this website is to aid wild blueberry growers inidentifying unknown weeds in wild blueberry fields in Maine. The site includes hundreds of high resolution images, plant descriptions, profile links, and more. They are separated into three categories of weeds: grasses, sedges & rushes; herbaceous weeds; and woody weeds. All farmers will find these images helpful as they try to identify their weeds in their crops and decide on management strategies. Kudos to Jennifer D'Appollonio, Research Assistant, for her work on this impressive project.
• Goat Survey: Dick Brzozowski would like direction from you in establishing and planning programs offered by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension specifically for dairy goat producers in Maine.  He has developed a short, statewide survey.  Please respond to the survey at this link. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/dairygoatsurvey2011 He would appreciate your input by June 30, 2011.  
• Sustainable Food and Farming Certificate Program: The University of Massachusetts recently approved a new 15-credit Certificate Program in Sustainable Food and Farming.  This is available for college students, high school grads, and students with a GED.   It is possible to complete this degree entirely online, mixed online and on campus, or entirely on campus.  To learn more  Sustainable Food and Farming Certificate Information. 
• New Archived eOrganic Webinar Site: All of eOrganic's webinar recordings on organic farming and research are now available in one convenient location Webinars by eOrganic. The list includes a link to the many presentations which were broadcast by eOrganic live from the USDA Organic Farming Systems Research Conference in Washington, D.C. Future webinars will also be listed on this page with a link to register.

Upcoming Events  

• June 8th, 2011 Vegetable Growers Twilight Meeting, at R. Belanger & Sons Farm in Lewiston

  Sponsored by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Maine Vegetable and Small Fruit Growers Association.  Join our host Rick Belanger for a tour of their new packing and storage facility designed to meet G.A.P. certification standards, early vegetable plantings, new strawberry plantings on plastic mulch and a discussion of pest management strategies for the season ahead with David Handley, Vegetable & Small Fruit Specialist.  One pesticide applicator re-certification credit will be available for attending.  R. Belanger & Sons Farm is located at 262 Cotton Road in Lewiston, off of Exit 80 on the Maine Turnpike. The farm phone number is 207-783-3737.  Cost for the meeting is free and no registration is required.  For more information, please contact David Handley at 207-933-2100 or david.handley@maine.edu.  Hope to see you there!
• June 22nd, 2011 Maine Highlands Farmers 7 pm at Breakneck Ridge Farm in Blanchard. After the tour of Steven and Diana Hobart's buffalo, maple syrup and woods operation there will be a regular meeting of the Maine Highlands Farmers.   www.mainehighlandsfarmers.com

• June 23rd, 2011 Invasives Species Presentation: In Bloom, 5:30-7:30 PM at the main barn at Aldermere Farm, 70 Russell Ave., Rockport.  Do you want to know what invasive plant species may be growing in your yard, fields, or woods?  Liz Stanley, Horticulture Program Coordinator with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Barrie Brusila, consultant forester with Mid-Maine Forestry, will lead a workshop on invasive plant species identification and control.

  Liz is an entertaining speaker with a power point presentation on these pesky plants.  Barrie has experience with mechanical control and will demonstrate some of the useful tools.  They will have plant samples on hand for your perusal.  Bring your questions and curiosity!

  Let us know you are coming by calling 236-2739 or email adorsky@mcht.org.

• June 29th , 2011 UMaine Sustainable Agriculture Field Day featuring Small Scale Vegetable Production from - 5:00 to 7:30 pm at the University of Maine Rogers Research Farm, Stillwater, Maine FREE - No pre-registration required. 1 Pesticide credit offered, and 2 Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) credits (requested) 4:00-4:45 pm - Come early to evaluate a variety of hand- and wheel-hoes. Ben Costanzi, UMaine Graduate Student, and Weed Ecologist Eric Gallandt will have their collection of innovative hand tools sharpened and available for hands-on field testing. Directions: The Rogers Forage and Crops Research Farm is located on Rt. 16, 1.5 miles north of Stillwater, ME. Take exit 193 off I-95 and head east toward Old Town on Stillwater Avenue. At the third set of lights, turn left onto Bennoch Rd. (Rt. 16, north). The Rogers Farm is 1.5 miles down Bennoch Rd. For more information, contact Ellen Mallory, (207) 581-2942.

• July 24th, 2011 Open Farm Day for more information go to www.getrealmaine.com 
• July 21st, 2011 Highmoor Farm Summer Tour Tour the vegetable and new berry trials.   
• September 7th, 2011 Vegetable Growers Twilight Meeting at 5:30 p.m. at Highmoor Farm.  Tour the pumpkin, sweet corn, and tomato trial plantings.
• July 30 and 31st, 2011 Beef Basics Workshop. Aldermere Farm will host its annual program on beef production where participants come and gain a wealth of information about raising beef cattle. This year, participants can attend talks on fitting and showmanship, Beef Quality Assurance, artificial insemination, USDA and FSA programs, farm estate planning, business planning, tractor and forage equipment, marketing and market research, and regulations that impact agriculture. The two-day workshop has a minimal cost associated with it that is dependent on whether you are seeking specific certifications. Please contact Heidi Baker at 207-975-4415 or at hhoward712@msn.com for a registration form and for more information. Beef Basics Workshop 
• August 24th & 25th, 2011 Maine Farm Days at Misty Meadows Farm in Clinton.
  2011 Maine Farm Days Information 
• November 12th & 13th, 2011 Maine Harvest Festival at the Bangor Civic Center in Bangor.  They are looking for growers, bakers, cheese makers, vintners, and brewers to show the bounty and variety of Maine foods that are available fresh and prepared here in Maine.  For more information including vendor and demonstration information go to  http://maineharvestfestival.com/  

Need Pesticide credits? Check out the Maine Board of Pesticide credit calendar, many approved pesticide applicator recertification programs are listed.  You can view the calendar on their web site at: Pesticide Recertification Credit Calendar 

SURFACE MAIL RECIPIENTS CAN CONTACT THEIR COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION WHEN WEB LINKS ARE INCLUDED IN AN ARTICLE.

Piscataquis County Office 207-564-3301 or 800-287-1491

165 East Main Street Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426

Penobscot County Office 207-942-7396 or 800-287-1485

307 Maine Avenue Bangor, ME 04401