Wild Blueberry Newsletter, June 2018
June 2018
Organic Wild Blueberry Field Meeting
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension is sponsoring an organic wild blueberry meeting on Monday, July 16 from 1:00-3:00 p.m.. The meeting will be hosted by Peggy Varney on her organic blueberry farm at 8 Sanborn Road in Chesterville, Maine.
This is an opportunity to get an updated review on insects, weed diseases and fertilizers from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and University of Maine researchers. We hope to see you there, as this is a great opportunity to network with your fellow organic wild blueberry growers. See directions below.
Directions from the North:
Take Exit 159 Newport and then follow Rt. 2 west from Skowhegan thru Norridgewock and Mercer to New Sharon. Continue past the turnoff to Rt. 27 south and turn left onto Rt. 134 in New Sharon. Go 4.0 miles on Rt. 134 until you get to a stop at Rt. 41. Turn left onto 41, proceed 1.5 miles and turn right onto Tower Road. Follow Tower Rd. for 3.5 miles and turn right onto Egypt Pond Rd. Follow Egypt Pond Rd. for 1.9 miles to the stop sign (stay left at the sharp bend). Turn left onto Sanborn Hill Rd. (it won’t be marked) and go 0.6 miles to our driveway, a yellow mailbox with a number 8.
From Augusta:
Take Rt. 17 N to Readfield. Turn right onto Rt. 41. Follow 41 to the large brick chimney on the right. There will be a pond by the chimney on the right and a lake on the left. 41 turns right at this point, but you want to go straight ahead onto Sandy River Rd. Follow this road to its end at a stop sign. Our farm is straight ahead. You will have to turn right to get to our driveway on the left.
From Farmington:
Follow Rt. 2 E to Farmington Falls. Turn right onto Rt 41 and cross the river. Turn immediately right onto Rt. 156. Take the second left onto Pope Rd. Once you come to the Chesterville Town Office on the left, go 1.9 miles to Ridge Rd. The road divides here. Stay left. Go 3.2 miles and turn left onto Norcross Hill Rd. In 0.8 of a mile, the road divides again. Stay left for another 0.8 miles. At the stop sign turn left and go 0.2 miles. The driveway is on the left.
Wild Blueberry Annual Field Day
The annual summer field day for wild blueberry growers will be held on Wednesday, July 18, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Blueberry Hill Research Farm on Route 1 in Jonesboro. The meeting will begin with vendors open at 9:00 a.m. The discussion with blueberry growers, processors, and University and government employees affiliated with the blueberry industry on this year’s wild blueberry crop will begin at 10:00 a.m. Our featured speaker will be Dr. David Percival, of Dalhousie University in Truro, NS reporting on his work with unmanned aerial vehicles; Towards integrated disease management and sustainable production. Marie Emerson will give an update on the Agricultural Wild Blueberry Heritage Center and Virtual Museum; Nancy McBrady will provide a Wild Blueberry Commission Update; and Dr. Lily Calderwood the new wild blueberry specialist, will comment on her 2018 field visit observations.
In the afternoon, following a BBQ lunch provided by our sponsors, we will have presentations on relevant topics and recent research.
A detailed agenda will be posted on Cooperative Extension’s Maine Wild Blueberries website, when completed, on the Calendar of Events page.
Three recertification credits are available for certified pesticide applicators attending the morning and afternoon sessions.
Food Safety Modernization Act
Enclosed is a brochure that gives an overview of the new food safety implementation act with contact information if you have further questions. If you sell more than $25,000 a year in fresh wild blueberries and other commodities, you will have to comply with this new law. This does not affect you if you only sell your berries to a processor. If this applies to you, please consider attending one of two UMaine FSMA trainings late fall and early winter. Do register early on the Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training page as attendance is limited.
For more information about the training, contact Robson Machado robson.machado@maine.edu or 207.581.3144.
If you do not have web access contact Theresa Tilton at 207.942.7396 for registration and more details.
Sincerely,
David E. Yarborough
Extension Blueberry Specialist
Wild blueberry fact sheets, past newsletters, contacts, resource links, calendar of events, and more can be found on the Cooperative Extension’s Maine Wild Blueberries website.
Information in this publication is provided purely for educational purposes. No responsibility is assumed for any problems associated with the use of products or services mentioned. No endorsement of products or companies is intended, nor is criticism of unnamed products or companies implied.
© 2018
Call 800.287.0274 (in Maine), or 207.581.3188, for information on publications and program offerings from University of Maine Cooperative Extension, or visit extension.umaine.edu.
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