Maine Vegetable and Fruit School

Vegetable garden with greenhouses in the background at Highmoor Farm, photo by Chris Howard
Garden at Highmoor Farm; photo by Chris Howard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension

March 25, 2025
8:30 a.m. — 4:00 p.m.

University of Southern Maine – Lewiston Campus (Room 170)
51 Westminster Street
Lewiston, Maine 04240
(Directions, Google Maps)

This day-long school is sponsored by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Maine Vegetable and Small Fruit Growers Association.  Lunch will be provided so pre-registration is encouraged and appreciated. Walk-ins are welcome but lunch will not be guaranteed. Online registration will close on March 22nd. Please contact Highmoor Farm at 207.933.2100 for questions.

In case of bad weather, we will follow the University of Southern Maine weather hotline announcement at 207.780.4800.

For parking info, download a pdf of the USM Lewiston campus map.

Credits:

  • Pesticide applicator recertification credits = 4.0
  • CEUs: Pest Management (PM) = 2.5, Crop Management (CM) = 2.0

Cost: $45

Register Online

Agenda

8:30 a.m. — Registration

9:00 a.m. — Focus on Pest Management

9:00 a.m. — Beans, Dr. David Handley, UMaine Cooperative Extension

9:30 a.m. — Lettuce, Dr. Mark Hutton, UMaine Cooperative Extension

10:00 a.m. — Carrots, Dr. Peyton Ginakes, UMaine Cooperative Extension

10:30 a.m. — Weather Monitoring and Pest Management, Dr. Peyton Ginakes, UMaine Cooperative Extension

11:00 a.m. — Potato disease identification, Dr. Alicyn Smart, UMaine Cooperative Extension

11:30 a.m. — When all else fails: Disaster and crop insurance, Thomas Kuklinski, Farm Loan Manager, USDA

12:00 p.m. — Lunch

1:00 p.m. — Disease Management in High Tunnels, Dr. Mark Hutton, UMaine Cooperative Extension

1:30 p.m. — Alternative berry crops, Dr. David Handley, UMaine Cooperative Extension

2:00 p.m. — Food Safety Update, Lindsay Werner, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry

2:30 p.m. — Break

2:45 p.m. — A Virtual Visit to Tougas Family Farm: Focus on Customers, Mo Tougas, Northborough, MA

3:30 p.m. — Wrap-up and Evaluations

Download and Print: Agenda: Maine Fruit and Vegetable School (PDF)

If you need reasonable accommodation, please contact Stephanie Wright at stephanie.wright@maine.edu or call 207.933.2100 by March 12, 2025.  If requests are received after this date, we may not have sufficient time to make necessary arrangements; however, all requests will be considered.

In complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and pursuing its own goals of diversity, the University of Maine System does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability physical or mental, genetic information, or veterans or military status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity, 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5713, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).