Wild Blueberry Newsletter June 2025 Hello Everyone, Phenology Update This week is peak green fruit, and as long as we continue getting some rain, they should ripen and fill out nicely. Below you will see this week’s phenology table, which is also available online. Date Visited Locations Pin Head Green Fruit Color Change Fruit Blue Fruit […]
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Join UMaine’s Wild Blueberry Team for a series of free summer events on wild blueberry field management. Highlights include sprayer calibration sessions, discussions on pest and pollinator management, and our annual Field Day at Blueberry Hill Research Farm in Jonesboro. Visit our Upcoming Events Page to view the full schedule and register. For questions, contact […]
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The Calderwood Lab has released a new fact sheet, Considerations for Solar on Wild Blueberry Land in Maine, detailing research on the feasibility of dual-use solar installations (or agrivoltaics) over Maine wild blueberry fields. While wild blueberry plants recovered well after solar installation, excessive shading significantly reduced yield, making dual-use solar unprofitable under standard industry […]
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Wild Blueberry Newsletter October 21, 2025 Dear Wild Blueberry Community, Meeting Cancelled The Mulching and Irrigating Wild Blueberry Fields Organized by UMaine Extension meeting scheduled for Wednesday, October 22, 2025 in Hope has been cancelled due to weather and lack of NRCS staff. We will cover mulching and irrigation in depth at the UMaine Wild Blueberry Conference to be held in late […]
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Wild Blueberry Newsletter October 2025 Upcoming Events Better Soil, Better Blueberries, organized by WA County Soil and Water Conservation District More InformationDate: Wednesday, Oct 8, 2025Time: 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.Location: Blue Ox Blueberries, 3 Damon Ridge Rd, Charlotte, MERegister by Phone or Email: (207) 255-4659, wacomeswcd@gmail.com Mulching and Irrigating Wild Blueberry Fields Organized by UMaine Extension Date: Wednesday, Oct 22, 2025Time: 3:00-5:00 […]
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Please note the following event on October 22, 2025 has been cancelled. We will discuss topics including field mulching and irrigation during our annual Winter Conference in February, 2026. We look forward to seeing you there! During the 2025 harvest season, wild blueberry growers in Hancock and Washington Counties especially, experienced a flash drought. It […]
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The Hancock County and Washington County Soil & Water Conservation Districts and blueberry farmer Laura Flannery will be presenting the second annual “Better Soil, Better Blueberries” Field Day for wild blueberry growers on October 8th, 2025 in Charlotte, Maine. Dr. Lily Calderwood of UMaine Cooperative Extension will be in attendance sharing research from her program […]
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Black and Blue in the Barrens By Ben Seal, August 17, 2025 (Offrange) In a recent “Offrange” article, author Ben Seals details the mounting economic stressors facing Maine’s wild blueberry growers, from droughts and late frosts impacting yield to market competition from high-bush blueberry competition. University of Maine Extension’s Wild Blueberry Specialist, Dr. Lily Calderwood, weighs […]
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Dr. Lily Calderwood, Wild Blueberry Specialist and Associate Professor of Horticulture with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, was recently featured on the podcast “Maine Farmcast”. In this episode, she joins Dr. Glenda Pereira to discuss the history of wild blueberry management in Maine, shares updates on current research from her lab, and offers practical […]
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This event will highlight the cutting edge innovation and practical application of research-based knowledge conducted at the University of Maine on wild blueberry. This work is shaping the future of wild blueberry production in Maine with you and for you. Farmers and interested members of the public are invited to learn, connect, and contribute! In […]
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Burning wild blueberry fields is a traditional practice with deep Indigenous roots and remains a vital tool for organic pest and disease management. Our new fact sheet explains the benefits and risks of burning versus mowing, provides step-by-step guidance on how to safely burn using oil or straw, and outlines important legal requirements and best […]
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Curious how to ensure your boom sprayer is applying the right amount of pesticide every time? Read our new fact sheet on boom sprayer calibration. UMaine Extension Wild Blueberry Specialist Dr. Lily Calderwood and Research Technician Jordan Parks provide a clear, step-by-step guide to calibrating your sprayer using the 1/128th method, ensuring effective pest control, […]
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