Scroll down to view the daily schedule arranged by name of hosting organization
See the alphabetical list of exhibitors with booth numbers.
View schedule on other days...Tuesday | Thursday
PESTICIDES CONTROL/COOPERATIVE EXT
PESTICIDES APPLICATOR RECERTIFICATION
Kennebec/Penobscot Room
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Maine Board of Pesticides Control will present five one-hour training sessions. Licensed pesticide applicators and dealers may attend these sessions to earn credits towards recertification. One credit will be allowed for attendance at an entire hour of each topic covered. (5 credits available)
9:00 Apple Integrated Pest Management - Glen Koehler, UMCE
11:00 Interactive IPM Challenge (A Jeopardy Like Game) – Jim Dill, UMCE
1:00 Potato Disease Management – Steve Johnson, UMCE
2:15 New and Alternative Strategies to Treat Potato Pests – John Jemison, UMCE
4:15 Small Fruit & Vegetable IPM – David Handley, UMCE
PESTICIDES CONTROL/COOPERATIVE EXT
WORKER PROTECTION STANDARD
PESTICIDE HANDLER TRAINING
Capitol Room
The EPA Worker Protection Standard requires many people employed by farms, nurseries, greenhouses or forest businesses to be trained. Employees that mix, load or apply pesticides or work on pesticide contaminated equipment must be trained as pesticide handlers. The UMCE and the ME Board of Pesticides Control will present a one and one-half-hour training session to qualify agricultural employees as pesticide handlers. No recertification credits are offered at this session. (no credits)
1:00 – 2:30 Pesticide Handler Training – Jim Dill, UMCE & Gary Fish, BPC (This course is for unlicensed employees who work directly with pesticides)
COMMUNITY ENERGY PARTNERS
Piscataquis Room
1:00 Interest in small wind (under 100 kw, which is sized to accommodate most Maine farms) is growing dramatically. If you’re thinking about purchasing and installing a small wind turbine, this workshop is for you.
Trudy Forsyth, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, “Sizing up you Wind Opportunity” The Basics of Setting up Small Wind Projects
Dick Fortier, Efficiency Maine’s Small Wind Director, “Utilizing Maine’s Small Wind Incentives”
Sue Jones, Maine Small Wind Working Group,“Introducing Maine’s New Small Wind Working Group”, How can it work for you?
MAINE AG IN THE CLASSROOM ASSOCIATION
Knox Room
11:00 Business Meeting
MAINE ALPACA ASSOCIATION
Lincoln Room
9:00 Fiber Herds, Fiber Arts & the Fiber Business - For those who are attracted to the alpaca lifestyle and have an interest in fiber production and arts, non-breeding geldings are a popular choice. Pam Harwood of Longwoods Alpaca Farm in Cumberland is a certified fiber sorter apprentice, participates in four farmer’s markets in Southern Maine, cares for a herd of over twenty breeding/non-breeding alpacas, co-founded a wholesale yarn production line, and is a knitting instructor.
1:00 Adding Alpacas to Your Established Farm Business - Maine farmers know that diversification is key to success in agriculture. An alpaca breeding program is a business that will provides farmers appealing income tax breaks, lucrative revenue, and a popular attraction for farm visitors/agri-tourists. Edna Carr of Maple Hill Alpacas in York county has experience in a maple sugar operation and raising light livestock. Dick Porter of Spudland Alpacas in Aroostook County runs a family potato business. Moderator: Pam Harwood, Longwoods Alpaca Farm, Panelists: Dick Porter, Spudland Alpacas, Edna Carr, Maple Hill Alpacas
MAINE ALTERNATIVE POULTRY ASSOCIATION
York Room
12:30 MAPA Business Meeting
1:00 Michael J. Darre, Ph.D.P.A.S. Poultry Specialist from the Univ. of CT - Practical Poultry Nutrition.
3:00 MOFGA – Natural and Organic Meat Marketing
3:15 Anne Lichtenwalner D.V.M. Phd. Director of Maine Diagnostic Lab - Poultry Health Problems
MAINE ANGUS ASSOCIATION
Androscoggin Room
10:00 Business Meeting
MAINE AQUACULTURE ASSOCIATION
Aroostook Room
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 agri-tourism fee fishing sector.
10:00 How to Diversify Your Farm’s Base - Using Aquaculture – Come Learn about NEW Sources of Farm Income: Fee Fishing and Raising Bait
MAINE ASSOC OF LIVESTOCK EXHIBITORS
Oxford Room
6:30 Maine Association of Livestock Exhibitors Board of Directors Meeting. Board members will meet to finalize plans for the Annual Meeting. Members are welcome to attend.
MAINE BEEF PRODUCERS
Waldo Room
1:00 Herd Management Software
2:00 Beef Basics 101 - new cattle owners interested in raising backyard beef
3:00 Annual Meeting
MAINE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Loan Fund
Fort Western Room
Annual Breakfast Co-sponsored by the MVSFGA
8:00 Welcome-Commissioner Seth H. Bradstreet, III
8:10 Breakfast Keynote Speakers: Ben Dobson, Shimon Horowitz and David Goldstein from Locally Known, LLC. Locally Known, LLC
8:45 John Harker, MDA, will discuss current and future plans for the AMLF program, will answer questions about eligibility for the program and how the program will connect with the ME Farms For The Future .
9:00 Charlie Emmons, FAME, will give an overview of the 2007/2008 fiscal year activity..
9:15 Service Provider and Committee Roundtable Discussion: Your feedback on improvements to the program would be appreciated.
MAINE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Nutrient Management
Oxford Room
Each session qualifies for 1 Nutrient Management Recertification Credit
10:00- Modified Static Pile Composting to Address Mortalities. Mark A. King, Maine DEP.
11:00 Alternative Manure Application Methods. Rick Kersbergen, UMCE
1:00 The New EPA CAFO Rule: A Brief Overview of its Implications for Maine Livestock Farmers followed by CLEANeast: A Potential Funding Source for Environmental Assessments and Nutrient Management Plan Development or Updates for Livestock Farmers. Mark F. Hedrich, , Maine Department of Agriculture.
MAINE GRASS FARMERS NETWORK
Washington Room
10:00 Balancing Pasture and Markets - Perry Ells of Ells Farm in Union will talk about how she manages her sheep’s use of pasture and the requirements for her meat and milk markets.
11:00 Meat Processor Panel - Come and hear about how to improve your relationship with your processor from the processor’s standpoint.
12:00 Update on Natural and Organic Meat Markets Status by MOFGA
12:15 Maine Grass Farmers Network Annual Meeting
MAINE HARNESS RACING PROMOTION BOARD
Aroostook Room
6:30 Monthly Meeting
MAINE STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY
Somerset Room
10:00 Information Technology – Making Websites that Work for You and Your Business
10:30 Business Meeting of the Maine State Pomological Society
12:00 Lunch, on your own
1:00 Wildlife Pests, Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
1:30 New Developments in Integrated Apple Pest Management, Glen Koehler
2:30 Lucius Caldwell, New Techniques for Patulin Reduction in Apple Cider
3:00 Apple Research at Highmoor Farm, Renae Moran
MAINE SHEEP BREEDERS ASSOCIATION
Waldo Room
6:00 Practical Sheep & Goat Nutrition - Presenters: Richard Kersbergen and Richard Brzozowski, UMCE—Free and open to the public
MAINE STATE FLORISTS AND GROWERS
ASSOICATION
Cumberland Room
8:30 Registration and Coffee and Doughnuts ( sponsored by Griffin Greenhouse Supply)
9:00 Growth Regulators as relating to spring crop production - Virginia Brubaker, Griffin Greenhouse Supply (1 pesticide credit)
10:00 Coffee Break ( sponsored by Griffin Greenhouse Supply)
10:15 Energy Alternatives - Panel Discussion - The presenters listed below will give a short presentation of their product or how they are addressing the energy Situation, followed by a panel discussion.
Ken Ellis, Sunset Greenhouse, Fairfield, Me Pellet Stoves
Bill Knight, Julies Greenhouse, New Harbor, Me - Outdoor Wood Furnace
Galen Witherly, Witherly’s Greenhouse, Hermon, Me. - Coal Furnace
Bill Shorey, Shor-Burn, Searsport, Me.
Fuel Oil Pre-Heater
12:15 Lunch on your own
1:20 Announcements
1:30 Fast Crop Alternatives—Heather Poirer Pleasant View Gardens
2:30 G.S.I. Green Scene Investigators Crop Diagnosis and Pesticide Update- Virginia Brubaker, Griffin Greenhouse Supply (1 Pesticide Credit)
Maine Vegetable & Small Fruit Growers Association
Augusta Room
8:00 Breakfast for earlybirds co-sponsored by the Agricultural Marketing Loan Fund program.
Breakfast Speakers, Ben Dobson, Shimon Horowitz and Dave Goldstein, Locally Known
*(Breakfast located in Fort Western Room)
8:45 Welcome & Announcements - Lauchlin Titus, President MVSFGA
9:00 Vegetable Trials: Melons, Pumpkins, Peppers, Sweet Corn and More! Mark Hutton, David Handley, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
10:00 Practical Composting for Your Farm
Mark Hutchinson, UMCE
11:00 Berry Update: Variety Trial Results, New Varieties for Trial - David Handley, UMCE
11:30 Crop Insurance: What’s Best for Vegetable &Berry Growers? Tori Jackson, UMCE
11:45 MVSFGA Business Meeting - Lauchlin Titus, President, Presiding
12:00 Lunch on your own
1:00 Working with a Large Retailer-- The Hannaford Perspective - Will Wedge, Director of Produce, Wendy Ward, Close to Home Coordinator - Hannaford Bros.
1:45 The University of Maine Cooperative Working with Maine Vegetable & Berry Growers - John Rebar, Executive Director, UMCE
2:15 Growing Sweet Corn with Bt Genes to Control Insect Pests -John Jemison, UMCE, Lebelle Hicks, Maine Department of Agriculture
3:30 Sustainable Soil Management for Vegetable Production Systems - Ellen Mallory, UMCE
4:00 Maine Sr FarmShare Update for 2008-9
(Pesticide applicator credits will be offered for attending the program)
NORTHEAST LIVESTOCK EXPOSITION
Androscoggin Room
6:30 Business Meeting/2009 Planning
SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION SOCIETY - PINE TREE CHAPTER
Aroostook Room
1:00 Stream Crossings for Agriculture and Forestry - The Pine Tree Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) will present a one-hour session on effective stream crossings for farms and forests. The session will address the biological importance of protecting stream crossings. Farm & forest landowners can learn about several different types of safe, effective, and cost efficient stream crossings. Speakers
include professionals from NRCS and USFWS. A business meeting for SWCS will follow the 2nd hour. Everyone is welcome, and membership information for SWCS will be provided to interested individuals.
SMALL WOODLAND OWNERS ASSOCIATION OF MAINE
Arnold/Howard Room
9:30 Informal Discussions with Board Members
10:00 Welcome
10:10 “Emerging Carbon Sales Opportunities for Forest Landowners”
Eric Kingsley, Vice- President Innovative Natural Resource Solutions LLC.
11:00 “2008 Farm Bill and Future Opportunities for Family Forest Owners”
Rita Neznek, Vice President, Public Affairs, American Forest Foundation
11:40 State Tree Farm Awards
12:00 Lunch (on your own)
1:00 “The Future of Wood to Energy in Maine”
Panel Discussion- Speakers TBA
2:00 “Groundwater and Woodland Owners: What You Should Know” - Mark Dubois, Natural Resource Manager, Poland Spring
2:45 Meeting Closeout
3:00 Adjourn
UMCE FARM ENERGY TEAM
Augusta Room
5:00 Energy on the Farm: Crops to Grow and Techniques to Try -Sponsored by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Farm Energy Team
Overview of energy crops. John Jemison, UMCI
Using reduced tillage techniques to save fuel and increase production. Rob Johanson, Goranson Farm.
Carbon credits and markets. Sue Gammon, Androscoggin Valley SWCD.
USDA, FARM SERVICE AGENCY/NRCS
Sagadahoc Room
10:00 The FSA and NRCS will partner to provide a presentation on the Conservation and Commodity Titles of the 2008 Farm Bill.
10:00 NRCS - present information on Conservation aspects of the Farm Bill.
11:00 FSA - present information on the commodity and conservation titles of the Farm Bill
12:00 Questions from the audience
Women’s Agricultural Network (WAgN)
Lincoln Room
5:00-6:00 Everyone is invited to a WAgN informational and networking gathering. The Women’s Agricultural Network (WAgN) in Maine enables women and other underserved people to successfully own, operate and support agriculture and natural resources related enterprises through practical education and peer networking.
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