Farm Scoop — May 2013
Farm Scoop is produced by Richard Brzozowski, Extension Educator, Cumberland County; Tori Jackson, Extension Educator, Androscoggin & Sagadahoc Counties; and Frank Wertheim, Extension Educator, York County
New District Foresters
There are two new district foresters in southern Maine. Covering Androscoggin, Cumberland and Sagadahoc Counties, Shane Duigan is based in Gray. His e-mail address is shane.p.duigan@maine.gov and his phone number is 207.592.1251. Ken Canfield is based in Lyman in York County, his e-mail is ken.canfield@maine.gov, and his phone number is 207.441.3712.
Is a Specialty Food in Your Farm’s Future?
Get more information on how to start a specialty food business by reading a new UMaine Extension fact sheet #3101 Recipe to Market: How to Start a Specialty Food Business in Maine. (Read/download the fact sheet online or call your local Extension office to send a hard copy of the fact sheet.)
Is Agritourism of Interest to You?
If you are involved in agritourism or thinking about it, you might want to connect with Marc Edwards of UMaine Extension. There is much to consider when people visit your farm and property. Marc’s programming focus is agritourism. E-mail Marc at marc.edwards@maine.edu or call him at 1.800.287.1478.
What Is eXtension and How Might You Benefit?
Did you know you can find all sorts of information about a variety of topics on eXtension.org? Go to www.extension.org and view the side bar where categories such as Community; Disaster Issues; Energy; Environment; Family; Farm; Health and Nutrition; Lawn and Garden; Pest Management; and Youth are listed. Delve into these categories further for factsheets, videos, on-line courses, and other educational resources can be found.
Farm Safety Manual
A limited number of Farm Safety Manuals are available. The manual is a collection of farm safety fact sheets written for Maine farm families. The following categories are addressed: children; first aid; fire; home; pesticides; buildings; equipment harvest; and general. This manual could be a good reference for yourself and employees. Contact the Cumberland County Extension Office at 1.800.287.1471 if you would like a copy.
Northeast Livestock Expo
May 17, 18 & 19 at the Winsor Fairgrounds in Windsor, Maine. For more information, visit the Expo 2013 website.
Maine Wool Pool
The Maine Wool Pool is scheduled to take place from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm on Saturday, June 1, 2013 at the Maine Fiber Frolic. The price for raw wool is 55 cents per pound. Visit the Maine Sheep Breeders Association website and click on the Wool Pool 2013 link for details for acceptable wool.
Maine Harvest for Hunger
Since 2000, hundreds of volunteers have donated more than 600 tons of fresh produce to hungry Mainers through UMaine Extension’s Harvest for Hunger program. We need your help! Home gardeners, farmers, employers, civic organizations, schools, and volunteers — you can help feed hungry Mainers. If you have quality produce left over in the field after your harvest, or if you participate in a Farmers’ Market which has some after-market produce left over, we may be able to work with you to get that food to a local pantry or shelter.
Contact Barbara Murphy, state coordinator for Maine Harvest for Hunger, to see if we have volunteers in your community who can help get the food where it is needed. Barbara’s e-mail is barbara.murphy@maine.edu and her phone number is 207.743.6329 or 1.800.287.1482 (in Maine).
2013-2014 New England Small Fruit Management Guide
Copies of the 2013-2014 New England Small Fruit Management Guide are now available at Highmoor Farm. The guide contains the latest information on management control options for the major small fruit pests as well as scouting information. Cost of the guide is $10.00 plus $2.53 postage for a total of $12.53. Copies of the 2012-2013 New England Vegetable Management Guide with color pictures of the important pests and diseases are also available at Highmoor Farm. Cost of the guide is $25.00 plus $3.43 postage for a total of $28.43.
To order the guides, please send your check made payable to UMaine Cooperative Extension mailed to: Highmoor Farm, P.O. Box 179, Monmouth, Maine 04259, atten. Pam St. Peter. For more information, contact Pam St. Peter at 933.2100 or pamela.stpeter@maine.edu.
Members of the Maine Vegetable & Small Fruit Growers Association (MVSFGA) or the New England Vegetable & Berry Growers Association receive free copies of the guides. For MVSFGA membership information, contact Bill Jordan at 799.1040.