Blog

chickens in a coop

Preparing for Your Backyard Poultry Flock

By Jason Lilley, UMaine Extension Cumberland Sustainable Agriculture Professional It’s the time of year when many families are heading to their local garden center or farm to pick up their backyard poultry flock. There are several things to consider and prepare before picking up those birds to ensure that the birds are healthy and productive. […]

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National Volunteer Week – 4-H Volunteers

By Sara Conant, 4-H Community Education Assistant & Administrative Specialist In honor of National Volunteer Week we would like to highlight our 4-H volunteers! 4-H is a national organization for youth ages 9-18 to learn life skills through hands on work in a variety of project areas. 4-H programming occurs in libraries, afterschool clubs, through […]

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Little Ridge Farm, rows of planted beans

Succession Planting

By Jason Lilley, UMaine Extension Cumberland Sustainable Agriculture Professional Now that the garden soil is drying out and warming up, it’s time to get planting! Many gardeners wish that they had more space to get more veggies from. One way to increase your yields without increasing your garden space is with succession planting. Succession planting […]

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Luck of the Clover

By Tayla Mann, UMaine Extension Staff, Administrative Specialist The four-leaf clover has become a well-known symbol of luck, 4-H and St. Patrick’s Day. But not many of us know the folk-lore and facts behind this little green plant. The chances of even finding a four-leaf clover among the rest are 1 in 10,000! This is […]

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Gardening is for the Birds!

Article and Photographs by Amy Witt, UMaine Extension Horticulturist  Gardens bring delight to gardeners, visitors, and people passing by. They can also provide important habitat for birds, and in return, more enjoyment for the gardener and visitors. Gardening successfully for birds involves meeting their basic needs of food, water, nesting sites and shelter. Plan & […]

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Preparing for Your Next Vegetable Garden

By Clark Whitter, Cumberland County Master Gardener, Class of 2010 Analyze At the end of the growing season, including fall and early winter crops, analyze what did well and what did not. If a crop has not done well for the last two to three years, consider cutting back on some vegetables or change some […]

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Flowers From Your Valentine

By Tayla Mann, UMaine Extension Staff, Administrative Clerk Valentine’s Day has become a well-known tradition filled with chocolate, greeting cards, and especially flowers. However, with Valentine’s Day come and gone you’re probably beginning to wonder how to make those cherished flowers last a little longer. So we have compiled a few tips as our Valentine’s present […]

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seedling plants in a greenhouse

Maine Seed Distributors

By Tayla Mann, UMaine Extension Staff, Administrative Clerk Here at the UMaine Extension we love local. Local foods, local farmers, and local seeds. Lucky for us, Maine has some great seed distributors worth talking about! Johnny’s Selected Seeds Johnny’s, created in 1973, prides themselves in being 100% employee owned and producing safe, non-GMO seeds. They provide a […]

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Winter Care of Houseplants

By Kyle Fletcher Baker, Cumberland County Master Gardener and MCN Maine Zone 5 Well, here it is, winter in Maine and while all around us outside is usually covered with snow, some of us are tending the sporadic gardens inside. Whether it’s one or two plants or you have a virtual jungle of plants, the care […]

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Cooking with Maine Beer

By Mallory Martin, UMaine Extension Staff, Administrative Support Specialist (Food & Nutrition) Maine has a rich history with alcohol and is now known for its present day local distilleries. Local craft brews can be used in recipes to create salad dressings, marinades, baking quick breads, and desserts. Below are ways to use your favorite local […]

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