“Weather Tool Show and Tell” at the Maine Agricultural Trades Show
Sonja Birthisel and Erin Roche
“So many tools,” one farmer wrote on our feedback survey after attending the Weather Tool Show and Tell session at this year’s Maine Agricultural Trades Show. The session’s purpose was to raise awareness about tools to help growers deal with variable weather. These included physical tools like weather stations and tensiometers, as well as digital apps to help with weather record keeping and agronomic decision making. An ‘open mic’ discussion during the session allowed attendees to share their experiences with specific weather tools.
With technology change, the number of tools and apps is proliferating rapidly. This session highlighted websites that allow a user to search for tools related to specific goals – for example, tracking growing degree days. A key take-home point, noted by most of the 13 people responding to our feedback survey, was simply how many tools are now available. It was also noted, as one farmer put it, “How practical these tools are.”
The session was presented by the Maine Climate and Agriculture Network (MECAN) as part of a day-long series on weather-based crop management tools. You can find links to tools and resources for dealing with variable weather and climate change on the Maine Climate and Ag Network website.