State develops plan for possible spraying By MOFGA Staff Arboviral diseases are transmitted by arthropod vectors such as mosquitoes and include Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus (WNV). Because EEE and WNV have been detected in Maine, the Maine Legislature directed the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (MDACF) and the Maine
An aerial view of Four Winds Farm in Gardiner, New York. Photos courtesy of Four Winds Farm. By Jean English Jay and Polly Armour of Four Winds Farm in Gardiner, N.Y., practice certified organic no-till vegetable production. They grow crops in permanent beds – some in place for 17 years – that are never plowed
Bill and Jean Noon of the MOFGA certified organic Noon Family Sheep Farm are dedicated conservationists. Photos courtesy of Jean Noon. By Stowell Watters Sheep graze and ferment. They sniff and chew their way over the fields, taking what they like and unpacking it with bacteria in their awesome bellies. Simply by eating, they preserve
Basil downy mildew on the upper surface of a leaf. Photo by Eric Sideman. And on the lower leaf surface. Photo by Eric Sideman. By Eric Sideman, Ph.D. This winter I have been lecturing at organic growers’ meetings about new and emerging insects and diseases. I don’t know if the weather, the climate or some
By Diane Schivera, M.A.T. Ectoparasites (parasites that live on the outside of the host) can cause large financial losses to livestock farmers if not managed in a way to reduce populations. Itching and skin irritations cause animals to scratch, rub and bite infested areas. Blood loss, depressed appetite and decreased rate of weight gain are
By Cheryl Wixson We operate a diversified organic farm with a surplus of goat milk, honey, fruits and vegetables that we would like to process and sell at farmers’ markets and our farm stand. What type of license is required? Everyone who sells a food product in Maine needs a state food license, issued by
Rha rha for rhubarb! English photo. By Roberta Bailey I don’t grow rhubarb. My neighbor has a double row with more than 20 plants in it. I just cross the street and pick what I need. Walking back to my house, a bundle of red stalks in my arms, I get to take in the
A lush planting of collards (front row) and kale at the Johnny’s Selected Seeds display at the 2010 Common Ground Country Fair. English photo. By Jean Ann Pollard Collards. Until a few years ago, this big, paddle-leafed member of the cabbage family – Brassica oleracea, Acephala group – was considered strictly Southern in the United
Medlars. Photos by Will Bonsall. By Will Bonsall When I speak of medlars, people are apt to assume that I’m referring to folks who stick their noses into other folks’ business, but in this case I’m talking about a little-known and less-grown fruit. Despite its botanical name, Mespilus germanica, and its long cultivation in northern
Barak Olins of Zu Bakery, making bread at the Kneading Conference. Photo by Amy Halloran. By Amy Halloran The Kneading Conference (https://kneadingconference.com/) began in 2007 with a few tents and mobile ovens in a church parking lot. Now those tents and ovens congregate at the Skowhegan fairgrounds each July, drawing people from all over the
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