"Those who contemplate the beauty of the Earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts."
- Rachel Carson
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MOFGA
PO Box 170, Unity, Maine 04988
Phone: 207-568-4142
Fax: 207-568-4141
Email: mofga@mofga.org
Physical Address:
294 Crosby Brook Road
Unity, Maine
MOFGA is an Equal Opportunity organization, provider, and employer.
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Nose to Tail
Pork Processing Workshop
Saturday to Monday - October 8 to 10, 2016
MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center
8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Food provided.
Registration now open
Sustainable agriculture doesn’t end at harvest. Efficient use of every crop component is an important part of sustainable production. This hands-on workshop will demonstrate how you can get the most and the best out of an organic, pasture-raised pig, from slaughter to sausage, using every part but the squeal.
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Organic and Sustainable Agriculture News
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Organic farming boosts farmers markets
ABC News [Australia] - 1/29/2010.By Simon Santow – In the rich soils of Byron Bay, farmer Alisdair Smithsom grows seasonal fruit and vegetables for local markets, and is helping to grow the local economy at the same time. Farmhand Beck was unemployed when she moved to the area, and found the best way to eat organic food was to volunteer on an organic farm for one day a week in exchange for a box of vegies. "A year and a half later, I'm living on the farm, working on the farm, and it's fantastic," she said. |
Six Meaningless Claims on Food Labels
The New York Times - 1/28/2010.By Tara Parker-Pope – Although food labels are supposed to tell us exactly what’s in the food we’re buying, marketers have created a language all their own to make foods sound more healthful than they really are. Today’s “Consumer Ally” column on AOL’s WalletPop site explores misleading food-label lingo, noting that some commonly used phrases have “almost no meaning.” |
Organic or conventional, farmers are working in unison
Kennebec Journal - 1/26/2010.Op-Ed by Jon Olson, Maine Farm Bureau – Maine agriculture is on a roll. While the number of farms in the United States is declining, the number of Maine farms is growing. The last U.S. Department of Agriculture census counted 8,136 Maine farms in 2007. That's a gain of over 2,000 farms in the last 10 years. Farmers markets are increasingly popular and more and more people are signing up to buy directly from farmers through CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture). |
And the winner of the USDA food safety sweepstakes is …
Grist - 1/26/2010.By Tom Laskawy – Dr. Elizabeth Hagen! No, you’re not expected to know who she is. Suffice it to say that, as anticipated, USDA Chief Tom Vilsack turned to an under-the-radar choice for Under Secretary of Food Safety. Hagen, currently the USDA’s Chief Medical Officer, will, if confirmed, take charge of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), which is responsible for the safety of meat and poultry products. The interesting aspect of this pick is that she is an infectious disease doc and public health specialist who has been working at USDA for several years – and thus should have a good grounding in food safety methods. |
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Winter Rental in Swanville by Borealis: "Cozy 2-bedroom house in Swanville available for winter months, December or January-March. A good place for farmers who have h..." |
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Position Available by Triple Chick Farm : "Long term, full time position for an individual with a strong commitment to agriculture. Must provide own transportation and ..." |
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working oxen? by FussingDuckFarm: "Is there anyone within an hour or so of the Bangor area that has working oxen and who would be willing to harness them up for..." |
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ISO farmable land to lease-to-own by Runamuk Acres: "Local beekeeper/farmer looking for farmable land to lease-to-own in central Maine: Madison, Anson, Solon, Bingham, Starks, In..." |
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October 2 - Introduction to Fermentation |
Sunday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., MOFGA's Common Ground on the Town, 769 Congress St., Portland. Fermentation is a traditional practice that has been used for thousands of years as a way to preserve food for extended use. Please join Frank Giglio of Three Lily Farm and learn the basic fundamentals of fermentation. In this hands-on class, you will learn a variety of techniques to properly ferment a wide range of ingredients. $55; $45 MOFGA members. Registration. |
October 5 - Cider: The History of its Decline and Rebirth |
Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., MOFGA's Common Ground on the Town, 769 Congress Street, Portland. Hard Cider is a drink with deep roots in Maine stretching back to the seventeenth century. It is now the basis of a booming new industry that draws on that tradition with modern twists. This talk will explore the history of cider in Maine from settlement through the temperance movement of the nineteenth century and beyond to examine its virtual disappearance in the state as a commercial enterprise in the twentieth century. Interestingly, the decline of cider in the twentieth century may have very little to do with Prohibition. Come learn what makes heirloom apples so great for making cider, and why you would not want to eat some cider varieties. Presented by Todd Little-Siebold. $20; $15 MOFGA members. Registration. |
October 7 - MOFGA's Common Ground Call-In Radio Show |
An hour on local food and agriculture. 10 a.m. on 89.9 FM or weru.org |
October 8 - Aroostook Apple Day |
11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Littleton Agricultural Museum, 1664 Rt. 1, Littleton Maine. Free admission! Celebrate fruit varieties for the North with apple identification, apple tasting, fruit displays, workshops on plums, apples and pears, organic pest and disease management, plus vendor sales of local products. Cosponsored by MOFGA, Fedco Trees, Maine Farmland Trust and Southern Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District. FMI: Angie Wotton, www.saswcd.org |
October 8-10 - Nose to Tail Pork Processing |
Saturday to Monday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center, Unity. This is one of our most popular workshops, covering all aspects of raising, humanely slaughtering, and processing pigs. Information. |
October: 10: Landscape Quilting Workshop |
Monday, 9 a.m. to 12 noon, MOFGA's Common Ground on the Town, 769 Congress St., Portland. Join quilter Nora Flanagan and learn to make a landscape quilt. You’ll get to begin your project at this hands-on workshop. $55; $45 MOFGA members. Registration. |
October 12: Gardening Q & A with Eric Sideman |
Wednesday, 5:30 to 7 p.m., MOFGA's Common Ground on the Town, 769 Congress St., Portland. Join MOFGA's Crop Specialist Eric Sideman who will be available to answer all of your gardening questions. This event is by donation. For information contact the MOFGA office: 207-568-4142; mofga@mofga.org. |
October 13 - Flower Arranging Workshop |
Thursday, 5:30 p.m., MOFGA's Common Ground on the Town, 769 Congress Street, Portland. FMI: Anna, alibby@mofga.org or 207-568-4142. Registration: $50 for MOFGA members, $55 for non-members, at MOFGA's online Country Store |
October 14 - 5th Annual Maine Farm to School Conference |
Bates College, Lewiston. Cost ($25) includes locally sourced lunch. Information and registration. |
October 15 - Post-Fair Cleanup |
9 a.m., MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center. Help us clean up after the Fair and enjoy meals and fun with MOFGA supporters! |
October 16 - Great Maine Apple Day |
Rain or shine: 12 noon to 4:00 p.m. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center, Unity. Celebrate the history, tradition, and flavor of Maine apples with MOFGA. Information. |
November 4-6 - Farmer to Farmer Conference |
Point Lookout Resort and Conference Center, 67 Atlantic Highway (Route One), Northport, Maine. MOFGA's annual conference for farmers provides a great opportunity to talk about what works and what doesn't while learning new ideas from university faculty, fellow farmers, and others. Information. |
November 11 to 13 - 2016 Maine Food System Innovation Challenge |
Bowdoin College, Brunswick. MOFGA is a partner sponsor. College Teams: Register by October 12; Enterprise Teams: Register by October 23. For more details and contact information, see the
Maine Innovation Challenge website. |
November 17-20 - Low Impact Forestry Workshops |
MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center, Unity. For people, beginning and experienced, to learn and practice sustainable woodlot management, and logging with animals and low-impact machinery. Information. |
November 18-19 - Chainsaw & Forestry Safety Courses |
8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center, Unity. Level I is a two-day course covering many aspects of chainsaw use including - the basics of saw mechanics, operation, maintenance, safety and an opportunity to learn and practice safe felling techniques. Level II is designed for the saw operator who has experience, but want to practice and improve upon his or her technique. Information. |
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SEE THE FULL CALENDAR |
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