2020 June PCEA-EC Minutes

Minutes: Piscataquis County Extension Association Executive Committee meeting 6/8/2020 3-5 pm (Zoom)

Present: Members: Beth McEvoy, Carole Boothroyd, Gretchen Huettner, Steve DeGoosh

Staff: Donna Coffin, Trisha Smith, Sheila Norman, Emily Mott, Lisa Phelps

Call to Order– President Beth McEvoy called the meeting to order at 3:05 pm.

Business

  • Minutes 5/11 approved. Motion-Gretchen Second-Steve
  • The Treasurer’s Report approved. Motion-Gretchen, Second Carole

Program Updates

 4-H Program Update- Sheila Norman and Emily Mott

  • 4-H summer events, such as 4-H at UMaine, June Jamboree, and Maine 4-H Days are being adapted to virtual formats. State and local staff are hard at work arranging a wide variety of virtual workshop opportunities this summer. Registration will go live on June 19. Registration will be limited to only Maine 4-H kids for the first week, and then will be open to other than 4-H and kids from other states.
  • 4-H Virtual Arts and Crafts Showcase is being displayed on the Extension website. Youth can upload artwork created between March 1 and June 30.
  • The Piscataquis Valley Fair has been postponed until next year.
  • 4-H is not planning to resume in-person meetings at this time and is awaiting guidance from the university.
  • Learn at Home: Educational Resources
  1. Mainely Dish Recipes video series-Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program for “Mainely Dish” Mondays
  2. QuaranTEEN Virtual Science Cafes available through the summer
  3. “Wednesday in the Woods” Outdoor Activities and Facebook Live
  4. Growing Maine Gardeners
  5. Learn at Home with 4-H FRIDAY FUN
  6. 4-H Bingo- simple and complex activities to do at home

Home Horticulture Report – Trisha Smith 

  • Master Gardener Volunteers planted cloth containers, purchased by PRFC as part of their grant, to be delivered to individual gardeners. MGV will support by telephone.
  • A call for those in need of a garden mentor resulted in a request from Greenville and Jackie Robinson has agreed to be a mentor.
  • Nature Trail Restoration- PSWCD has rescheduled the non-native species workshop until September. Thompson Free Library has installed a “story walk” near the covered area on the Sedomocha end of the trail. Trisha reports a lot of invasive species along the trail and a need for restoration work. Carol Clark and Trisha will present the needs to Kiwanis on June 9.
  • Sedomocha School Garden- A good selection of vegetables are planted, the row cover is installed over susceptible crops, the rain catchment system has been repaired by Dwain Allen and most of the drip irrigation system is back in place. Trisha planted a pair of undies for PSWCD’s “Soil Your Undies” project.
  • Piscataquis 4-H Passport program is on indefinite hold.
  • One Tomato- Trisha gave out 80 at the food cupboard and less than 20 in Milo/Brownville.

Piscataquis Activities-May-June – Donna Coffin

  • Donna reports contact with 96 people, with questions ranging from vegetable planting, weeds, soil testing, ticks, pigs dying, bee habitat and more
  • Raising Backyard Poultry with Dr. Colt Knight on June 16, noon-2pm
  • Ticks in Maine webinar, June 25, 1-2:30 pm with Griffin Dill, UMaine IPM Professional and Beatrice Szantyr, MD, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine and medical advisor for MaineLyme, a Maine-based non-profit formed in 2010, dedicated to decreasing the occurrence of Lyme and related tick-borne diseases in Maine through awareness, prevention, education, and advocacy.
  • The Greenhouse Plastic Recycling Drop Off at the Coop Extension office is postponed until June.
  • Virtual Office Hours for Gardeners-Monday-Friday 11 am-1 pm
  • Weekly Maine Farm Zoom is on pause; will resume when there is a need or interest in a topic of the speaker. There were 17 sessions with 371 participants.
  • Raising Backyard Poultry with Colt Knight on June 3 was attended by 117 people.
  • Staff will continue to work from home until June 30. Folks can leave voice messages at 207 262-7726.

Unfinished Business

Donna and staff have developed protocols for re-opening the Piscataquis office on July 1. Lisa reports that she is seeking guidance from UMaine on re-opening processes.

New Business

  • Executive committee members request a list of members and their terms of service.
  • Anette is in need of a big format color printer, to be used with the laminator. The university contract for ink comes due in the fall, so Donna suggests that until then, the color ink be purchased along with the printer. Anette is checking prices at Staples and Office Max, but an estimate is $250 plus the cost of ink. Carole made a motion to approve money for an 11×17 color printer plus ink. Second by Gretchen Vote: Unanimous yes.
  • Discussion about laptops- all computers for staff are currently good. We purchase computers through UMaine in March-April and the university maintains insurance on the laptops. Gretchen suggests that we consider ordering a spare laptop.
  • The Executive committee will discuss next year’s budget at the July meeting, to be presented to the County Commissioners in August.
  • Gretchen suggests a possible webinar or video series on the management of multiple species, with a focus on what feeds are safe for multi-species farms. Donna asks Gretchen and Steve to submit questions of interest. Donna will work with Colt and others to put together a video series.

 

The meeting adjourned at 5:00 pm.

Next meeting: July 13, 2020, via Zoom, 3-5 pm.

Submitted by Carole Boothroyd, Secretary 6/29/2020