Maine Maple Producers Association

MMPA will be offering Morning sessions on latest issues and technology in the Maple Industry

Contact: Lyle Merrifield P.O. Box 471 Skowhegan, ME 04976 (207)634-3521

merfarm@aol.com

Room: Washington/York

Thursday

Program title

Speaker name & title

Short session description

9:30am

Greeting/Intro

Lyle Merrifield-President MMPA

9:45-10:15am

USDA,NASS

Gary Keough

Maple Production Statistics

10:15-10:45am

State Licensing Issues

TBA

10:45-11:30am

Vacuum System

Leader Evaporator

Latest technology in vacuum

11:30-12:00am

Maine Maple Sunday

30^th Anniversary Recognition

12-1:00pm

MMPA Luncheon

Members and Guests Only

1:00-3:00pm

Annual Meeting

Annual meeting and Syrup Contest!

Maine Board of Pesticides Control Recertification Sessions

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION/ BOARD OF PESTICIDES CONTROL PESTICIDES APPLICATOR RECERTIFICATION

The University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Maine Board of Pesticides Control will present multiple training sessions. Licensed pesticide applicators and dealers may attend sessions to earn credits towards recertification. One pesticide applicator recertification credit will be allowed for each hour of attendance.

Contact: Gary Fish 28 SHS, Augusta, ME 04333 287-7545   gary.fish@maine.gov

Room: Capital/Pine Tree

Thursday

Program title

Speaker name & title

Short session description

9:00-10:00 am

Spotted Winged Drosophila Update

David Handley, UMCE

10:15-11:15 am

Blueberry and Management Update

David Yarborough, UMCE

11:30 am–12:30 pm

Board of Pesticides Control Update

Gary Fish, BPC

12:45–1:00 pm

A Survey of Grower Pollination Strategies

Sam Hanes, U-Maine

1:00–1:15 pm

Spring and Fall Seasonal Effects on Blueberry Flowering

Lee Beers, U-Maine

University Of Maine Cooperative Extension Grape Workshop

Grape Growing 101: An Introduction to Growing Grapes in Maine

Contact: David Handley, P.O. Box 179 Monmouth, ME 04259 , 207-933-2100 david.handley@maine.edu

Room: Penobscot

Thursday

Program title

Speaker name & title

Short session description

10:30 am-12

Grape Growing 101

Part 1

David Handley, Vegetable and Small Fruit Specialist

• Understanding the grape plant
• Site selection and preparation
• Variety selection
• Planting & early care

12-1 pm

Lunch break

1-2:30 pm

Grape Growing 101

Part 2

David Handley, Vegetable and Small Fruit Specialist

• Nutrition
• Trellis construction
• Pruning
• Pest management
• Bottom line
• Q/A

2:3opm

Adjourn

Maine’s Own Organic Milk Company

A group of Maine dairy farmers—dropped by their national milk company—launch their own milk company in a bid to save their farms. Committed to paying a sustainable price for their milk, the company offers hope for the future of small farming. But faced with slow sales and mounting bills, can the farmers hang together long enough for the gamble to pay off?

BETTING THE FARM follows three farmers and their families through the tumultuous first two years of MOO Milk. The film gives audiences a rare glimpse at the real lives of American farmers at a crossroads.

Contact: David Bright 4 Gabriel Drive Suite 1, Augusta ME 04330 207-234-4224 treasurer@MOOMilkco.com

Room: Cumberland

Thursday

Program title

Speaker name & title

Short session description

11:30-12:30

Betting the Farm

Maine’s Own Organic Milk Company

84-minute documentary Film about the formation of MOOMilk

Beginning Farmer Resource Network (BFRN)

A program of meetings and presentations targeted to aspiring and beginning farmers, brought to you by a new consortium of service providers from across the spectrum of Maine Agriculture. Offered in conjunction with the Maine BFRN Resource Room.

Contact: Andrew Marshall & Abby Sadauckas PO Box 170 Unity 04988   568-4142 amarshall@mofga.org   abbys@mofga.org

Room: Knox/Lincoln/Oxford

Thursday

Program title

Speaker name & title

Short session description

9-10am

Are You Ready to Run a Farm Business?

Tori Jackson, UMaine Extension

Success in agriculture depends on more than the quality of your soil and your ability to grow a decent crop; it also requires good business management. We will discuss why your business plan is as important as your production plans, and how your life as a beginning farmer will change.

10-11am

Holistic Goal-Setting for Beginning Farmers

Gail Chase, Maine Women’s Agricultural Network & Diane Schivera, MOFGA

Holistic Goals, how to craft one and what it will do for you.

11am-1pm

Farmers' Market Options for New & Young Vendors

Colleen Hanlon, Maine Federation of Farmers’ Markets

Farmers' Market Options for New and Young Vendors

Description: as farmers' markets increase in popularity, new and young farmers are finding themselves boxed out of some of Maine's most successful markets.  During this workshop we will discuss best practices for getting into existing markets and resources for starting your own farmers' market. 

1-2pm

Food Safety for Beginning Farmers

Cheryl Wixson, MOFGA

 A farm food safety plan can provide producers with access to wholesale and institutional markets. An understanding of farm food safety, or how contaminants enter into the food stream, can help new and beginning farmers design and develop their farm processes and plans to be able to sell to these markets. 

2-3pm

Farm Health & Safety Reality Check

Dick Brzozowski & Lani Carlson, UMaine Extension AgrAbility

Farming is one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States.  Don’t let your farming career be cut short with an accident or fatality. Learn how to eliminate or minimize farm hazards with the goal of having each workday be a safe one. 

Knowledge Transfer Alliance /Maine Department of Agriculture

Farm business management presentations in Hancock Room along with “Salad Bar” walk-in assistance on farm business management in the Knox Room next door. Note that the schedule specified below is for the presentations in the Hancock Room. The Knox Room is for walk-in assistance and the programming will be farmer needs driven.   This is the 3^rd year of a joint collaboration between the Maine Department of Agriculture and the University of Maine’s Knowledge Transfer Alliance.

Contact: John Harker, Aaron K. Hoshide and Anthony Davis ME, Dept. Ag. And University of Maine, 206 Winslow Hall Orono, ME 04469

287-7620     659-4808     458-2640

John.Harker@maine.gov           aaron.hoshide@umit.maine.edu         anthony.davis@umit.maine.edu

Room: Hancock

Thursday

Program title

Speaker name & title

Short session description

9-10am

Promoting Your Product - Resources Available to You Through GetRealGetMaine Program

John Harker

Maine Department of Agriculture

How to promote your farm business and products registering and using the GetRealGetMaine program and website.

10-11am

Quickbooks &

Record Keeping - Beginning

Anthony Davis

University of Maine

Overview and general introductory session on using Quickbooks.

11-12

Quickbooks &

Record Keeping - Advanced

Anthony Davis

University of Maine

ADVANCED QUESTION AND ANSWER FOR QUICKBOOKS. PLEASE BRING YOUR COMPUTER WITH THE VERSION OF QUICKBOOKS YOU ARE USING ON IT.

Maine Pork Producers Association

Annual Business Meeting, - Election of officers, Board of Directors

Contact: Clark L Souther, 161 Souther Rd.   207-897-3706 clsouther@myfairpoint.net

Room: Sagadahoc

Thursday

Program title

Speaker name & title

Short session description

9-10am

10-11am

11-12

Business Meeting

1-2pm

Pig Health Issues

Fedco Trees Annual Business Meeting

Annual Business Meeting

Contact: Jen Ries PO Box 520 Waterville ME 04903 207-426-8500 or 207-722-3006 Jennifer@fedcoseeds.com

Room: Waldo

Thursday

Program title

Speaker name & title

Short session description

10am-11am

Annual Meeting

Fedco Tree Representatives

Annual meeting agenda for the Cooperative Tree Growers for Fedco

Maine Aquaculture Association

NEW SOURCES OF FARM INCOME: FEE FISHING AND RAISING BAIT.

Maine has some of the best freshwater resources in the country. Farmers often overlook a potential new income source, water farming. Come find out what you have to do to get into the 6 million dollar baitfish market or the new agritourism fee fishing sector. Presenters will talk about the basics of production, permitting and marketing this exciting new way to diversify farm income.

Contact: Rhonda Cook P.O. Box 148, Hallowell, ME 04347   (207) 622-0136 futureseas@aol.com

Room: Aroostook

Thursday

Program title

Speaker name & title

Short session description

10-11am

NEW SOURCES OF FARM INCOME: FEE FISHING AND RAISING BAIT

Sebastian Belle, Executive Director

Maine Aquaculture Association

CROPP/Organic Valley Grain Growing Workshop

Growing Organic Grain in Aroostook County

Contact: Steve Getz (on site) or Holly Parr (offsite)   1 Organic Way, La Farge, WI 54639 608-625-2602

Steve.getz@organicvalley.coop

Room: Piscataquis

Thursday

Program title

Speaker name & title

Short session description

9-10am

Organic Grain

TBD/OV Representative

Growing Organic Grain in Aroostook County

10-11am

Organic Grain

TBD/OV Representative

Growing Organic Grain in Aroostook County

Maine Farm Bureau Horse Council

First Annual Equine Seminar Sponsored by the Maine Farm Bureau Horse Council

Contact: Jasmine Jennings 4 Gabriel Drive, Suite 1 Augusta, ME 04330 207-622-4111

jjennings@mainefarmbureau.com

Room: Kennebec

Thursday

Program title

Speaker name & title

Short session description

1-3pm

First Annual Equine Seminar Sponsored by the Maine Farm Bureau Horse Council

TBA

Speakers on: Equine Nutrition

Equine Dental Health

Equine Hoof Health

Maine Legislation Affecting Equines

Windependence/Community Energy Partners and Greater Portland Council of Governments

Workshop series of locally-owned community wind (any size and scale) and free, one-on-one assistance on developing community wind.

Contact: Sue Jones, 207-751-0749 16 Goose Cove Lane, Freeport, Maine 04032 sue@communityenergypartners.com

Room: Somerset

Thursday

Program title

Speaker name & title

Short session description

10-11am

“Net Energy Billing: What Is It? How does it Work to Promote Locally-Owned Wind Power Generation?” (This is a repeat of the same presentation given Tuesday 3:00-4:00 p.m.)

Sue Jones

Community Energy Partners

NEB in Maine allows up to 10 electricity accounts to be combined to offset the generation of a wind turbine (or other renewable electricity source). Learn how it is works to allow shared ownership and financing of new installations of wind power across the U.S.