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Practical farming information based on university research
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Don't miss the free showing of "Growing Local" at the Centre Theatre in Dover-Foxcroft. The Piscataquis County Extension Office is a proud sponsor of this showing of the film.
We got by the Maine Agricultural Trades show with very little weather issues, but we have been paying for it with the blizzard and aftermath snow storms.
February is filled with a number of agriculturally oriented programs to help you keep up-to-date on your farming and marketing practices.
Donna
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- 150 Years of UMaine - The Orono campus of the University of Maine System will be celebrating its 150-year legacy of leadership in the state. As the states land grant university UMaine Extension has been a vital part of the public outreach of the university. Click here for more information.
- NH Scientists Successfully Grow Onions Overwintered in Low Tunnels -In response to high demand for year-round produce, researches report success with spring harvest of fall planted bulbing onions. Click here for more information.
- Consumer Valuation of Meat Processing - The relationship between the livestock producer and meat processor is a symbiotic one which requires both to succeed. There are a number of things they can do to meet customers needs and expectations. Click here for more information.
- Maple Syrup Grades Adoption - Gone are the old grades of maple syrup in favor of more descriptive grades based on color and flavor. Click here for more information.
- Extending the Useful Life of Farm Machinery - Machinery and equipment can be a major production costs. Here are some strategies for getting the most useful life out of your machinery and equipment purchases. Click here for more information.
Items of Interest Featured Resources Events & Announcements Newsletter Subscription Information Quick Links |
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  150 Years of UMaine
Throughout 2015, UMaine will celebrate its 150-year legacy of leadership in the state. Events and publications will provide opportunities for the community to reflect on the history of Maine's land and sea grant university, and look to its future. President Susan Hunter shared her thoughts on the anniversary in a community letter.
The University of Maine's 150th anniversary observance will reaffirm the teaching, research and economic development, and outreach mission of a 21st-century land grant institution, and its potential to change lives. For 150 years, the University of Maine has had a leadership role in the state. Because Maine's potential is our purpose, UMaine serves as the state's major research and cultural hub, linking our resources with the needs of industries and businesses, schools, cultural institutions, Maine government and communities. In this, our 150th year, there is more recognition than ever that the land grant university can - and must - play a key role in enhancing the quality of life for citizens all across Maine and beyond. This past year leading up to our 150th, some segments of the UMaine community recognized their own milestones. UMaine's Aroostook Farm in Presque Isle observed its 100th anniversary last August as the research center for Maine's potato industry. In October, the University of Maine Foundation celebrated its 80th anniversary, and statewide for 100 years - since 1914 - University of Maine Cooperative Extension has been delivering knowledge developed at UMaine to Maine citizens.
More information about UMaine's anniversary events will be on the 150th website. We hope you'll regularly visit the website for news, archival photos and historical information, and consider sharing your memories of UMaine. Throughout the coming year, we'll look forward to your participation in UMaine's 150th anniversary celebration. Susan J. Hunter, Ph.D. President
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 UNH Scientists Successfully Grow Onions Overwintered in Low Tunnels
In response to high demand for year-round local produce, researchers with the University of New Hampshire report they have successfully grown bulbing onions planted in fall for a spring harvest with the aid of inexpensive low tunnels and may provide additional marketing opportunities for growers in cold climates who have been trying to meet the demands for fresh, year-round, locally grown produce.
Becky Sideman, extension professor of sustainable horticulture production at UNH, and her colleagues evaluated the survival, bolting, and bulbing of several cultivars of fall-planted onion in two sites in New Hampshire over two growing seasons. Plants were seeded in August and September, and transplanted in September and October into raised beds covered with black plastic mulch. Low tunnels were installed over the plants in late fall. Onions were harvested from mid-April to early June 2012 and late May to early July 2013.
The researchers found that all onion cultivars showed high percentages of survival, between 65 and 100 percent. Cultivar, planting date, and the interaction between the two had a significant effect on the percentage of bolting and bulb diameter at harvest. In general, those planted later exhibited lower percentages of bolting and slightly smaller bulbs at harvest.
Click here to see more.
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 Consumer Valuation of Meat Processing
The relationship between the producer and processor is a symbiotic one in which each requires the other to succeed. If sales of producers' product go up, demand for processors' services rise. To this end, the goal of a recent study in Vermont was to explore consumer perception of the livestock processing industry to identify strategies producers and processors could adopt to increase market share by responding to current and future trends in purchasing behavior. The key finding was that while consumers don't want to think about where or how their meet is processed they want to be able to trust that "the system" works. They expect the system to provide food that is safe to eat from businesses conducting themselves in a manner that is ethical. They want to know who is producing their food, where it is from, what is in it. They want to buy meat that is appealing to look at, that is fresh and ready to cook. Top trends now and on the horizon are flavor-enhanced products such as "smoked, "dry-aged," and "cured," while the leading feature consumers will be looking for in five years will be "GMO-free" meat. A few of the ways that producers and processors can work to meet these needs: - Focus on package and presentation appeal. Make product cuts look appealing to eat, make the label eye catching to see, and make the product easy for buyers to handle and stock (stackable packages).
- Provide discrete, indirect marketing tools to educate consumers and raise awareness for how your products are raised and processed. For example, on packaging provide a link to your website for consumers to "learn more about your products and how they are made."
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 Maple Syrup Grade Changes Adoption
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on January 28, 2015, that grading standards for maple syrup have been revised to match international standards giving consumers a better understanding of what they are buying. In 2010, the International Maple Syrup Institute, which represents maple producers in the U.S. and Canada, started the implementation procedures for these new grade standards in hopes of making it easier for consumers to understand what grade of syrup they are buying as grades used to vary amongst regions.
The revisions completely do away with the Grade B syrup label as the USDA notes there is more demand for dark syrup for cooking and table use. All syrup producing regions will now follow the same grading standards with Grade A to include four color and flavor classes for maple syrup:
- Golden color and delicate taste,
- Amber color and rich taste,
- Dark color and robust taste, and
- Very dark and strong taste.
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 Extending the Useful Life of Farm Machinery
Machinery ownership and operation is a major production cost on farms. It is important to get the maximum life out of every piece of equipment or machinery that comes on the farm to keep costs in line. There are a number of strategies that farmers can use to extend the life of their machinery including machinery maintenance, oil analysis, machinery storage, engine tune-ups and avoiding modifications of tractor engines says Bobby Grisso, Extension Engineer with Virginia Tech.
Timely preventative maintenance and inspection will reduce major problems and downtime. Equipment repaired during the winter can save money on service at mechanics shops. An effective machinery service program requires good record keeping. A planning calendar is useful reminder to note major repair and service operations to be performed on each piece of machinery or equipment.
A detailed look at samples of engine, transmission or hydraulic oil can be a valuable preventative maintenance tool by identifying potential problems before a major repair is necessary and downtime during critical operations can be avoided. Oil analysis can help eliminate unneeded oil changes, reduce the cost for oil and servicing and reduce the amount of used oil to deal with.
Farmers who keep the most valuable and vulnerable machinery out of the weather can save a lot of money through extended life of the equipment and higher trade-in value. Machinery stored inside had only 7.6% downtime, while unhoused machinery was down 14.3% of the time. Parts such as belts, tires and hoses deteriorate rapidly when unprotected. When considering all these factors annual savings due to machinery storage can total 4.3% for tractors, 4.9% for planters, and 1.6% for tillage equipment.
Engine tune-ups of diesel and gas engines can maintain power and fuel efficiency. Engine modifications to get more power can void the warranty and reduce the service life of the engine. No single item will have a large effect on useful life of machinery, but a combination of practices can have a large impact on costs, improve machine reliability for many years to come and improve profit margins.
Source: Grisso, R., R. Pitman, Five Strategies for Extending Machinery Life, no.442-451 Virginia Cooperative Extension click here . |
- Maine Vegetable & Fruit School 2015 Coming to Bangor March 11. Topics include: Asparagus Variety & Production Tips, BioChar: Myth and Reality for Soil Conditioning, Compost for Seedlings and Transplants, Growing Vegetable Under cover in Spain, Using Grains and Legumes in Vegetable Rotation, Weed Management for Berries, Sweet Corn Varieties and Growing Tips, IPM for Sweet Corn, Crop Insurance and Nutrient Deficiencies in Crops. Click here for registration details.
- Do You Have an Internship Opportunity? - It's that time of year when students are starting to plan where they will do their Agriculture Internship for the summer. If you have an internship opportunity that I could share with the Agriculture students at Kennebec Valley Community College, please contact me at efortin@kvcc.me.edu with a description of that opportunity so that we can start getting students connected to you! We're looking for students to have the opportunity to put their skills to work, while observing and learning new things! All facets of farming are appropriate: seed starting, seedling maintenance, transplanting, weed control, garden planning, greenhouse management, mechanics, irrigation, hay production, animal husbandry, record keeping, animal nutrition, equipment use and more! Thank you! Elizabeth Fortin.
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The Maine Food Cluster Project is surveying people in the Maine food and beverage industry to hear your perspectives on your business, your industries and what here in Maine is helping or hurting your growth. They are inviting farmers to contribute your views through a short (less than 10 minute) and confidential survey:
- Animal Welfare Approved offers Certified Grass Fed option to farmers who follow their grassed feeding protocol in addition to their welfare and environmental standards from birth to slaughter. Click here for the AWA site.
- Updates from USDA APHIS on Avian Influenza Findings in the Pacific Flyway. Click here for the latest news.
- 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: Pasture Management for Small Ruminant Producers - Starting Feb. 4 at 7 pm. 5-part webinar series with Jeff Semler and Susan Schoemian, University of Maryland Extension. First 100 people who sign in can attend the live webinar. Recordings will be available at a later date. FMI click here. Small Farms Winter Webinars from 1 pm to 2:30 pm (Central Time) University of Illinois Extension. Click here for more information and to signup for links. - Feb 5 Sweet Corn Production
- Feb 12 Perennial Crops for Small Farms - Perennial onions, edible mushrooms, ground nuts, chicory, sea kale, sorrel, scorzonera, stinging nettle, Jerusalem artichoke, ostrich fern, and more will be covered.
- Feb 19 Understanding Insecticides - how conventional and organic insecticides work
- Feb 26 Blueberry Production
- Mar 5 Hydroponics
- Mar 12 Effective Farmers Market Displays
Publications:
Visit the UMaine Extension Cooperative Extension online Publications Catalog for seasonal information, such as:
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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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