Farm Scoop – June 2019
Invasive Forest Pests
July 29, 2019
Monday, 9a.m. to 12p.m.
University of Maine Cooperative Extension Office, 24 Main Street, Lisbon Falls, Maine
Attendance is free to all who wish to attend.
Program brochure for more information.
Please contact the SWCD at 207-241-5377 or at info@androscogginswcd.org with any questions or to reserve a spot.
Learn about the history of invasive pests, how to identify them, and how to report an infestation. The Androscoggin Valley Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension will present a workshop as part of the Invasive Forest Pest Outreach Program.
CEU’S from the Society of American Foresters Credits (Category 1-CF:2.0), Maine Board of Pesticide Control Credits (2.0), and the Maine Board of Licensure of Foresters (2.0 category 1) will be offered for free.
Flower Farming
July 10, 2019
Wednesday, 5 p.m.
East of Eden Flower Farm, 637-645 Browns Point Road, Bowdoinham
For more information please visit flower farming
Come spend an evening with East of Eden Flower Farm in Bowdoinham. Learn a few of the basics of diverse flower production. We’ll provide a brief overview of growing, harvesting and arranging cut flowers. Potluck to follow.
Direct Marketing at Frinklepod Farm
Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Frinklepod Farm, 244 Log Cabin Road, Arundel
5:30 p.m. tour; 6 p.m. discussion
For more information contact Anna at amueller@mofga.org
Direct-to-consumer marketing and education: How can farmers market their product in this day and age in a way that tells their authentic story, creates engaging experiences for their customers, and still allows them to have a personal life and run a farm business? That is question at the crux of this Farmer to Farmer in the Field event.
Farming and Marketing Cooperatively
July 3, 2019
Wednesday, 5 p.m.
New Roots Cooperative Farm, 954 College Road, Lewiston
Potluck to follow
Come see New Roots Cooperative Farm, a New American-owned cooperative in practice and learn about worker co-op farms, farmland co-ops, marketing co-ops, labor co-ops and equipment sharing co-ops. You’ll learn about cooperative economic structure, democratic decision-making, and distribution of the surplus farmers collectively generate.
Weather Tool Survey
As part of a new collaboration between UMaine Extension and the Climate Change Institute, we are hoping you (farmers) could help us understand where and what weather data you use on a daily basis by answering a few questions in this quick 8 question survey:
More project information:
Lily Calderwood (Extension Wild Blueberry Specialist), Glen Koehler (Extension Apple IPM Scientist), Erin Roache (Extension Crop Insurance), and Sean Birkel (State Climatologist) are working together to identify farmer needs for weather data and pest/crop forecasting tools. We recognize the need for better weather decision support tools in Maine. We’re specifically interested in site-specific temperature, precipitation, frost and heat stress warnings, cloud-cover/sunshine, evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and pest forecasting. We’re starting with 3 grower groups: Apple, Wild Blueberry, and Vegetable/Small Fruit.
Secretary Perdue Announces New Dairy Margin Coverage Signup Begins June 17
Dairy Margin Coverage Program and Dairy Revenue Protection
Upcoming informational sessions on the Dairy Margin Coverage Program and a new crop insurance program, Dairy Revenue Protection. Dairy producers and service providers working in the dairy industry are encouraged to attend. Below is a list of dates the sessions are being offered.
• June 19, 11 a.m.–1 p.m., FSA Office, 304 North Street, Houlton
• July 18, 10 a.m.–12 noon, Farmington Town Office, 153 Farmington Falls Road, Farmington
• July 23, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., FSA Office, 306 U.S. Route 1, Scarborough
• July 25, 10 a.m. – 12 noon, FSA Office, 17 Olson Road, South Paris
• July 25, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m., FSA Office, 254 Goddard Road, Lewiston
• July 26, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., FSA Office, 46 Little River Drive, Belfast
• July 30, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., FSA Office, 21 Enterprise Drive, Augusta
• August 1, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., FSA Office, 70 East Madison Road, Skowhegan
Pre-registration is recommended. To register or request a disability accommodation contact Pamela St.Peter by email or by calling 207.933.9700; or contact your county FSA office.
Soil Health and Equipment Demo Day for Vegetable Producers
June 26, 2019
Wednesday, 4:30pm-7:30pm
UNH Woodman Horticultural Research Farm, 70 Spinney Lane, Durham, NH
Free to attend
RSVP online at NHSoilHealth.org or by calling 603.749.3037
Featuring a two-wheel BCS tractor with various implements useful for vegetable growers, a no-till transplanter for planting and optimizing soil health, and tarping and roller crimper techniques for terminating cover crops.
Introduction to Tractors: Farm Production Systems and Tractor Safety
June 26, 2019
Wednesday, 5:00 pm
Morning Dew Farm, 5 Trails End Road, Newcastle
Join farmers Brendan and Brady of Morning Dew Farm to learn how they have set up vegetable production systems for both riding tractors and walk behind BCS style tractors. Basic tractor safety will be covered. Potluck to follow. For more information contact MOFGA at mofga@mofga.org or call 207.568.4142
Labor Management at Six River Farm
Tuesday, June 18, 2019
Six River Farm
496 Browns Point Road, Bowdoinham
5:30 pm tour; 6:00 pm discussion
Six River Farm is an organic vegetable farm in Bowdoinham which relies on a crew of twenty employees to grow, pack, and market a wide range of vegetable crops. Co-owner Nate Drummond will discuss all facets of labor management on the farm, from hiring and organizing the farm crew to training and managing tasks on the farm.
For more information contact Anna at amueller@mofga.org
Sprayer Calibration and Whole Farm IPM
June 17, 2019
Monday, 5:00pm-7:00 pm
Blueberry Hill Farm
1643 US-1
Jonesboro, ME 04648
This is an important workshop for both organic and conventional growers of fruits and vegetables. For more information please contact Mary Michaud at 207.581.3175 or email her at mary.michaud@maine.edu.
Organic Orcharding Workshop – Summer Orchard Care
June 16, 2019
Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Portersfield Cider, 255 Elmwood Road, Pownal
Fee: $50; $35 for MOFGA members
Registration
Please bring your own bag lunch
Learn about caring for your orchard through the summer and getting your orchard to a successful harvest in the fall. Led by MOFGA’s organic orchard educator C.J. Walke.
Farm Service Agency County Committee Nominations Open June 14
USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will begin accepting nominations for county committee members on Friday, June 14, 2019. Agricultural producers who participate or cooperate in an FSA program may be nominated for candidacy for the county committee. Individuals may nominate themselves or others as a candidate.
“I encourage America’s farmers, ranchers, and forest stewards to nominate candidates to lead, serve, and represent their community on their county committee,” FSA Administrator Richard Fordyce said. “There’s an increasing need for diverse representation including underserved producers, which includes beginning, women and minority farmers and ranchers.”
Committees make important decisions about how federal farm programs are administered locally. Their input is vital on how FSA carries out disaster programs, as well as conservation, commodity and price support programs, county office employment and other agricultural issues.
Nationwide, more than 7,700 dedicated members of the agricultural community serving on FSA county committees. The committees are made of three to 11 members and typically meet once a month. Members serve three-year terms. Producers serving on our FSA county committees play a critical role in the day-to-day operations of the agency.
Producers should visit their local FSA office today to find out how to get involved in their county’s election. Check with your local USDA service center to see if your local administrative area is up for election this year. Organizations, including those representing beginning, women and minority producers, also may nominate candidates.
To be considered, a producer must sign an FSA-669A nomination form. The form and other information about FSA county committee elections are available at fsa.usda.gov/elections. All nomination forms for the 2019 election must be postmarked or received in the local FSA office by Aug. 1, 2019.
Election ballots will be mailed to eligible voters beginning Nov. 4, 2019. Read more to learn about important election dates.