Putting knowledge to work with the people of Maine

Piscataquis & Penobscot   

Farming Newsletter                       

      October 2011

Webinar to help agriculture producers analyze potential of anaerobic digester systems

The technical, environmental and economic factors involved in the use of anaerobic digestion systems on livestock operations will be addressed in the virtual Renewable Energy Education Field Day on Oct. 26, 2011.

This webinar is designed to help managers better understand the opportunities and the challenges a digester system may present to their livestock operations. This virtual Field Day is targeted to dairy and beef producers in New Mexico, Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. There is no charge to participate but registration is required.

Farm Foundation, NFP is organizing this webinar in collaboration with USDA Rural Development, USDA's Office of Energy Policy and New Uses, USDA Farm Service Agency and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Speakers include livestock producers with experience in operating an anaerobic digester, industry leaders working with various technologies used in anaerobic digestion, university researchers, the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, and representatives from government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's AgStar program. Click here to review the agenda. Session topics include:

• Producer experiences with anaerobic digester systems.
• Digesting manure under dry climate conditions.
• Using a digester to manage livestock manure/nutrient issues.
• Potential revenue streams from an integrated digester system.
• Financing options for installing an anaerobic digester.

Moldy hay. No matter how hard you try, eventually you have mold in some of your hay and need to decide about feeding it. Feeding moldy hay to livestock is a tough decision. Although all hay contains some mold, when mold becomes noticeable the decisions become important.

Usually, mold makes hay less palatable, which can result in lower intake or in animals refusing to eat the hay. Many other problems from mold occur because of mycotoxins produced by certain mold fungi. This also is part of the decision problem since not all molds produce mycotoxins and the amount produced by those that do is unpredictable.

Direct negative effects of moldy hay are difficult to document. Horses may be the most sensitive to mold among common livestock. For instance, mold spores often contribute to respiratory and digestive problems like colic or heaves in horses. Cattle apparently are less affected by mold, but certain molds can cause mycotic abortions or aspergillosis. People, too, can be affected by mold spores. Mold can cause a condition called farmer's lung, where the fungus actually grows in lung tissue. So try to avoid breathing in many of these spores.

The best course of action often is to minimize feeding moldy hay to more sensitive animals, like horses or pregnant cows. This may require a keen eye or sensitive nose when selecting hay to feed each day. Mixing moldy hay with other feedstuffs can dilute problems sometimes, but be careful that you don't make your animals sick by tricking them into eating bad hay that they normally would refuse.

Mold is a difficult problem to deal with. Common sense and good observation often are your best decision aids.

The Maine 4-H Foundation along with area businesses is inviting your participation in the Maine Clover Promotion October 1-31 as part of its 4-H Month fundraising campaign. The project raises money for 25,000 youths involved in Maine 4-H.

Last year, more than 50 businesses participated and more than 6,000 people purchased clovers. 100% of proceeds go to Maine 4-H. 70% of the contributions go directly to local county 4-H programs and 30% go to statewide programs such as summer camps and trips. 4-H is the youth development program of University of Maine Cooperative Extension.

• Dexter Lumber Co., Dexter
• Paris Farmers Union, Newport
• R. M. Flagg Restaurant Equipment, Veazie
• Treworgy Orchards, Levant
• Viking, Inc., Holden
• Abbot Town Office, Abbot
• Bailey Lumber Company, Milo
• Bob's Hardware, Dover Foxcroft
• Extension Office, Dover Foxcroft
• Foxcroft Agway, Dover Foxcroft
• KC's Country Store, Parkman
• Nor'easter Restaurant, Dover Foxcroft
• Parkman Grange, Parkman
• Penquis, Dover Foxcroft
• Rite Aid, Guilford
• Three Rivers Feed, Milo
• True Value Hardware, Dover Foxcroft
• WDME Dover Foxcroft Office

Items of Interest  

• Hunters for the Hungry.

  A cooperative program between Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and The Food Assistance Program, provides a means for hunters to donate all or a portion of their hunt to a local food pantry.

  This program has been a boon to our citizens providing meat to those who may no longer be able to hunt, to those who have a medical necessity of having natural low fat meat and to others who visit their local emergency feeding organization.

  Those wishing more information on this program may call toll free 1-888-4DEER-ME (433-3763).     

• Rural Tax Education website.  This website provides farmers and ranchers, other agricultural producers and Extension educators with a source for agriculturally related income and self-employment tax information that is both current and easy to understand. Tax issues are important for agricultural operations because income and self-employment taxes are a major cost and also because more and more USDA programs are being linked to a producer's federal income tax return. Site hosted by the Utah State University Cooperative Extension.
• 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.   
• Grange Harvest Supper -  Walter Boomsma with the Valley Grange #114 in Guilford and Sheree Brown with Penquis announced the collaborative effort for the Penquis Santa Fund Raiser Harvest Supper on October 22nd from 5 to 7 pm at the Valley Grange at the corner of Butter Street and Guilford Center Road in Guilford.  The supper will feature some "locavore" products from farms and gardens in the area with a traditional harvest feast. (Farmers and gardeners are invited to gain some recognition by donating needed items. An email to grange@boomsmaonline.com or sabrown@penquis.org will get you a list of opportunities.) Several Maine Highlands Farmers members have donated produce to help make the fund raiser a success. Diners are asked for a minimum donation of $6 for adults, $3 for kids 5-12 and under five eat free! Proceeds of the dinner will benefit the Piscataquis Santa Project for families in the area who will need some help this year.  
• Summary of Claims Process - Female or Hispanic Farmers
  

  The United States Government is establishing a claims process to make available $1.33 billion or more to farmers who alleged discrimination by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) based on being female, or based on being Hispanic, in making or servicing farm loans during certain periods between 1981 and 2000. If you qualify and submit a timely claim, you could receive an award of up to $50,000 in cash. USDA will also provide a total of up to $160 million in debt relief to successful claimants who currently owe USDA money for eligible farm loans. Successful claimants will also receive an additional amount equal to 25% of the combined cash award plus debt relief, to help pay federal taxes that may be owed.

  For more information go to: http://www.farmerclaims.gov/

   

Upcoming Events    

• October 21st, 2011 Initial Pesticide Core Exam Training 1 pm to 4 pm at the Charlotte White Center in Dover-Foxcroft.  Pre-registration is required. UMaine Cooperative Extension and Charlotte White Center are sponsoring this training to prepare folks to take the private pesticide applicator exam. Gary Fish from the Maine Board of Pesticide Control will be our instructor. Contact the Piscataquis County Extension Office, 165 East Main St., Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 (207) 564-3301 or in Maine 1-800-287-1491 or email: amanda.miles@maine.edu. For more information about private or commercial pesticide licenses go to www.thinkfirstspraylast.org  
• October 22nd, 2011 Fall Harvest Supper, 5 to 7 pm at the Valley Grange Hall located at the corner of Butter St. & Guilford Center Rd in Guilford. Minimum suggested donation is $6 per adult $3 per child age 5 to 12 and children under 5 eat for free. Proceeds to benefit the Penquis Santa Project.  
• October 26th, Farm Property Taxes and Current Use, 7 pm at the Piscataquis County Extension Office, 165 East Main St., Dover-Foxcroft.  Jeff Kendall with the Maine Revenue Service, Property Tax Division.  Sponsored by the UMaine Extension and the Maine Highlands Farmers.  This is a free meeting open to all interested people. A regular meeting of the Maine Highlands Farmers will follow.  FMI Donna Coffin or call (207) 564-3301 or in Maine 1-800-287-1491. 
• Oct. 26, 2011 Webinar to help agriculture producers analyze potential of anaerobic digester systems. There is no charge to participate but registration is required.
• October 27 and 28, 2011, Wild Blueberry Meeting The Wild Blueberry Research and Extension Workers (WildBrew) will be holding meetings with the Wild Blueberry Association of North America (WBANA) at the Hollywood Slots Hotel, 500 Main Street, Bangor, Maine. Researchers from Maine and Canada will be presenting their latest findings on Thursday, October 27th. There will be a registration fee of $35, which includes lunch. If you plan to attend, please return the enclosed registration form to Nancy England by October 19, 2011, by e-mail to:  england@maine.edu or mail to: WBANA, P.O. Box 100, Old Town, ME 04468. Please make check payable to: Wild Blueberry Association of North America and mail to the above address.  
• October 22nd, 2011 Sheep and Goat Seminar Kennebec Valley Community College in Fairfield, Maine - starting at 8:30 AM and going to 4:00 PM will focus on internal parasites. Sheep & Goat Specialist, Susan Schoenian from the University of Maryland will be the lead instructor. Susan is an excellent teacher and has an extensive background in parasites of sheep and goats. By attending the seminar, you will learn about the parasites, how to identify them, how to recognize symptoms and signs of their presence, how to effectively control them through anthelmintics and management, dewormer selection and use, alternatives and any new techniques, how to reduce losses due to parasites, and much more. The cost to attend the seminar is $30 per person (include refreshments, lunch and reference materials). There is a farm discount available to sheep or goat association members. For more information and to register for the seminar, go to http://umaine.edu/livestock/blog/2011/08/31/sheep-goat-parasite-seminar/  

• October 29th, 2011 Intermediate/Advanced Sheep Shearing School at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, Maine is designed to help sheep shearers gain additional skills and knowledge in efficient sheep shearing, equipment selection, care, and animal handling. The cost to participate is $45.00. For more information, contact: Extension Educator, Richard Brzozowski at 207-781-6099 or richard.brzozowski@maine.edu This event is sponsored by UMaine Cooperative Extension and the Maine Sheep Breeders Association. 

• November 1st, 2011 Penquis Beekeepers 7 pm at the Dexter VFW. Meetings will be held the first Tuesday of the month. FMI contact Tish Dutson 

• November 4th, 2011   Dairy Insurance Information Workshop, 9:30-3:30, Waterville Elks Club The UMaine Extension Crop Insurance Education team has rescheduled the Dairy Insurance information workshop which was snowed out this past April. Lunch is free to any Maine dairy producer. You must register by Fri. Oct. 28th at the latest by calling 1-800-287-0274 (in Maine) or 581-3875. You can also register online at

   extension.umaine.edu/cropinsurance.

• November 5th, 2011 Maine Beef Producers Fall Feeder Calf Auction, at Dick Brown's Facility in Richmond. This is a preconditioned sale. For more information go to http://www.mainebeefproducersassociation.org/. If you have questions, please contact Sale Manager Pete Dusoe at 207-948-3233 or pbdusoe@uninets.net  or Dick Brown at 207-737-8650.    
• November 5th, 2011 Goat School for Kids  sponsored by The Havin' Fun 4-H Club who will be bringing the creators of Goat School to the Skowhegan Fairgrounds. Ken and Janice Spaulding of Stony Knolls Farm are nationally known for their two-day "Goat School" held at their farm in St. Albans. (www.goatschool.com) They have generously agreed to teaching a one-day condensed version of their school to help children interested in goats or already raising goats to become more familiar with their animals. Pre-registration is required by October 21st.  There is a sliding fee schedule. For further information, please visit www.havinfun4hclub.weebly.com or contact Vicki Merrill at memoriesmatter@tds.net  or 634 3627.
• 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/    
• November 12, 2011 Reaching Your Customer in the Electronic Age:
  Online Farmers Markets and Buying Clubs 10 am to 1 pm at the Maine Harvest Festival, Sponsored by the Western Mountain Alliance. Please RSVP by Nov 7. Seating is limited.
  Contact: Tricia Cook at 207-778-3885 or   tcook@westernmountainsalliance.org  
• December 1st, 2011 Maine Farms for the Future  application deadline. The Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources, Division of Agricultural Resource Development. Paper and electronic copies of the Request for Proposals (RFP) packet and APPLICATION are available from Kimbalie Lawrence, DAFRR- ARD, 28 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0041. Telephone: (207) 287-3491. Email: 

   kimbalie.lawrence@maine.gov    

• December 1st, 2011 SARE Farmer Grower Grant Deadline with awards announced in March. Applications and more information is available at NESARE Farmer Grants     
• December 2011 Beef Quality Assurance Training Fort Fairfield. Watch for details.    
• December 7th, 2011 Kitchen Licensing Workshop. 10:00 to 3:00 p.m. at MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center in Unity. Designed for farmers and others interested in home-food processing for resale. Licensing requirements, food safety, and liability insurance will be covered by panel members.  For more information  

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