Wild Blueberry Newsletter October 2021

Wild Blueberry Newsletter header graphic, text and a photo of blueberries and leaves

October 2021

Wild Blueberry Grower, Processors, and Stakeholders,

We’re waiting for a frost, looking back on the season, crunching data, and writing grants. Help Dr. Calderwood understand your needs around solar on wild blueberry land by completing this 5 question solar survey.

Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Grant

SARE Farmer Grants are for commercial producers who have an innovative idea they want to test using a field trial, on-farm demonstration, marketing initiative, or other technique.

Projects should seek new knowledge other farmers can use and address questions that are directly linked to improved profits, better stewardship, and stronger rural communities. An extension agent, crop consultant, other service professional or farmer with advanced expertise must also be involved.

Grant awards are capped at $30,000 per project. Funding requests should align with project duration, scope of the work, amount of collaboration and extent of outreach. Most projects run for one to two years, but projects up to 3 years are accepted.

Proposals are due by 5 pm on Tuesday, November 16th.

Events:

1.     Wild Blueberry Commission Meeting, October 21, 2021

The Wild Blueberry Commission is meeting on Thursday, Oct 21, 2021 from 8:30 – 3:30. The meeting will be in person with a Zoom option and will focus on continued development of WBC bylaws and priority setting for 2022, but will also include a review of possible Commission logos, summary of the International Blueberry Organization report, and discussion of recent changes in Commission membership.

The public are invited to attend either in-person or by Zoom.

The meeting will take place at:

Elks Lodge
317 High Street
Ellsworth, ME 04605

Remote Option:
Click on the link below,
https://maine.zoom.us/j/83507471476?pwd=YjY1TUtSWTZ0a3dxTHc4UHJuYnd1dz09

or call 646.876.9923
and enter:
Meeting ID: 835 0747 1476
Password: 272523

2.    Learn How to Make Wild Blueberry Wine!

Have you heard about Maine’s rapidly growing wild blueberry sparkling wine industry? Interested in exploring a new value-added opportunity, or just learning how to make sparkling wine at home? Join Eric Martin and Michael Terrien of Bluet Sparkling Wine and their team and partners on October 26th from 4 to 5:30 via Zoom. To register online.

This opportunity is offered in partnership with Washington County Community College, Sunrise County Economic Development Council, Machias Valley Center for Entrepreneurship, DownEast Acadia Regional Tourism, Wild Blueberry Wine Trade Group, UMaine’s Cooperative Extension for Maine Wild Blueberries, and Bluet.