From the Newsroom

UMaine Extension Water Education Training Dec. 8

2009-11-24T15:28:00.001-05:00

ORONO, Me. —University of Maine Cooperative Extension Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) training is scheduled for Dec. 8 at the Hampden Town Office on Western Ave. The training will begin at 10 a.m. and end at 4:30 p,m. Registration is $30 and includes the Project WET activity guide. For more information or registration, contact Laura Wilson at (207) 581-2971 or e-mail lwilson@umext.maine.edu. You can also visit the events calendar at extension.umaine.edu.

Formal and information educators such as Girl Scout, Boy Scout, 4-H leaders, or home schooler parents, will all benefit from the Project WET training. Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide lessons incorporate a variety of formats, such as large and small group learning, whole-body activities, laboratory investigations, discussion of local and global topics, and community service projects. The guide also features cross-reference and planning charts, aglossary, and background material on activity development and field-testing. The Project WET training will be geared toward the age and grade level taught by the participants, so the demonstration activities will be relevant.

For more information or registration, contact Laura Wilson at (207) 581-2971 or e-mail lwilson@umext.maine.edu. Those who are interested may also visit the events calendar at extension.umaine.edu.

Registration is limited to 20 participants. Portland Water District, whose water education programs reach more than 2,000 students each year, is the primary sponsor of Project WET in Maine. Other sponsors include the University of Maine’s Mitchell Center and Poland Spring Bottling Company. For more information about Project WET, visit www.umaine.edu/projectwet, or the national Project WET site, http://www.projectwet.org/.

UMaine Extension programs are open and accessible to all in accordance with program goals.
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New Holiday Light Options Can Cut Electric Bills

2009-11-20T16:17:00.000-05:00

DOVER-FOXCROFT — The holiday season is here and many homeowners and renters celebrate the spirit of the season with indoor and outdoor holiday lights. Elaborate lighting displays, however, can result in elevated electric bills.

Donna Coffin, UMaine Cooperative Extension educator in the Piscataquis County office, advises that holiday celebrants now have an opportunity to reduce their electric bills and still show their holiday spirit — with the new light-emitting diode (LED) lights.

LED holiday lights are very energy-efficient and will save money during the holiday season, making them ideal decorations, Coffin says. LED lights are virtually indestructible, last longer than standard holiday lights, reduce the risk of fire and stay lit if a single light goes out. With no filament or glass bulb in LED lights, they convert electricity directly to light without the heat.
The average cost of using a 500-foot string of the old C7 type holiday lights for six hours a day for 40 days (240 hours) is $134, according to Coffin. C7 lights are the old large light strings that get hot. Many people already have switched to mini-lights or twinkle lights, which cost about $35 a season to use. New LED holiday lights cost even less to run: less than $3 for the whole season, or 2 percent of the cost of the old C7 lights. Many families may find they can pay back the cost of new LED lights in one season, says Coffin.

LED flickering lights, which imitate flickering candles without the fire hazard, smoke or dripping wax, also are available, she adds.

Other cost-saving options for holiday lighting include fiber optic lighting that allows the illumination of multiple light points from one light source. Also, candelabra compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) are great for candlesticks, use about 80 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and last 10 times longer. “Rope lights” also are suitable for indoor or outdoor use, and are ideal for decorating trees or for outlining doors and windows, Coffin says.

For more ideas on home energy conservation, visit the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Energy Web site at http://www.umext.maine.edu/energy/default.htm.

Extension Advice on Maine Food for November

2009-11-09T10:54:00.002-05:00

ORONO, Me. — With fall comes the arrival of local cranberries and many Mainers believe that no fall or winter holiday table would be complete without at least one cranberry item.

Cranberries can be added to countless dishes, from quick breads, yeast breads, salads, relishes, salsas and chutneys to soups, grain-based entrees and desserts. As cranberries become available, it’s a good idea to buy extras and freeze them for use later on.

University of Maine Cooperative Extension publishes information to help consumers find, grow, use, preserve and store in-season fruits and vegetables in Maine.

Visit http://www.extension.umaine.edu/ to order or download bulletins to fit the season, including November favorites such as Canning and Freezing Quick Guides, Let’s Preserve Apples, and Vegetables and Fruits for Health: Cranberries, Winter Squash and Pumpkins as well as Safe Home Cider Making.

Extension Educator Kathy Savoie from the UMaine Extension Cumberland County office cautions that consumers should get up-to-date information before canning food. Over the years there have been changes in scientific expertise as well as canning equipment, so there is new information on the best methods, canners, jars, and seals to use to ensure a safe result.

Updated recommendations are as close as one’s local UMaine Extension office: visit http://www.extension.umaine.edu or call 800-287-0274 to find an local offices and food preservation workshops.

UMaine Extension Offers Master Gardener Volunteer Training in Lisbon Falls

2009-10-26T07:15:00.001-05:00

LISBON FALLS, Me. – University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s Lisbon Falls-based staff will offer an eight-week Master Gardener volunteers course starting March 23, 2010.

The deadline to request an application is Nov. 13, 2009 and completed applications are due by Jan. 8, 2010.

UMaine Extension Educator Tori Jackson will collaborate with experts from around the state to present basic horticulture and volunteer training.

The course fee is based on a sliding scale from $110-$330, with a limited number of scholarships available. For more information or to request an application contact Dana Rickman at (207) 353-5550.

UMaine Extension programs are open and accessible to all in accordance with program goals.

UMaine Extension Watershed Survey Training

2009-10-09T12:25:00.003-05:00

MILO, Me.—University of Maine Cooperative Extension will prove Watershed Survey training on Monday Oct. 19 at the Milo town office. The training will run from 6-8 p.m. and regirstration is free.

Participants will learn to identify and document erosion in the Schoodic Lake watershed. This watershed survey will take place within two weeks of the training. This survey will not be used for enforcement, but to gather information needed to plan long-term protection strategies for Schoodic Lake.

Schoodic Lake area landowners who do not want trained volunteers looking for erosion problems on their property should contact Laura Wilson prior to the event. UMaine Extension programs are open and accessible to all in accordance with program goals.

For more information or registration, contact Laura Wilson at (207) 581-2971, e-mail lwilson@umext.maine.edu. Those who are interested may also visit the events calendar at extension.umaine.edu.

UMaine Extension Schedules Sheep and Goat Nutrition Seminar

2009-10-07T14:37:00.000-05:00

Fairfield, ME — University of Maine Cooperative Extension will present a day-long sheep and goat nutrition seminar on Saturday, October 24. The session is scheduled for 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Kennebec Valley Community College’s Carter Hall Auditorium in Fairfield.

Sheep and goat numbers are increasing as small farms spring up all over Maine. Sheep or goat producers can learn how proper nutrition affects animals’ performance and value. Participants will gain knowledge and skills in livestock feeds and feeding.

The seminar instructors will be UMaine Extension faculty members Donna Coffin, Dee Potter, Richard Kersbergen, Richard Brzozowski, David Marcinkowski, Gary Anderson and Anne Lichtenwalner, DVM. State veterinarian Beth McEvoy will also participate.

The deadline to register for the seminar is October 16. The cost will $25 per person/business, then $15.00 for additional people. Active members of sponsoring sheep and goat associations will receive a $5 discount per farm. The fee covers a reference notebook on small ruminant nutrition, a ration balancer program, refreshments and a lunch featuring Maine goat meat. The seminar is designed for adults but would be appropriate for people at least 12 years of age.

For more information, contact UMaine Extension at 207-780-4205, 1-800-287-1471 (toll-free in Maine only) or www.extension.umaine.edu.

Potatoes, Apples and Cider: Maine Foods for October

2009-10-01T13:19:00.000-05:00

ORONO, ME—University of Maine Cooperative Extension publishes information to help you find, grow, use, preserve and store in-season fruits and vegetables in Maine. Visit extension.umaine.edu to order or download bulletins to fit the season, including October favorites such as Let’s Preserve Apples, and Vegetables and Fruits for Health: Potatoes and Safe Home Cider Making.

Extension Educator Kathy Savoie from the UMaine Extension Cumberland County office cautions that you should get up-to-date information if you are planning on canning food. With the season’s first frost rapidly approaching, it is important for home canners to know that the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning (2006 ed.) recommends that canners select only disease-free and frost-free, preferably vine-ripened, produce for canning.

Over the years there have been changes in scientific expertise as well as canning equipment, so there is new information on the best methods, canners, jars, and seals to use to ensure a safe result. Updated recommendations are as close as your local UMaine Extension office: visit extension.umaine.edu or call 800-287-0274 to find an office and local food preservation workshops near you.

UMaine Extension programs are open and accessible to all in accordance with program goals

UMaine Extension to Sponsor Acadia National Park Trip

2009-09-23T07:38:00.000-05:00

BAR HARBOR, Me.—University of Maine Cooperative Extension will offer a tree identification tour of Acadia National Park on Friday, Oct. 2 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Extension Educator Marjorie Peronto will lead the tour of the Wonderland Trail, paying particular attention to the native trees and shrubs that thrive in this coastal setting. The 1.4 mile (roundtrip) Wonderland Trail is filled with fantasy type settings unique to the area.

Participants are invited to bring their lunch, to be enjoyed on-site.

The Wonderland Trail is located between Southwest Harbor and Bass Harbor on Route 102A. Participants are asked to meet in the parking area on Route 102A, where a University of Maine Cooperative Extension event sign will be displayed.

This event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is requested. Please call the UMaine Extension office in Cumberland County at 800-287-1471 (in Maine) or 207-780-4205 before Monday, September 28.

This tour is an organized outing of the Maine Tree Club, an educational outreach program established by UMaine Extension, the Maine Forest Service and the Pine Tree State Arboretum. The club is designed to teach people, young and old, how to identify 50 trees of Maine over a two-year period; to teach participants how to best care for trees on their property and in their community; and to help people to better understand the importance of trees to Maine, their ecosystems and their economy.

UMaine Extension Offers Sessions to Turn Favorite Recipes Into Business Realities

2009-09-14T14:25:00.002-05:00

MACHIAS – Your friends and family rave about your homemade chowder, blueberry jam, fudge, or other special food product. They say you should sell it and make a fortune. Are they right? Where do you start?

To answer these questions and more, University of Maine Cooperative Extension is offering a workshop series at the University of Maine Machias. From Recipe to Market: Ca$hing in on Value-Added Opportunities will provide an overview of what is involved in taking a specialty food product to market.

Participants will learn about licensing, how to prepare and package their food product safely, to access potential profits, and discover some of the resources available to support them in business development.

Participants must have a specific food product or recipe in mind and are expected to attend all sessions. This program is for individuals currently operating a value-added business or those seriously considering one.

Applications must be returned to the Washington County Cooperative Extension office by Thursday, Oct. 15 to reserve a space and are available here.

This program is available free ofcharge thanks to the generous support of Maine Coast Heritage Trust.

Key Presenters:
Dr. Louis V. Bassano, Extension Educator & Professor, UMaine Extension
Dr. Beth Calder, ExtensionFood Science Specialist, Assistant Prof., Dept. of Food Science & Human Nutrition, University of Maine
Dr. James C. McConnon, Extension Business and Economics Specialist, Professor, School of Economics, UMaine

Workshop titles and times are as follows:
· Thursday, Oct. 29, 6-8 p.m.
Are You an Entrepreneur and What is Involved?
Calder and Bassano will explore issues involved in being a food entrepreneur.

· Thursday, Nov. 5, 6-9 p.m.
Developing Your Product and Process
Calder will review regulatory agencies, grading, packaging and labeling.

· Thursday, Nov. 12, 6-9 p.m.
Business Realities
McConnon and Bassano will give an overview of market research, business structure, insurance, pricing, promotion and sales options.

· Thursday, Nov. 19, 6-9 p.m.
Resource Panel
A panel discussion featuring an insurance agency, banker, attorney and food business entrepreneur will give advice and answer questions.

· Thursday, Dec. 3
Individual Business Counseling
Participants can make an appointment with presenters to get input on their written business plan, ask questions and seek advice about next steps.
· Pilot Plant Tours will be arranged and are optional. Participants will meet Pilot PlantDirector Connie Young Johnson at the University of Maine Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. They will see the equipment and resources available to assist with food product development research.

Watershed Stewards Program Offered for Beech Hill Pond

2009-09-14T14:23:00.001-05:00

Otis, ME— University of Maine Cooperative Extension will host the Watershed Stewards Program at Beech Hill School in Otis this fall, focusing on the water quality of Beech Hill Pond.

Maine lakes are at risk from development, landscapes, and invasive species. The Watershed Stewards Program trains volunteers to recognize and reduce those risks. Residents of other lakes an ponds can also gain valuable knowledge from this program, and are encouraged to attend.

This seven-week workshop series begins on Thursday, Sept. 17, with meetings Thursday evenings at the school from 6:30 – 9 p.m. There is no cost for this program, but participants are asked to volunteer 20 hours in service to their lake within one year.

Project partners include the Hancock County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Beech Hill Pond Association. Topics will include Lakes 101, Septic System Maintenance, Shoreland Zoning, and many more.

To register for thisprogram, or for more information, call Laura Wilson at 581-2971, or e-mail lwilson@umext.maine.edu.

UMaine Cooperative Extension Expert Offers Tips to Save What is Left of the Harvest

2009-09-14T13:54:00.002-05:00

The growing season of 2009 has not been a typical one. Weeks of cool temperatures, too much rain, disease and other problems have put a damper on many Mainers’ hopes for a “bumper crop” of produce. Richard Brzozowski of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension offers the following list of actions people can take to eke out what’s left of the gardening season:
Think like your grandparents. Be resourceful. Don’t give up.

Some of the plants in your garden can still produce delicious fresh foods. Continue to carefully tend your garden by weeding, thinning, watering and managing pests. Harvest what you can. Finish the season well. Be aware of possible frosts and protect the tender plants that remain.

Consider planting a fall garden of greens. You may need to construct a cold frame or temporary hoop house to “buy” some extra weeks of growing to allow your newly seeded crops a chance to produce. There are several crops that can produce edibles within 30-45 days. Consider radishes, beets, spinach, mesclun, lettuce, etc. For information on extending the growing season, visit http://www.umext.maine.edu/ and download UMaine Extension’s fact sheet “Extending the Gardening Season” or watch the video “Extending the Growing Season.”

Build the soil for next year’s garden. Use the coming weeks to till new areas; amend areas with compost or farm manures; and have a soil test done to determine soil pH and the need for lime. Consider expanding your garden for next year. This is a great time to build some new raised beds; build or gather containers for next year’s use; clear brush; level land; create paths; remove rocks; stockpile manure and compost. For information on raised bed and container gardening, download “Garden Equipment and Items to Make for the Maine Garden,” part of UMaine Extension’s container and raised bed garden fact sheet series or watch the video “Raised Bed Gardens” at http://www.umext.maine.edu/.

If your garden was a complete failure, consider purchasing easy-to-store vegetables and fruits from local Maine farmers such as potatoes, rutabagas, turnips, beets, carrots, winter squash, apples, etc. To find farmers near you, visit the Get Real Get Maine Web site. You can search the site by county or product.

Consider buying local produce to preserve by canning or freezing. If you need information about food preservation, contact your local UMaine Extension office or take one of our hands-on food preservation workshops or visit our Preserving the Summer Harvest Web site. A newly published and handy, 375-page book on food preservation from the University of Georgia titled “So Easy to Preserve” is available from UMaine Extension publication catalog, or check out the free “Let’s Preserve” fact sheet series, all at http://www.umext.maine.edu/.

Learn from the situation. Make a list of things you could have done to minimize the impact of a cold and wet summer. Start making written plans for the next growing season.

How to Compare New Heating Systems

2009-09-14T13:52:00.000-05:00

Are you thinking of replacing your heating system or installing supplemental heating? If so, you will need to know how to compare the cost and value of different heating fuels. There are four different variables you must work with to determine which fuel provides the most heat for the fewest dollars: the type of heating fuel, the unit cost of the heating fuel, the per-unit energy content (Btu) of the fuel, and the efficiency (AFUE) of the heating unit.

Different fuels provide different amounts of energy or heat. So to begin, you need to know the approximate heating value of commonly used heating fuels:

Kerosene (no. 1 fuel oil) 135,000 Btu per gallon
Burner fuel (no. 2 oil) 138,500 Btu per gallon
Electricity 3,413 Btu per Kwh
Natural gas 100,000 Btu per therm
Propane 92,500 Btu per gallon
Hardwood (20% moisture) airtight 24,000,000 Btu per cord
Hardwood (20% moisture) catalytic converter 24,000,000 Btu per cord
Pine (20% moisture) airtight stove 15,000,000 Btu per cord
Pine (20% moisture) catalytic converter 15,000,000 Btu per cord
Wood pellets in a pellet stove 16,000,000 Btu per ton

Let’s assume that you are deciding between two different heating systems. One uses wood pellets as the heating fuel, and the other uses no. 2 fuel oil. Let’s further assume that the wood pellet stove has an AFUE of 80 percent, while the oil-fueled system has an AFUE of 65 percent. You have called several fuel suppliers in your area and have learned that the average price of a ton of wood pellets is $282, and the average price of a gallon of oil is $2.34. So how do you figure out which will provide the most heat for the fewest dollars? You can directly compare these systems by calculating your cost per million Btu (MBtu), using this formula:

Multiply the unit cost of the fuel by 1 million Btu. Divide the result by the amount of Btu per unit of fuel. Then divide once again, this time by the AFUE of the heating appliance:

Unit cost of oil = $2.34 per gallon
Heat value/Btu of oil = 138,500 Btu per gallon
AFUE of the oil-fueled heating appliance = 65%

$2.34 x 1,000,000 = 2,340,000
2,340,000 ¸ 138,500 = 16.90
16.90 ¸ .65 = $26 per million Btu

Unit cost of wood pellets = $282 per ton
Heat value/Btu of pellets = 16,000,000 Btu per ton
AFUE of the pellet-fueled heating appliance = 80%

$282 x 1,000,000 = 282,000,000
282,000,000 ¸ 16,000,000 = 17.63
17.63 ¸ .80 = $22.04 per million Btu

Using these calculations, you can see that this particular oil-fueled heating unit will cost you $26 per million Btu, while this particular pellet-stove will cost you $22.07 per million Btu. So in this case, the pellet stove provides more heating value per dollar.

As you can see, calculating and comparing the cost per MBtu provides a way to compare the value of heating fuels sold and priced by very different units of measure. Knowing the best fuel value, along with installing the most efficient heating appliance you can, can significantly reduce your heating costs.

University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s bulletin “How Much Heat Per Dollar?” includes a heating fuel cost-equivalence chart, as well as a cost calculator, to help make these comparisons easier. The bulletin is part of the Maine Home Energy series, available at extension.umaine.edu or 800-287-0274.

(Excerpted and adapted from How Much Heat Per Dollar, bulletin #7216 from University of Maine Cooperative Extension, extension.umaine.edu. Heating values of fuels from John Bartok, Approximate Heating Value of Common Fuels [Storrs: University of Connecticut, 2004].)

UMaine Cooperative Extension to Offer “Make Your Own Baby Food” Classes

2009-09-01T07:29:00.002-05:00

When most people think of green baby food, pureed peas or string beans come to mind. But Kate Yerxa, the statewide educator for nutrition and physical activity at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, has a different perspective. The green she sees isn’t beans. It’s dollar bills. “We went through computed unit prices per pound for premade food, and wanted to compare that with how much it would cost for people to make their own baby food with fresh, fresh organic or canned ingredients,” Yerxa explains. “Over six months, you can save $60 if you just make your own green beans, but the greatest cost saving came from meat and baby food.”

To help Maine parents save money and offer safe, healthy alternatives to store-bought baby food, Yerxa will lead a series of “Make Your Own Baby Food” classes starting Sept. 8 in Bangor. A grant from Bangor Region Public Health & Wellness allowed Yerxa to purchase food mills for students in the class, but families don’t need special equipment to prepare baby food — a fork or blender will do the trick.

Yerxa’s classes and UMaine Extension’s “Making Your Own Baby Food” publication provide nutritious recipes, discuss storage techniques and review when it’s appropriate to introduce new foods to babies and infants, including pureed versions of the same meals their parents are eating.

Yerxa, a mother of two, understands the importance of promoting a cost-effective, nutritious alternative to store-bought baby foods. “Parents want the best for their children,” she says, “and by making homemade baby food parents can easily control the quality and ingredients of the food that they provide to their children.”

For information or to register for the classes, which will take place from Sept. 8 to Nov. 18 at 103 Texas Ave. in Bangor, call Nannette Marcinkowski at 581-3445. Class size is limited to 10 participants. The “Making Your Own Baby Food” publication is available for download at http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/4309.htm.

Apples, Broccoli and Carrots: Maine Food for August

2009-08-27T13:29:00.000-05:00

ORONO, ME—University of Maine Cooperative Extension publishes information to help you find, grow, use, preserve and store in-season fruits and vegetables in Maine. Visit extension.umaine.edu to order or download bulletins to fit the season, including September favorites such as Let’s Preserve Apples, and Vegetables and Fruits for Health: Broccoli and Carrots.

Extension Educator Kathy Savoie from the UMaine Extension Cumberland County office cautions that you should get up-to-date information if you are planning on canning food. With the season’s first frost rapidly approaching, it is important for home canners to know that the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning (2006 ed.) recommends that canners select only disease-free and frost-free, preferably vine-ripened, produce for canning.

Over the years there have been changes in scientific expertise as well as canning equipment, so there is new information on the best methods, canners, jars, and seals to use to ensure a safe result. Updated recommendations are as close as your local UMaine Extension office: visit extension.umaine.edu or call 800-287-0274 to find an office and local food preservation workshops near you.

UMaine Extension programs are open and accessible to all in accordance with program goals.

UMAINE SPONSORS TRIP TO AWARD WINNING TREE FARM IN WEST BALDWIN

2009-08-24T10:38:00.000-05:00

Baldwin, ME—University of Maine Cooperative Extension will be offering a tour of the nationally acclaimed Pierce Tree Farm in West Baldwin, on Friday, September 11 from 10 a.m. to noon. Jo and Kathy Pierce will lead the tour of their farm which includes white pine/red oak forest along with typical trees that grow with them. Jo will identify the various tree species and will also talk about invasive species. The farm has been in the same family for six generations and the trees vary in age from zero to two hundred.

This event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is requested. Please call the UMaine Extension office in Cumberland County at 800-287-1471 (in Maine) or 207-780-4205 before Friday, September 4.

This tour is an organized outing of the Maine Tree Club, an educational outreach program established by UMaine Extension, the Maine Forest Service and the Pine Tree State Arboretum. The club is designed to teach people, young and old, how to identify 50 trees of Maine over a two-year period; to teach participants how to best care for trees on their property and in their community; and to help people to better understand the importance of trees to Maine, their ecosystems and their economy. UMaine Extension programs are open and accessible to all in accordance with program goals.

Gardens, Root Cellars, Greenhouses Are Focus of Extension Presentations

2009-08-21T06:38:00.002-05:00

ORONO — The University of Maine Cooperative Extension is holding several public events in the next few weeks — beginning Tuesday, Aug. 18 — related to farm energy use and production, root cellars, and gardens and green houses.
Events will be held rain or shine.

Gardens and GreenhousesOn Aug. 18 at 6 p.m., Extension will hold free a “Gardens and Greenhouses” seminar at the UMaine Master Gardener Volunteers Demonstration Garden at the Rogers Farm on Bennoch Road in Stillwater. Participants will visit the greenhouse next to the garden and hear about the experimental gardens planted indoors and outdoors for comparative purposes by master gardeners. The program also includes visiting the university’s All-American Selections demonstration garden at Rogers Farm. For more information the UMaine Extension Penobscot County Office can be reached at 1-800-287-1485 in Maine or (207) 942-7396.

Maine Farm DaysOn Aug. 21, several Extension educators will participate in free presentations on farm energy at Maine Farm Days events at the Barker Farm at 9 Barker Road in Leeds.
From 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Jeff Bragg of Rainbow Valley Farm, Will Brinton of Woods End Laboratory and Caragh Fitzgerald of Cooperative Extension will review results of a feasibility study of methane digestion on a medium-sized Maine dairy farm. The focus will be on a high-solids procedure that appears to be suited to smaller farms. The technology can be used to produce methane from manure. Methane can be burned for heat or to fuel a generator and produce electricity.

Cooperative Extension specialists Rick Kersbergen, Ellen Mallory and Caragh Fitzgerald will talk from 12:45 p.m.-2:15 p.m. about growing oilseeds and small grains and also basic production practices, pest management and potential markets. Both types of crops can provide livestock feed, and the oil from oilseeds can be burned or used to produce biodiesel. The presentations are scheduled at the oilseed-small grain demonstration area near the sunflowers.

Other energy topics being presented include community wind technology, solar energy and carbon sequestration. For more information about Farm Days and for a full list of presentations, see the Farm Days Web site http://www.mainefarmdays.com/.

Root CellarsCooperative Extension will hold a root cellar class Sept. 8~and Sept. 10 at the Cape Elizabeth Community Center at 343 Ocean House Road, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Extension professor Richard Brzozowski will explain building a root cellar for winter vegetable storage. The fee is $30 per person or couple, with a $5 discount for Cape Elizabeth residents. An online registration form available online and can be mailed with a check payable to Cape Elizabeth Community Services at 343 Ocean House Rd., Cape Elizabeth, 04107. Those who prefer can call 799-2868 to have a form mailed to them.

UMaine Extension Offering Resources, Webinar to Help Stressed Farmers

2009-08-13T06:27:00.001-05:00

Farming can be stressful in the best of times. Financial worries, unpredictable weather, plant pests, livestock diseases, and isolation all contribute to farmers' anxiety. To assist farmers and their families who are experiencing stress, the University of Maine Cooperative Extension has organized a Web seminar and assembled a Web page filled with a variety of resources.“The unprecedented combination of low prices paid to farmers for their products, bad weather, and plant and animal diseases have made this year very challenging for Maine farmers,” says UMaine Cooperative Extension Director John Rebar. “Independent by nature, farmers may not seek help in dealing with the enormous stress they are under.

UMaine Extension is getting out information that can help families realize that they are not alone and there are resources to consider.”The webinar, “Recognizing Farmer Stress, Anger, Depression, and Suicide: Thinking and Knowing What to Do Next,” will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3 and will be presented by Dr. Robert Fetsch. Fetsch is an Extension specialist and professor of Human Development at Colorado State University.

All agricultural service providers and farmers are invited to participate in the free online webinar. Registration information is available on the new UMaine Extension Farmer’s Assistance site at www.extension.umaine.edu/FarmersUnderStress.The Web site also contains contact information for the Maine Statewide Crisis and Suicide Prevention Hotline and numerous other resources that are available to farmers and their families who are experiencing difficulties.

For more information, contact UMaine Cooperative Extension Director John Rebar at (207)581-2811; Jennifer O’Leary, (207) 353-5550; Aimee Dolloff, (207) 581-3777

Blueberries, Tomatoes and Sweet Corn: Maine Food for August

2009-07-28T06:15:00.001-05:00

ORONO, ME—University of Maine Cooperative Extension publishes information to help you find, grow, use, preserve and store in-season fruits and vegetables in Maine. Visit extension.umaine.edu to order or download bulletins to fit the season, including August favorites such as Let’s Preserve: Sweet Corn, Let’s Preserve: Tomatoes, Let’s Preserve: Berries and Vegetables and Fruits for Health: Wild Blueberries, Tomatoes, and Sweet Corn.

Extension Educator Kathy Savoie from the UMaine Extension Cumberland County office cautions that you should get up-to-date information if you are planning on canning food. With tomato season upon us, it is important for home canners to know that to ensure the safety of whole, crushed or juiced tomatoes, additional acid is needed. To acidify tomatoes, add 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice per pint of tomatoes or 2 tablespoons of lemon juice per quart of tomatoes.

Over the years there have been changes in scientific expertise as well as canning equipment, so there is new information on the best methods, canners, jars, and seals to use to ensure a safe result. Updated recommendations are as close as your local UMaine Extension office: visit extension.umaine.edu or call 800-287-0274 to find an office and local food preservation workshops near you.

UMaine Extension programs are open and accessible to all in accordance with program goals.

UMaine Extension Offers Hay Directory

2009-07-27T07:30:00.001-05:00

With the large amount of rain Maine has experienced this summer, it has been a challenge to produce quality hay for Maine’s livestock industry. If hay growers did not take advantage of excellent weather for dry hay production at the end of May and very early part of June, they are now faced with crops that are of low nutritional quality and weather patterns that are not conducive to good drying.

"Many livestock owners purchase their hay from other growers," says Prof. Rick Kersbergen of the Cooperative Extension faculty in Waldo County. "Supplies may be low this year due to the weather. Hopefully, things will turn around and producers can get the first cutting of hay completed and a second crop of better quality could be harvested later in the summer."

University of Maine Cooperative Extension maintains a “hay directory” for producers looking to market their hay and for livestock farmers looking to purchase hay. The website extension.umaine.edu/Waldo/hay is currently being revised for 2009. Growers who have hay for sale can contact the UMaine Extension Waldo County office by calling 1-800-287-1426 to be added to the directory. There is also a form available on the Web site for updates. Inquires can be directed to Sonia Antunes at santunes@umext.maine.edu

University of Maine Cooperative Extension also offers numerous resources for growers and purchasers of hay and hay products. The listing of resources includes information on hay quality, testing labs, sampling as well as equine fact sheets, online at www.umaine.edu/livestock/hay.htm.

For more information about growing and buying quality feed, contact UMaine Extension educators Rick Kersbergen at 1-800-287-146 or Richard Brzozowski at 1-800-287-1471.

UMaine Sustainable Agriculture Field Day July 27

2009-07-23T14:11:00.002-05:00

STILLWATER, Me. —University of Maine Cooperative Extension will host its annual Sustainable Agriculture Field Day on Monday, July 27. Designed for farmers, crop advisers and other members of the agricultural community, the evnet will take place at Rogers Farm, UMaine's 100-acre forage and crops research facility, located on Bennoch Road in Stillwater.

Registration will begin at 1:00 p.m., and events will run until 4:00 p.m. This free event will feature talks on many agricultural topics. Participants will receive one pesticide certification credit and three Certified Crop Adviser credits. For more information,contact Ellen Mallory at 207-581-2942 or John Jemison at 207-581-3241.

UMaine agricultural researchers and Extension faculty members will present their field research on vegetables, grains, and forages. Specific topics will include bread wheat and specialty potato production issues, weed management tools for small-scale vegetable producers, organic fertilizers for sweet corn, and feed and forage rotations for organic dairies. Students from the Black Bear Food Guild will also talk about their community-supported agriculture project.Presentations will be offered by: Eric Gallandt, associate professor of weed ecolog yand management; John Jemison, Extension water quality specialist; Rick Kersbergen, Extension educator in Waldo County; Lauren Kolb, graduate student in weed ecology; Ellen Mallory, Extension sustainable agriculture specialist; and Marianne Sarrantonio, associate professor of sustainable crop production, in addition to students and members of the Black Bear Food Guild.

UMaine Publishes Pest Management Guide for Home Gardeners

2009-07-06T11:06:00.001-05:00

ORONO, ME—University of Maine Cooperative Extension has published a vegetable pest management guide for home gardeners, Pest Management for the Home Vegetable Garden in Maine (bulletin #2188). Based on research conducted at UMaine’s Highmoor Farm in Monmouth, a Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station, the booklet covers pests and associated management practices specific to vegetable gardens in Maine and New England. Developed by Associate Extension Professor Mark Hutton and Extension Professor David Handley, the 20-page publication includes a crop grouping rotation chart and organizes descriptions of pests, diseases, and deficiencies by garden crop, with color photos. It is available for $6.90 from extension.umaine.edu (“publications”) or by calling 207-581-3792.

Extended periods of wet weather such as Maine has been experiencing tend to set up favorable conditions for pest and disease infection, so home gardeners may need to be especially vigilant in monitoring their plants this year. Pest Management for the Home Vegetable Garden in Maine explains how to recognize plant deficiencies and diseases and suggests management practices based on Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which relies on integrating a variety of control approaches with minimal pesticide use.

Our unusually heavy June rains have taken their toll on area garden beds. Hutton advises that gardeners may benefit from simply starting over in some beds. “It’s not too late to think about July and August sowing for fall harvest,” he said. “Carrots, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and kale can be planted in July, and spinach, lettuce and beets can be planted in August.”

Hutton and Handley work closely with regional growers to conduct variety trials and to test pest management, soil improvement, and crop rotation strategies.

Home Energy Improvements Can Garner Tax Credits

2009-06-23T07:56:00.000-05:00

ORONO, ME— Many Maine homeowners may benefit from investing in home energy efficiency, according to Donna Coffin of University of Maine Cooperative Extension. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 includes tax credits for making home energy-efficiency improvements such as added insulation, replacement windows and doors, and upgrading heating or cooling systems.

The ARRA improves upon 2006 tax credits that allowed homeowners claim 10 percent of the cost of improvements, up to $500. This new program increases the credit to 30 percent of the cost of improvements, up to $1,500.

Eligible improvements include insulation materials designed to reduce the home’s heat loss or gain, exterior doors and windows, and metal or asphalt roofs with appropriate design. Installation or labor costs can not be included. Generally the manufacturer will certify that their product meets the design criteria to qualify for the tax credit.

Heating, cooling and water-heating equipment is also eligible, including electric heat-pump water heaters; electric heat pumps; central air conditioners; natural gas, propane or oil water heaters; natural-gas, propane or oil furnaces; hot-water boilers; advanced main air circulating fans; and biomass stoves that use “plant-derived fuel available on a renewable or recurring basis, including agricultural crops and trees, wood and wood waste and residues (including wood pellets), plants (including aquatic plants), grasses, residues and fibers.” The installation costs of this equipment can be included in the tax credit. These improvements need to go into service in 2009 and 2010.

To qualify for the tax credit, the improvements need to meet guidelines under the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) ENERGY STAR program. Go to www.EnergyStar.gov for details.
The $1,500 cap applies to both 2009 and 2010. If you use the $1,500 worth of energy efficiency tax credits in 2009, you can not qualify for an additional $1,500 in 2010. However, the cap does not apply to alternative energy systems such as geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, wind, or photovoltaic systems. These systems fall under the Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit program, which allows 30 percent of the cost of the system, with no cap. For more information on federal and state rebates, credits and incentives go to the U.S. DOE’s Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency at www.dsireusa.org.

Coffin advises homeowners to do everything possible to conserve energy in the home before going to the big-ticket items in alternative energy systems. This includes weatherizing doors and windows, adding insulation to the attic, and updating heating and cooling systems. Once conservation measures are in place, then you can consider alternative energy systems to enhance energy savings and reduce energy consumption. For more ideas on saving energy, visit UMaine Extension at extension.umaine.edu.

SNAP BEANS AND CUCUMBERS: MAINE FOOD FOR JUNE

2009-06-22T12:46:00.001-05:00

ORONO, ME—University of Maine Cooperative Extension publishes information to help you find, grow, use and store in-season fruits and vegetables in Maine. Visit extension.umaine.edu to order or download bulletins to fit the season, including July favorites such as Let’s Preserve Snap Beans, Let’s Preserve: Pickles, and Vegetables and Fruits for Health: Cucumbers, Green Beans and Wax Beans.

Extension Educator Kathy Savoie from UMaine Extension Cumberland County cautions that you should get up-to-date information if you are planning on canning food. Over the years there have been changes in scientific expertise as well as canning equipment, so there is new information on the best methods, canners, jars, and seals to use to ensure a safe result. Updated recommendations are as close as your local UMaine Extension office. Visit extension.umaine.edu or call 800-287-0274 to find an office and local food preservation workshops near you.

Freezing green beans in season and making your own homemade pickles are simple and easy ways to increase your access to a year-round supply of local foods and to reduce your grocery bill. UMaine Extension programs are open and accessible to all in accordance with program goals.

Home Energy Evaluation Can Guide Summer Home-Improvement Projects

2009-06-15T08:11:00.002-05:00

ORONO, ME—University of Maine Cooperative Extension has published How to Do a Home Energy Evaluation, part of Maine Home Energy, a new series of educational bulletins on home energy use. How to Do a Home Energy Evaluation includes a checklist to help you determine how to increase energy efficiency and reduce energy use in your home. It is available for purchase or free download, along with the other Maine Home Energy bulletins, at extension.umaine.edu—or you can contact your county UMaine Extension office (call 800-287-0274 for contact information).

UMaine Extension’s energy evaluation bulletin recommends that you begin by reviewing a year’s worth of energy bills to estimate how much energy your home uses. Then use the bulletin’s checklist to detect drafts and check insulation, windows, and fixtures, and determine what energy-saving improvements make sense for your situation. For instance, you could repair leaky faucets, clean radiators and hot-air outlets, service your furnace, install florescent or LED lighting, or install window treatments. Keep in mind that, while you may be able to do some improvements yourself, you may need to hire a professional for more complicated or difficult tasks. It’s a good idea to evaluate the cost and the potential payback of high-cost changes such as new appliances before investing.

If you want a comprehensive understanding of your energy usage, or if you want to apply for rebates, loans, or grant funds, you will need to hire a certified auditor. The Maine State Housing Authority maintains a list of certified energy auditors at www.mainehousing.org.

If you use certified ENERGY STAR materials, many of the energy conservation improvements you make could qualify you for a 30 percent tax refund, up to $1,500. A joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, ENERGY STAR provides a labeling system for products that deliver the same or better performance as comparable models while using less energy and saving money. There are also tax refunds available for alternative energy systems and fuel efficient cars. To learn about the tax refunds and incentives available to you, check the U.S. Department of Energy’s Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency at www.dsireusa.org .

“Take-A-Chance” Silent Auction at Maine 4-H Days in Windsor

2009-06-10T14:17:00.001-05:00

ORONO, ME—4-H, the youth development program of University of Maine Cooperative Extension, will hold a Take-A-Chance silent auction on June 27 at Maine 4-H Days at the Windsor Fairgrounds. The auction opens at 5 p.m., with the drawing beginning at 7 p.m.

Tickets for the auction will be 10 for $2.50 and packaged in envelopes worth $2.50, $5.00, $10.00, $20.00, $50.00 and $100.00. (No wrinkled or bent tickets, please.) Dollar tickets will be sold for items valued at more than $100.00.

UMaine Extension 4-H youth are collecting gift certificates, handmade items, and fresh products like goats milk cheese. There will be a food booth open during the auction.

For more information contact UMaine Extension’s 4-H office at (207) 581-3872 or (800) 287-0274 (in Maine), or e-mail mbailey@umext.maine.edu. You can also visit the events calendar at extension.umaine.edu.

Auction proceeds will help send 4‑H youth and their animals to the Eastern States Exposition in West Springfield, Massachusetts, where more than one hundred 4‑Hers from Maine participate in animal events. UMaine Extension programs are open and accessible to all in accordance with program goals.