{"id":17525,"date":"2025-09-30T14:31:48","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T18:31:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/hancock\/?p=17525"},"modified":"2026-05-13T13:11:46","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T17:11:46","slug":"master-gardener-volunteers-newsletter-hancock-and-washington-counties-october-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/hancock\/2025\/09\/30\/master-gardener-volunteers-newsletter-hancock-and-washington-counties-october-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Master Gardener Volunteers Newsletter ~ Hancock and Washington Counties ~ October 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

Table of Contents<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Save the Dates<\/a>\/ Triple Chick Farm <\/a>\/ Sweet Haven Farm Tour<\/a> \/ Winterize Your Garden<\/a>\u00a0 \/ Book Club News<\/a> \/ Upcoming Webinars!<\/a><\/h4>\n
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Dates to remember!<\/strong><\/h3>\n

October 6<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Master Gardener Volunteer (MGV) Advisory Meeting
\nOctober 13<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Holiday ~ Office Closed
\nOctober 17<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 25\/26′ MGV Class Starts
\nOctober 23<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Annual Meeting – Hancock County Extension ~ open to all
\nNovember 3<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0MGV Advisory Meeting
\nNovember 12 & 13<\/b>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Extension All Staff\/All Organization Conference – office closed
\nNovember 13\u00a0<\/strong> \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Save the Date – MGV Fall Gathering – Details TBD<\/h4>\n

Greetings Master Gardener Volunteers!<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Fall is here, the traffic is lighter, and the leaves are brighter.<\/p>\n

Celestial Events in October<\/h4>\n

This year, the Hunter’s Moon and Harvest Moon<\/a> both occur on Oct 6th at 11:47 pm. The Hunter’s Moon is named for the season when hunters would prepare for the coming winter, and the clear, post-harvest fields made it easier to spot game animals. It is the first Supermoon of 2025 and will appear bigger and brighter than usual, since the Moon is at its closest point to Earth (aka the perigee).<\/p>\n

Step outside after sunset, look toward the eastern horizon, and enjoy the view!<\/p>\n

The Orionid meteor shower peaks this year on October 21-22, visible from late night to dawn, with the Moon out of the way for a dark sky viewing experience. Meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Orion, but the best viewing area is a dark patch of sky about 30-40 degrees away. The shower is produced by dust and ice from Halley’s Comet, and the resulting meteors are some of the fastest, reaching speeds of 41 miles per second.<\/p>\n

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It has been a busy and challenging season for all gardeners, especially given the dry weather and the insatiable deer. But the MGVs Persevered!\u00a0 We had two terrific field trips in July and August. Pictures and articles below. But we\u2019re not done yet! Coming up, dates to be announced:<\/strong><\/em> Four Season Farm field trip<\/em>; a workshop on Knots<\/em> (not Knotweed) for Gardeners led by Bob Murphy, who spent his career in Technical Theatre on Broadway and around the world and can tie a lot<\/em> of knots; and a workshop on Building Bee Hotel<\/em>s led by MGV Terry Van Praet, who has raised bees for many years. The workshops will most likely happen in October and November. Stay tuned! Our trip to the UME Integrated Pest Management<\/a> will happen next Spring.<\/a><\/p>\n

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Save the Date Notice for Master Gardener Volunteer Dinner. Contributor: Staff, Sue B.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Additionally!\u00a0 Send your project photos to sue.baez@maine.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

And most importantly, remember to please report your MGV hours<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

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<\/a>Triple Chick Farm<\/h3>\n

By Lynne Altvater, MGV<\/h4>\n

The Master Gardener Volunteers headed to Triple Chick Farm<\/a> on July 29th<\/sup> for a behind-the-scenes tour of their operation.\u00a0 Our group was well-represented and included a few community CSA members who share in the bounty come harvest time.<\/p>\n

Meeting in Peace Corps Nepal in 2015, Anna and Adam Perkins started co-managing the farm in the fall of 2021.\u00a0 Anna led us through the 7-acre property that includes 2 \u00bd acres of crop production on that hot summer morning.\u00a0 We passed rows of sunflowers, corn, herbs, kale, and broccoli, but the highlight was the tomato crop.\u00a0 Hoop houses, tunnel,s and elaborate watering and trussing systems adorned a good portion of this operation.\u00a0\u00a0 Anna notes that early tomatoes are their discriminator, with some tomato vines reaching 100 feet in length.\u00a0 It became apparent fairly quickly that the focus was on this prolific crop!<\/p>\n

7-8 full-time gardeners are employed at the peak of the growing season.\u00a0 We ended the tour in their packing area, a cool building with deep sinks and crates to wash and prepare produce for the farm stand and outside deliveries.<\/p>\n

Thanks to all attendees, whose participation makes our Continuing Education program worthwhile.\u00a0 Photos courtesy of Lynne Altvater, MGV\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t