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Practical farming information based on university research
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Greetings!
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Wow, March is the month for farm topic meetings. We think (hope) winter snows won't postpone sessions and it is a little early for field work. It is a great time to connect with other like minded farmers in your area and learn more about your crop or animal.
Direct Marketing Farmers - this is a great time to get on the agenda for your local service club to talk about your farm operation. How do you find them? Try the town office or chamber of commerce. People love to see beautiful farm pictures or hear about farm activities. Many groups only want a 15 minute talk. Bring your farm business card, brochures, etc. and let them know when and where you will have product available for them to buy.
Donna
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- Farm & Estate Succession Planning Workshop for all farm owners - click here for more.
- Farm Link Mixer for farm seekers and farm owners - click here for more.
- Protecting Your Backyard Poultry Flock from Disease for all poultry keepers - click here for more.
- Maine Vegetable and Fruit School for large and small-scale mixed vegetable and fruit growers - click here for more.
- Maine Dairy Seminar & MDIA Annual Meeting for large and small-scale milk producers - click here for more.
- Maine Grain Conference - click here for more.
- 11th Annual Maine Grazing Conference for all livestock producers who graze animals - click here for more.
- Swine Education Seminar for all pork producers - click here for more.
Items of Interest
Featured Resources
Events & Announcements
Newsletter Subscription Information
Quick Links
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  FarmLink Mixer
Are you thinking about whether there are farmers out there that could use some of your available land? Or are you curious about what it might be like to farm in Piscataquis County (where the farmland is spectacular and the people are nice)?
Then our FarmLink Speed-Linking event is for you! Shake off that cabin fever and come on down for some good, old-fashioned farmer meetin' and greetin'!
Saturday, March 7 at 3:30 pm (after the Farm Estate & Succession Planning Meeting.
Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church, 824 West Main St., Dover Foxcroft
- Farmland Owners - This is an opportunity for you to promote your farming opportunity (be it a sale, lease or other non-traditional arrangement) and connect with land seekers that are looking for a piece of ground to grow on.
- Farmland Seekers - This is a chance for you to meet face-to-face with land owners that are ready to give you a chance to develop your farm dream on their land.
In our experience, most successful land links result from the chance for landowners and seekers to develop rewarding relationships. Maine FarmLink wants to give you all an opportunity to meet one another and begin a dialogue that could lead to a future link! There will also be a chance to meet and talk with other organizations and service providers that can help support you throughout the linking process. - Registration (3:15 pm)
- Speed Linking Activity: think "speed dating" applied to land linking (rather than finding love connection)
- Mingling and Refreshments: a chance for you to strengthen the connections and relationships that you have made during the afternoon, in a relaxing setting,and enjoy some light refreshments.
Pre-registration to info@mainefarmlink.org or 207-338-6575 |
 Protecting Your Backyard Poultry Flock from Disease
Saturday, March 14, 2015
10 am to noon
Penobscot County Extension Office, 307 Maine Ave, Bangor
Backyard biosecurity, recognizing diseases, and National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) participation will be discussed at this free program for all current and future backyard poultry keepers. There will also be updates for NPIP Independent Testers and bird owners. Our speaker is Dr. Beth McEvoy, MDACF. Sponsored by UMaine Extension; the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, Animal and Plant Health; and Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA). For more information and to preregister, contact Melissa Freeman 207.287.6564 or melissa.freeman@maine.gov. To request a disability accommodation, call 207.942.7396 or 800.287.1485 (in Maine). |
 Maine Vegetable & Fruit School 2015
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
8:30 am to 4 pm
Bangor Motor Inn Conference Center, 701 Hogan Rd., Bangor
Sponsored by UMaine Extension and Maine Vegetable & Small Fruit Growers Association
Click here to register and pay online $40 per person includes lunch.
Agenda - Legislative Update from the Maine Board of Pesticides Control
- Asparagus Variety and Production Tips
- Recent Trends in DOL Enforcement of Federal Wage and Hour Laws
- BioChar: Myth and Reality for Soil Conditioning
- Compost for Seedlings and Transplants - Comparing Products and Rates
- Growing Vegetables Undercover - Production Techniques in Spain
- Using Grains and Legumes in Vegetable Crop Rotations at the Fairwinds Farm
- Weed Management Update for Berries
- Sweet Corn Varieties and Growing Ideas
- Integrated Pest Management for Sweet Corn - Putting the Pieces Together
- Crop Insurance - New Policies, New Options for Small Growers
- Nutrient Deficiencies in our Crops - Do You Know What to Look For?
Credits: 2 hrs - pesticide and 5 hrs crop advisors |
| | Maine Dairy Seminar
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
9 am to 3:15 pm
Elks Lodge, Industrial Park Street, Waterville
Sponsored by Maine Extension and Maine Dairy Industry Association
Free to those who pre-register $20 at the door.
To pre-register contact Melissa.Libby1@maine.edu or call 207-581-2788 or in Maine 1-800-287-7170
Agenda
- Pre and Post Weaning Management Strategies, Housing and Design Considerations - Hugh Chester-Jones, U. Minn and David Kammel U. Wis.
- MDIA Annual Meeting
- Maine Dairy Shrine Award
- Trade Show
- 2014 Maine Dairy Farm Family of the Year Virtual Tour - Silver Valley Farm - The Davis Family - New Sharon
- Heifer Raising Strategies - Six Months to Pre-Freshening
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 Maine Grain Conference
Friday, March 13, 2015
9am to 4:30 pm
Spectacular Event Center, 395 Griffin Rd., Bangor
Cost $25 before March 8th; $35 after this date
Credits offered: 2 pesticide and 5 CCA
On-line registration click here. FMI Ellen.Mallory@maine.edu or 207-581-2942.
Agenda
- Local Markets for Maine Grains - local grain buyers
- Farm Overview and Rotation Strategies for Organic Grains - Blaine Schmaltz, Blaine's Best Seeds, Rugby, ND
- Production Strategies for Alternative Crops - Soybean, Field Pea, and Ancient Grains - Blaine Schmaltz
- Producing Quality Seed and On-Farm Selection - Blaine Schmaltz
- Maine On-Farm Selection and Seed Bulking Projects - Maine Growers
- Small Grain Leaf and Seed Diseases, and Management Strategies - Jay Hao, Plant Pathologist UMaine
- On Farm Grain Storage and Management - Andrew Plant, UMaine Extension
- Crop Insurance and Loan Programs for Grains - FSA staff
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| |  11th Annual Grazing Conference
Saturday, March 21, 2015
9:15 am to 4 pm
Kennebec Valley Community College, Fairfield
Cost $85 for first person, additional people $25 each. Students $25, MGFN members $15 discount. Click here to register online FMI contact Diane Schivera at MOFGA.
Agenda
- Economics of grass based livestock systems - Gabe Brown, Brown's Ranch, Bismark, ND
- Concurrent sessions
- What does it mean to be Humane - Dr. Don Hoenig, retired Maine State Veterinarian and current MIM Consulting
- Interpreting a Feed Analysis - Derek Hines - Dairy consultant - Feed Commodities International
- Explanation of the Grass Fed Verification Program - Steve Ross, Manager of Field Operations USDA, AMS, LPS, QAD Audit Services Branch
- How do management decisions prior to slaughter have an affect on beef quality with carcass data - Dr. Jason Rowntree -Michigan State University Extension - Lake City Experiment Station.
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| |  Swine Education Seminar - "From Piglet to Platter"
Thursday, April 9, 2015
9 am to 3:30 pm
Florian Hall, Dept of Public Safety, 45 Commerce Dr., Augusta
Sponsored by the Maine Dept of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, and the Pork Checkoff.
Cost: $25 for lunch and hall rental or $20 for paid Maine Pork Producers members. Make checks payable to Maine Pork Producers and mail to Dept of ACF, Cindy Kilgore, SHS 28, Augusta, ME with your name, address, email and phone numbers.
Agenda - Choosing your sow and boar; raising the piglet - the part genetics and management plays in breeding for the "perfect" piglet - Dr. Joe Emenheiser, Univ. Vermont Extension
- Animal Welfare and how it affects product quality - Dr. Don Hoenig, VMD - American Humane
- Live Animals and carcass quality. Slaughter and carcass breakdown of good vs poor hog. Best choices of cuts; presenting your meat for display. Dr. Emenheiser and Arnold Luce - Luce's Maine Grown Meat.
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- Maine Grain and Oil Seed Newsletter - March 2015 issue available online here.
- Scaling-Up Egg Production: Management, Markets, Regulation and Finances
UVM Extension and the Intervale Center have released a publication exploring the feasibility of laying hen operations ranging from 1,000-3,000 hens. Funding for this project was provided by the VT Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets and the Working Lands Enterprise Initiative. Click on link below to view or download a copy from the UVM Extension Farm Viability web page. A small number of bound hard copies are available on request: http://blog.uvm.edu/farmvia/files/2013/03/2015-Scaling-Up-Egg.pdf
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Online Survey on Swede Midge According to records in the National Agricultural Pest Information System, swede midge (Contarinia nasturtii) has been reported from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio and Vermont, since 2004. It has not been reported from Maine, but it appears to be spreading around the region. It is a serious pest of brassicas. Researchers at the University of Vermont are interested to know the extent growers in New England have of swede midge and of the different management strategies for controlling this pest. Please consider participating in the online survey, which may help researchers discover sustainable and effective management solutions for this pest. Also, please report brassica damage that may look suspicious. Visit this University of Vermont website for photos of swede midge: http://www.uvm.edu/vtvegandberry/VVBGAMeeting2015/ChenSwedeMidge.pdf
We would appreciate if you could complete this online survey. It should only take about 5-8 minutes of your time. Visit: https://survey.uvm.edu/index.php/224619/lang-en. - SARE Wholesale Packing Resource Guide for farmers interested in selling to supermarkets, produce distributors, restaurants and institutions. The guide explains packing requirements and seeks to help farmers decide if the wholesale market is right for them.
- 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: 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. - Mar 5 Hydroponics
- Mar 12 Effective Farmers Market Displays
- Mar 19 Veggie Compass Record-keeping Software
- Mar 26 Variety Selection & Rootstocks for Establishing Apple Orchards
Publications:
The Pesticide Applicator Training books can now be ordered online through the Cooperative Extension Publication Catalog. Previously these had to be ordered via telephone to our Pest Management Office and customers had to mail a check to Orono, before the materials could be shipped. Now, our customers can order online and receive their training materials in less time. To find the pesticide applicator training materials in the Publication Catalog scroll down the categories listed on the left side and you you'll see the new category Pesticide Applicator Training Materials. The category is divided into three smaller categories for Commercial, Private and Agricultural Basic. *Please note the manual price changes and shipping rates. This is a win-win both for our clients and our staff. Clients now can pay with a credit card online or they can still place an order by mailing in a check to the Pest Management Office; and our staff in the pest management office has already noticed a decrease in the number of telephone calls. For information about pesticide education, visit UMaine Extension Pesticide Safety Education Program or contact the UMaine Extension Pest Management Office at (800) 287-0279 (in Maine) or 207-581-3878.
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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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March 7, 2015 (snow date March 14) Farm & Estate Succession Planning Workshop, 10 am to 3 pm at the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church. With Paul Dillon Esq., Maine Farmland Trust and Land for Good and Donna Coffin. Sponsored by the UMaine Extension and Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District. $25 registration through PVAEC at 564-6525 or www.pvaec.maineadulted.org
- March 7, 2015 Spring Growth Conference: Farming in the Face of Climate Change 10 am to 4 pm. at the MOFGA Common Ground Education Center, Unity. FMI click here.
- March 11, 2015 Maine Vegetable & Fruit School 2015 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, Bangor Motor Inn, Bangor. $40 per person includes lunch. 2 hours pesticide credit and 5 hour CCA pending approval. Registration deadline Feb. 27. Click here to register and pay online.
- March 13, 2015 Maine Grain Conference, 9 am to 4:30 pm, Spectacular Event Center, 395 Griffin Rd., Bangor. 2 pesticide credits and 5 CCA credits. Online registration here. FMI Ellen.Mallory@maine.edu or 207-581-2942.
- March 13, 2015 Managing Legal Risk While Scaling Up Your Farm or Food Production Business, 8:30 am to 4 pm, free at University of Maine, Wells Conference Center, Orono. Panelists include a mix of regulatory and legal experts with real world experience. Sponsored by Lamber & Coffin Attorneys at Law, Maine State Chamber of Commerce and Conservation Law Foundation. Please register at www.mainechamber.org/calendar.php or call 207-370-3013 or email slaughton@lambertcoffin.com
- March 14, 2015 Protecting Your Backyard Poultry Flock from Disease 10 am to noon, with Dr. Beth McEvoy, MDACF at the Penobscot County Extension Office, Bangor. To register contact Melissa.Freeman@maine.gov or 207-287-6564
- March 16, 2015 Introduction to Beekeeping, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. 5-part course on Monday evenings at Hancock County Extension Office, 63 Boggy Brook Road, Ellsworth. $60 per person/couple. Textbook included. Paid registration required. Call 207-667-8212 or www.umaine.edu/hancock/introduction-to-beekeping-course-2015
- March 18,2015 Basic Pesticide Testing Opportunity 11 am at Hancock County Extension Office, Ellsworth. Must call Board of Pesticide Control 207-287-2731 to have test sent to office.
- March 20, 2015 Wild Blueberry Spring Meeting - all day - 7:30 am to 4:30 pm at the Ramada Inn, Bangor. Click here for more information.
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March 21, 2015 Maine Grazing Conference Kennebec Valley Community College, Fairfield. Sponsored by Grass Farmers Network, UMaine Extension, Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association and others.
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March 23, 2015 Grant-writing workshop designed for potential applicants of federal grant applications for the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program,9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Viles Arboretum, 153 Hospital Street, Augusta. University of Maine Cooperative Extension is conducting the workshop under the Agricultural Marketing Service Technical Assistance (AMSTA) Project in collaboration with the Maine Federation of Farmers Markets, the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), and National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA). This is a free workshop including lunch, but pre-registration is required by March 19th by contacting contact Caragh Fitzgerald, 207.622.7546; cfitzgerald@maine.edu.
- April 9, 2015 Swine Education Seminar "Piglet to Platter" 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, Florian Hall, Dept of Public Safety, 45 Commerce Dr., Augusta. $25 per person. Registration required contact Cindy.kilgore@maine.gov or 207-215-4968.
- April 11, 2015 Soil Health at Cultivating Community 10 am to 2:30 pm at the East Sangerville Grange. Registration details TBA.
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April 11, 2015 Poultry School Kennebec Valley Community College, Fairfield. Sponsored by UMaine Extension.
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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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