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Practical farming information based on university research
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Greetings!
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With the new year comes a new name and new format for this newsletter. The first section "What's New?" will have a brief description of articles that appear in full length farther down the newsletter. Next are links for the regular parts of the newsletter. At the end of the newsletter are Quicklinks to get you to popular sites that have had a number of clicks in the past (weather, hay/straw directory, pesticide credits, etc.)
Occasionally there will be surveys to help us plan programs that meet your needs. Check out the current Drone Survey. (FAA just allowed an ag exemption with certain requirements.)
I hope you enjoy the new newsletter format. Let me know what you think.
Donna
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- Maine Agricultural Trades Show - January 13 to 15, 2015 at the Augusta Civic Center. Our premiere venue to meet with other farmers, farm business and organizations. Many associations have their meetings. Click here for more details
- Farm Energy Grants and Loans - USDA Rural Development in Maine announced they are accepting applications to several programs with the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). REAP is designed to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses reduce energy costs and consumption and help meet the Nation's critical energy needs.Click here for more details
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Pesticide License Required for More Farmers - In the spring of 2011, the Maine Legislature passed a law which requires many growers to be licensed by the Maine Board of Pesticides Control (BPC). Growers who annually sell more than $1,000 of plants or plant products intended for human consumption. Click here for more details.
- Beginning Women Farmer Class - This innovative program instructs participants on using a holistic approach to decision making on their farms. Participants will meet for nine sessions. Click here for more details.
- There's an APP for That - More and more farmers are getting smart phones and tablets. We are starting to see more applications or APPS that have very practical benefits for ag producers. Click here for more details.
Items of Interest
Featured Resources
Events & Announcements
Newsletter Subscription Information
Quick Links
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  Maine Agricultural Trades Show - click here for complete program. Below is a very brief description of each days events and meetings. There are over 150 vendor booths that will be set up at the trade show. The trade show and most of the meetings are free to attend. Hope to see you there. - Initial Pesticide Training 1pm to 4 pm - reserve a seat call 207-287-2731
- Pesticide Recertification Training
- Maine Christmas Tree Association
- MOFGA Educational Sessions & Annual Meeting - topics on scaling up production, hops, cover crops.
- Maine State Pomological Society - production & marketing of fruit
- Maine Sustainable Agriculture Society - current initiatives, ag statistics, scaling up.
- Nutrient Management Program - cover crops, compost & algal blooms
Wednesday
- Initial Pesticide Training 9:30 am to 12:30 pm - reserve a seat call 207-287-2731
- Pesticide Recertification Training
- Beginning Farmer Resource Network - financing, marketing, family communications, farmland access, legal assistance, woodlots
- Maine Grass Farmers Network - holistic management & multi-species grazing
- Maine Beef Producers Association - carcass evaluation, processor panel, producer panel and annual meeting
- Maine Poultry Growers Association - replacement hen costs, poultry health
- Maine Sheep Breeders Association - predators of sheep, herding dogs
- Maine State Pomological Society - produce regulations, health benefits of fruit, high density orchards, budgets, low spray, marketing & business meeting
- Maine State Florists & Growers Association - marketing, pollinator gardens, disease management
- Maine Vegetable & Small Fruit Growers Association - Highmoor trials, cover crops, regulations, safety, quality
- Nutrient Management Program - nitrogen management & farm bill programs
- Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine - annual meeting, landowner program, new uses & markets for landowners, future of wood using mills, forest insects & disease
- Board of Pesticide Control Public Forum 4 pm to 5 pm
Thursday
- Initial Pesticide Training 8 am to 11 am - reserve a seat call 207-287-2731
- Pesticide Recertification Training
- Beginning Farmer Resource Network - marketing, farm safety, invasive plants, crop insurance, Farms for Future Grants, management
- Maine Federation of Farmers' Markets - technical sessions & annual meeting
- Maine Pork Producers Association - swine health & business meeting
- Highbush Blueberry School - UMaine Extension 10 am to 3:30 pm
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 Farm Energy Grants and Loans USDA Rural Development in Maine announced they are accepting applications to several programs with the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). REAP is designed to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses reduce energy costs and consumption and help meet the Nation's critical energy needs. The Renewable Energy Systems (RES) and Energy Efficiency Improvement (EEI) Assistance provides grants and guaranteed loans to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements to their operations. Eligible renewable energy systems for REAP provide energy from: Wind, solar, renewable biomass (including anaerobic digesters), small hydro-electric, ocean, geothermal, or hydrogen derived from these renewable resources. The Energy Audit (EA) and Renewable Energy Development Assistance (REDA) Grant is available to a unit of State, Tribal, or local government; instrumentality of a State, Tribal, or local government; institution of higher education; rural electric cooperative; a public power entity; or a council, as defined in 16 U.S.C. 3451. The recipient of grant funds, (grantee), will establish a program to assist agricultural producers and rural small businesses with evaluating the energy efficiency and the potential to incorporated renewable energy technologies into their operations. The grant/loan information, application type, application window, and application deadline are available at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/RD_Grants.html Completed applications for RES and EEI projects should be sent to: Cheryl D. Pelletier, Business Programs Specialist, Rural Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 735 Main Street - Suite 1, Presque Isle, ME 04769 phone 764-4157 ext. 135. EA and REDA grants should be sent to Brian Wilson, P.E., Business and Cooperative Programs Specialist, Rural Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 967 Illinois Avenue, Suite 4, Bangor, ME 04401-2767 Phone: 207.990.9168. |
 Pesticide License Required for More Farmers In the spring of 2011, the Maine Legislature passed a law which requires many growers to be licensed by the Maine Board of Pesticides Control (BPC). Growers who annually sell more than $1,000 of plants or plant products intended for human consumption and use any general-use pesticides-those with an EPA registration number on the label-on those crops, must be licensed by April 1, 2015. This law applies to: · Growers of fruits, vegetables, herbs and grains for human consumption · Growers of the above crops who make bread, jam, french fries, wine, cider, juice, etc., or sell produce to be processed into the above · Greenhouse growers selling fruit, vegetable and herb seedlings To obtain the new Agricultural Basic pesticide applicator license, growers must pass the BPC "core exam." The core exam is based on the Pesticide Education (Core) Manual which is available from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension at http://umaine.edu/ipm/pesticide-safety/certification-manual-prices/, or by calling 207-581-3880. The exam can also be taken at the BPC office in Augusta (207-287-2731) or at County Cooperative Extension offices. Contact the BPC office to have the exam mailed to the Extension office, and then make arrangements with Extension for taking the exam. Future training opportunities can be found at http://www.maine.gov/dacf/php/pesticides/applicators/ApplicatorTraining.html
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 The 2015 Beginning Women Farmers class begins on February 1, 2015! Sponsored by the Maine Women's Agricultural Network, and funded by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, the Beginning Women Farmers program draws on the work of Allen Savory and others to help women farmers to be successful. This innovative program instructs participants on using a holistic approach to decision making on their farms. Participants will meet for nine sessions on topics that include: goal setting; financial, business, and marketing planning; land and infrastructure planning; soil fertility and planned grazing. Participants are provided with a mentor and are connected with a network of other beginning women farmers throughout Maine and the entire Northeast for additional support. At least three of the classes will take place on local farms. Classes will be held in Fairfield, Maine, except for the three farm tour sessions, on Sundays from 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Cost for the ten-session course is $150.00 - $500.00, based on a sliding scale. Partial and full scholarships are available. We are committed to eliminating any financial barriers to your participation in this class! Class subject matter and dates: |
Introduction to whole farm planning; goal-setting
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February 1, 2015
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Financial Planning session #1
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February 15, 2015
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Financial Planning session #2
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March 1, 2015
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Marketing and time management
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March 15, 2015
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Business Planning
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March 29, 2015
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Farm tour; Communication on the farm
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April 19, 2015
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Permaculture and land planning
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May 3, 2015
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Farm tour; Biomonitoring and soil fertility
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May 17, 2015
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Farm tour: Grazing Planning
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May 31, 2015
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For more information, and to request an application, contact: Gail Chase gchase@kvcog.org 207 453-4258 ext. 218 Photo: Ed Remsberg |
There's an APP for that!
More and more farmers are getting smart phones and tablets. We are starting to see more applications or APPS that have very practical benefits for ag producers. The Dairy Herd Management website recently included an article on top mobile apps for agriculture. A number of the apps are free or available for a minimum costs.
Below are the apps that I have on my technology. You can search for them in your app store. What APPS do you find useful?
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 MAGNIFYING GLASS - take close-up pictures of insects, diseases, other stuff. You can then send your picture to Extension for help on identifying it. (see image) - ID WEEDS from University of Missouri Extension. Identify a weed from a list of attributes, search for a weed by name or view a list of weeds.
- THE WEATHER CHANNEL to keep up to date on weather in your area. Includes forecast and video of satellite images.
- TAPE MEASURE for when you need to measure distance to something. Note it is calibrated to your height.
- BEEF COW BCS - Includes body condition score descriptions for beef animals and the ability to take photos of your animals and assign a BCS and store the information.
- ACCURATE ALTIMETER AND ACCURATE BAROMETER. for those who like to track the height and barometric pressure at their location.
- GROWING DEGREE DAYS - Put in your dates, location and 50 degree or 60 degree selection.
- MACHINERY SIZING - from Kansas State University. It tells how much horsepower is needed based on ground condition, soil type, tractor type, implement, speed, width and depth.
- CATTLE MARKET MOBILE - select your state to review USDA Ag Market Reports. (Note the last one for Maine was 2009 when USDA graders attended the fall feeder calf sale) It does have a number of current reports from Pennsylvania.
- WEED ALERT - Find your weed from description, name or region. This app does include information on calibration, first aid, weights & measures and compatibility.
- IHERD -to keep track of pastures for livestock.
- SOILWEB - identifies your soil type where you are standing. Developed by California Soil Resource Lab at UC
 Davis in collaboration with USDA-NRCS. (see image) - FEEDCOST CALCULATOR - put in the cost of various feed stuffs and compare based on protein or TDN.
- DECIBEL - how loud is that machinery? This app will tell you.
- AG-PHD field guide by FMC to identify corn pests and suggest controls. Includes weeds and a few insects. Select from a list.
- LEAF SNAP - Take a picture of a tree leaf and it will suggest possible types of tree. Developed by Columbia University, University of Maryland and the Smithsonian.
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- Update Hay and Straw Directory If you have excess or are in the position to sell hay or straw, consider using the Maine Hay and Straw Directory. It is free to use. More information is available online, or call Cooperative Extension 1.800.287.1426.
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Featured Resources
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Webinars: Health Concerns with Backyard Poultry Flocks January 20th at 3 pm - The summer of 2014 saw many cases of Salmonellosis traced back to backyard poultry flocks - see CDC website: http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/live-poultry-05-14/index.html. Dr. Colin Basler of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention will be speaking about health concerns related to maintaining a backyard poultry flock. Click here to go to the webinar.
Building a Food Co-op - Heidi Demars, Marketing Coordinator for the BisMan Food Co-op, discusses the challenges and successes achieved in building a local food co-op. Involved since it started, Heidi has been at each step of the process including locating potential growers to finding a place to locate as well as raising the funds to get it off the ground. She has tremendous enthusiasm and had a lot to share. Click here to view this archived webinar from eXtension.org
Publications:
Visit the UMaine Extension Cooperative Extension online Publications Catalog for seasonal information, such as: Maine Family Farms: Life and Business in Balance Series
#4800 From UMaine Extension. The Maine Family Farms: Life and Business in Balance series recognizes that the needs of farmers at each various life stage are unique, as choices about farming practices, child rearing, business growth, and succession planning enter into decision making. This series consists of five fact sheets. For free downloads click here or buy the series for $3.00 © 2014 by University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
Building Soils for Better Crops #1171 Fred Magdoff and Harold van Es. Learn the secret of maintaining a diverse ecosystem below ground to foster healthy crops above. Ecological soil management, as detailed by the soil experts who wrote the book, can raise fertility-and yields- while reducing environmental impacts. Topics explored include increasing soil organic matter, appropriate tillage, animal manures, making and using composts, integrating cover crops into rotations, reducing erosion, and avoiding soil compaction. Also includes practical information such as interpreting soil test results. 240 pages. 3rd edition, 2009.
From Sustainable Ag. Network. $20.95
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Newsletter Subscription Information
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The Piscataquis and Penobscot Counties Farming Newsletter (PPCFN), now received by over 620 readers, has been offered as an educational resource by University of Maine Cooperative Extension for over 10 years. As of January 1, 2015, the PPCFN will be transitioning to electronic-only delivery. There will still be three ways to receive the PPCFN from your local UMaine Extension:
1) Piscataquis & Penobscot Counties 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 http://bit.ly/PPfarming 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.
2) Those with no email can opt to pay an annual subscription to receive the newsletters monthly for $15/year. More details on how to subscribe will be provided later this fall.
3) A third option is to come into the Piscataquis or Penobscot County Extension Office 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 PPCFN, providing valuable agricultural information from Extension for folks in the central Maine area since 2003.
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Events & Announcements
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Mission
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.
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Quick Links
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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/. |
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Contributors
Donna Coffin, Extension Educator
donna.coffin@maine.eduGoal
The goal of the Piscataquis & Penobscot Farming Newsletter is to provide timely information on the production and marketing of crops and livestock grown in central Maine.
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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.
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Photos unless otherwise indicated by Donna Coffin.
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Organic Farming Survey - USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service is initiating a survey of organic producers who are certified, exempt from certification or transitioning to organic production. 