Maine vintner paving the way for truly local wineries
Portland Press Herald - 8/15/2012. By Joe Appel – Steve Melchiskey has a dream. "I truly believe there's a future for 10 to 12 good wineries in southern and coastal Maine that use only grapes grown on their properties." Melchiskey's Maine Coast Vineyards (distributed in Maine by Mariner Beverages) is the first, and he's working hard to create a culture that nourishes more. But it's going to take time. |
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Pesticide-resistant insects add insult to drought injury
Grist - 8/14/2012. By Tom Laskawy – Last winter, I wrote about evidence that one of Monsanto’s flagship GMO product lines – seeds engineered to produce the pesticide Bt – was succumbing to corn rootworms, the exact insects it was designed to kill. Now comes a report from Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) on the damage rootworms are doing to the current corn crop and the very real concern farmers have that Monsanto’s seeds are no longer helping them control pests. |
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Three stories: Carson’s words inspired environmental activism
Portland Press Herald - 8/13/2012. By North Cairn – For those who read Rachel Carson's 1962 bestseller, "Silent Spring," its impact often is not an abstract concept. It's personal. "Absolutely, I read 'Silent Spring' when I was in my mid-teens, maybe 14 or 15," recalled Deborah Aldridge of Mopang Lake, whose life was changed forever – not by Carson's book alone but in connection with an experience some months later. |
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Friends, strangers help support organic farm in Bridgewater
Bangor Daily News - 8/13/2012. By Jen Lynds – Wood Prairie Farm, operated by Jim and Megan Gerritsen of Bridgewater, grows potatoes, seed and vegetables. The couple’s sons, Caleb and Peter, also work on the farm and do most of the repair work on the farm’s equipment. The Gerritsen family has wanted to build an equipment repair shop on the property in order to maintain their vintage equipment, and to give their sons a warm, dry place to make repairs. The estimated $32,000 price tag, however, was an obstacle. The family recently overcame that hurdle thanks to a fundraising campaign launched via Indiegogo.com. |
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