Items of Interest

• Late Blight Alert Dr. Steve Johnson, UMaine Extension Potato Specialist asks that all growers with suspected late blight (potato, tomato, etc.) get samples to the Plant Insect and Disease Diagnostic Lab so the disease can be confirmed and the sample be genetically typed.  Late Blight Disease Factsheet (pdf) You can either bring samples into the nearest Extension Office or go to How to Send a Plant Sample to safely mail a sample that will arrive in good condition at the lab.

• Maine Coggins Tests Dr. Anne Lichtenwalner, UMaine Extension Veterinarian mentioned a recent misunderstanding about the Coggins requirements in Maine has been addressed by Maine state veterinarians.
  "Maine requires a negative Coggin's test within the previous three years on all horses raced on, exhibited at or stabled at racetracks or fairgrounds. Additionally, our rule requires a three year negative test on any horses entering a boarding/breeding facility. Coggin's tests performed in out of state labs are valid to meet this requirement" says Dr. Donald E. Hoenig, Maine Veterinarian.  Please call the state vet, Donald E. Hoenig at 207-287-7615, if there are further questions. 

• Helping Farmers Cope with Stress Farming can be stressful in the best of times. Financial worries, unpredictable weather, plant pests, livestock diseases, and isolation all contribute to farmers' anxiety. University of Maine Cooperative Extension has established a web site with links to resources to help farmers and their families who are under stress. Helping Farmers Cope with Stress

• The Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act: Who Needs a License? When a buyer of fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables declares bankruptcy, often the farmer is not a priority when it comes to getting paid. Under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA), licensed farmers may step to the front of the line and receive payment for their goods first. In general, any person who buys or sells more than 2,000 pounds of fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables in any given day is required to be licensed under the PACA. Wholesalers, processors, truckers, grocery wholesalers, and food service firms fit into this category. A person selling at retail is subject to a PACA license once the invoice costs of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetable purchases exceed $230,000 in a calendar year. To apply for a license, to obtain more specific information about licensing requirements, or to find out if a firm is a licensee, call the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service toll-free at 1-800-495-7222.

• Are Wild Turkeys On Your Farm? Researchers at the University of Maine in Augusta are investigating the effects that wild turkeys are having on our various agricultural landscapes. As a farmer, you can help identify concerns involving this wildlife issue, by completing a brief online survey. Visit www.surveymonkey.com/s/MaineTurkeys. For more information contact Dr. Chris Lage at clage@maine.edu.

• Animal Mortality Management Survey  Mark Hutchinson, Waldo County Extension Educator is conducting a short survey on animal mortality management.  Here is the URL http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/carcasscompost for the survey. It should only take 5 minutes. 

• ATTRA National Center for Appropriate Technology - Sustainable Agriculture Project has begun charging fees to access some of their research products that they have developed over the years.  Some publications will remain free but their more complex and longer publications will range from $1 to $10. https://attra.ncat.org/

• Maine Hay Directory - Don't forget about the Maine Hay Directory where you can list hay or hay stumpage that you have for sale.  Sponsored by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension to assist livestock producers in identifying sources of hay for their livestock. The listing is free, just complete the form on the site. When you open the link above it lists farms that have hay available by county.  

Upcoming Events  

Piscataquis Farmers' Markets:  

Piscataquis YMCA, Saturdays 9 am to 1 pm and Tuesdays 2 pm to 6 pm.

Greenville Farmers' Market, Saturdays noon to 4 pm, July & August, 221 Pritham Ave, at the big red Bartley barn.  Please let Jessica at 695-5215 or Ken Tolman know you are coming.   

• August 20th, 2011 Pasture Walk at Pat Bate's Farm, Turner. Learn about "Bale Grazing" Sponsored by the Maine Grass Farmers Network  For more information contact Rick Kersbergen at 800-287-1426 or richard.kersbergen@maine.edu. 
• August 21st, 2011 - Maine Grass Farmers Network Pasture Open Farm Day at Martin Kilby Farm in Benedicta. 806 Benedicta Rd. For more information contact Rick Kersbergen at 800-287-1426 or richard.kersbergen@maine.edu.
• August 22nd, 2011 - MOFGA Farm Training Project Workshop  - Farming with Horses. Tuesday, 5pm, New Beat Farm, Knox. Using animals for draft power has a number of economic, environmental, and social benefits; but it is not easy. Come learn the basics of this genuinely solar-based system of farming; and meet a few of Maine's skilled horsefolk. Potluck supper to follow. For more information or directions, or to get yourself on our FTP reminder mailing list, education@mofga.org or call 568-4142.
• August 24th & 25th, 2011 Maine Farm Days at Misty Meadows Farm on the Hill Road in Clinton, Maine will be hosting Maine Farm Days this year. The event will run from 9 am to 5 pm daily. Admission is free and open to the public. It is an excellent opportunity for the entire family to visit a working dairy farm and learn about how the farm works. There are also many opportunities to earn pesticide and nutrient management recertification credits. 2011 Maine Farm Days Information 
• August 25th, 2011 Central Maine Sheep Breeders Association Wool Pool in the morning at Piscataquis Valley Fair in the livestock area. Bartlett Yarns will be buyer. New CMSBA members will be given replacement bags (large plastic) if they pay CMSBA dues ($10.) For more information contact Wally Sinclair at pvsmilksheep@aol.com  
• August 30th, 2011 Webinars on Affordable Home Energy Saving Tips. Three one-hour segments at 9:00 am, 10:30 am and 1:30 pm.  Attend live or view archived sessions. Closed-captioned.  Sponsored by UMaine Extension, Efficiency Maine and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. For more information and to sign up for the sessions  Affordable Home Energy Saving Tips Webinars or contact UMaine Extension, 165 East Main St., Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 or (207) 564-3301 or in Maine 1-800-287-1491 or email: amanda.miles@maine.edu   
• September 1st, 2011 Deadline for USDA Small Business Innovation Research Grant app for US-owned, for-profit small business firms to submit innovative, applied, research and development projects that address important problems facing American agriculture and have the potential to lead to significant public benefit if the research is successful. For a copy of the Request for Application, visit www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/rfas/sbir_rfa.html
• September 7th, 2011 Vegetable Growers Twilight Meeting at 5:30 p.m. at Highmoor Farm.  Tour the pumpkin, sweet corn, and tomato trial plantings.
• September 10, 2011 Scaling Up: Producing and Processing for the Larger Regional Market 10:00 am - 3:00 pm Free for those who pre-register, $7 for walk-ins; includes lunch. Interested in selling meat to institutions and other large-scale buyers throughout the New England region? The New England state departments of agriculture are collaborating with the Northeast Farm-to-School Network and Healthcare without Harm on a marketing plan for increasing sales of regionally-produced beef to institutions. The research team, led by Rose Wilson, will give a presentation of the results and propose some steps we can take to increase beef sales to large-scale regional consumers. Then we'll head down the street to Westminster Meats, Vermont's newest slaughter facility, for lunch and a tour. This will be a great opportunity to make connections from across New England! Funded in part by the Ag Innovation Center and co-organized by VT Agency of Ag and UVM Center for Sustainable Ag. Registration, directions and additional information are available at: www.vtmeat.blogspot.com or http://nofavt.org/events/scaling-producing-and-processing-larger-regional-market or by contacting Sam Fuller at NOFA-VT (802) 434-4122 or  sam@nofavt.org  
• September 12th, Starting a Home Based Business: Steps to Success Part 1. Penobscot County Extension Office, 307 Maine Ave., Bangor, Maine, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
  Contact: Wendy Robertson, Penobscot County Extension office,  wendy.robertson@maine.edu Phone: (207) 942-7396 or 800-287-1485 (in Maine)  
• September 18th to 20th, 2011 What Works! 2011 Conference. The future of Entrepreneurship and Community Development, Philadelphia, PA. Sponsored by the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development. For more information on the conference or the Sheraton Society Hill Hotel, please visit What Works! or contact the NERCRD:  nercrd@psu.edu or 814-863-4656.    
• Oct 2nd, 2011 National Pinzgauer Cattle Show at the livestock show arena, at the Fryeburg Fairgrounds. This event is held in a different region of the United States each year. This year the Northeast Region Breeders will be hosting the show, annual member and board of director meetings. Pinzgauer breeders from all over the US and Canada are expected to attend and show their cattle. This is the first time the Pinzgauer National show has been held in Maine. For more information on the Pinzgauer Show visit the American Pinzgauer website at www.pinzgauers.org or contact Clayton Haskell at prfpinz@nlis.net or 207-892-5396. For information on Fryeburg Fair visit their website www.fryeburgfair.org.    
• October 13th, 2011, Reunion for So You Want to Farm in Maine class participants 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm. Save the Date. More to follow. 
• 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  

Note we are trying to organize an initial training in Piscataquis County for folks to prepare for taking the private pesticide applicator exam.  Watch for announcement in this newsletter and newspapers in the area.  

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