Calendar

February 2010

4 to 5 - Introduction to Organic Farming Short Course. At Island Institute in Rockland. Details at www.mofga.org.
6 - Pizza Plus hands-on baking class. Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm. Pizza dough is just the beginning! Foccacia, calzones and strombili are a few of the treats that you can make from this versatile dough – and all baked in our awesome wood-fired oven. You’ll also learn to do them in your own household oven – and even make mozzarella cheese! Limit 10 students. Cost - $65 (includes lunch). 10% discount for MOFGA members. Stone Turtle Baking & Cooking School, 173 Howitt Road, Lyman, Maine 04002; 207-324-7558; Cell: 207-459-0567; Email: michael@stoneturtlebaking.com www.stoneturtlebaking.com
7 - MOFGA Board of Directors Meeting. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
7 - Windsor Historical Society sleigh rides at the Windsor fairgrounds; Farmers' Draft Horse, Mule and Pony Club. www.farmersdraftclub.org/
9 - Putting a System Together on Your Farm. Digging Deep: An Advanced Soils Course for Vegetable Growers. Lake Morey Resort, Fairlee, VT. Three All-day Sessions (Jan. 5, 19; Feb. 9). Sessions will focus on tools and practices available to help farmers solve soil and soil fertility problems on their farms. Farmers will develop a soil fertility management plan that addresses nutrient needs, compaction, rotations and tillage. Contact NOFA Vermont at 802-434-4122 or info@nofavt.org to be added to our mailing list. Watch the website for more information: www.nofavt.org/annual-events/digging-deep
9 & 10 - 9th Annual Soil Quality Conference: Bringing Life and New Understandings to Agriculture. (Snow dates February 10 & 11) Bangor Motor Inn, 701 Hogan Road, Bangor, Maine. 8:30 am to 5:00pm. Speakers: Joel Salatin, Norman Uphoff and Paul Hepperly. Presented by The Heart of Maine RC&D. Cost includes handouts, refreshments and lunch each day: delicious, locally grown food from farmers you know! Early Registration (on or before Feb 1): $135 per person/$220 two people from the same farm. Regular Registration: $145 per person/$240 two people from the same farm. To register, pay online at: www.heartofmaine.org. For more information, please contact Heart of Maine Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) at 207‐947‐6622 x 142 or tessa@heartofmaine.org
10 - Food Safety for Farmers. 9:00 am to 12:30 pm Common Ground Education Center, Unity. Federal and State food safety legislation and rules are affecting how farmers grow, harvest, process, package and market. These workshops will help you understand the regulatory situation and develop a food safety plan for your farm or food-processing business. Bring brown bag lunch. Registration: $30 per person. Register online.
10 - Understanding and Complying with the Federal Worker Protection Standard and Pesticide Record Keeping On Your Farm, part of Grower Meeting 'North' – annual gathering of certified producers and those interested in certification. Wednesday, 1:30-3:00 pm at MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center in Unity. Held as part of MOFGA Certification Services Growers Meeting. Join Gary Fish, Maine Board of Pesticide Control, for an in-depth training to help farmers comply with the Worker Protection Standard as well as how to implement pesticide recordkeeping. Our Growers Meetings provide an opportunity for staff from MCS to interact with and receive feedback from its constituents. It also gives growers a chance to gather and discuss issues as a group. Growers who are not yet certified but are planning to apply for certification are encouraged to attend. Further details at: mofgacertification.org
10, 11, 12, 15, 16 - NOFA Accreditation Course in Organic Land Care. Antun’s, 35 Valley Ave., Elmsford, NY (Westchester County). 30-hour course for professionals will provide the education needed for an understanding of organic land care design and maintenance. $550 Course. Early bird discount: -$30 for registrations received by Jan. 29 in NY & RI. NOFA Membership Discounts: -$15. Course fee includes a delicious, catered lunch daily. $150 Exam & Accreditation (optional). Register by calling 203-888-5146. Details here.
11 - Common Ground Country Fair Steering Committee Meeting. 6 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
11 - Food Safety for Farmers. 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm City Hall, Conference Room Ellsworth. Federal and State food safety legislation and rules are affecting how farmers grow, harvest, process, package and market. These workshops will help you understand the regulatory situation and develop a food safety plan for your farm or food-processing business. Bring brown bag lunch. Registration: $30 per person. Register online.
12 to 14 - 2nd Annual Farmer-Mentor Circle Workshop: "The Art of Teaching," Hawthorne Valley Farm, Harlemville NY. Do you have an apprenticeship program on your farm? Are you thinking about developing one? Join us for a weekend workshop to explore the art of teaching on the farm. Miranda Smith, editor of the New England Small Farms Institute's "On-Farm Mentor's Guide," will keynote. Sponsored by the North American Biodynamic Apprenticeship Program (www.bdtraining.org). Contact Kimberly Barnes at info@bdtraining.org for more information.
13 - Aroostook Organic Growers' Seminar. MOFGA Certification Services and MOFGA's Agricultural Services staff will host an Aroostook Organic Growers' Seminar at the Southern Aroostook Agricultural Musuem in Littleton from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This seminar will cover certification questions and issues, organic crop improvement topics and food safety. More details at mofgacertification.org
13 - Ciabatta hands-on baking class. Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm. One of the most intriguing of the artisan breads. A thin crisp crust and a crumb that is filled with large lacey holes that makes it almost weightless. This dough is so loose that you can pour it and yet it comes out of the oven looking like its namesake – a slipper. Limit 10 students. Cost - $65 (includes lunch). 10% discount for MOFGA members. Stone Turtle Baking & Cooking School, 173 Howitt Road, Lyman, Maine 04002; 207-324-7558; Cell: 207-459-0567; Email: michael@stoneturtlebaking.com www.stoneturtlebaking.com
13-15 - NOFA Vermont Winter Conference: Celebrating the Heart of Organic. University of Vermont, Burlington, Vt. Will explore how local and organic agriculture provide a response to the national “Agenda for Change;” how climate challenges, inequities in food access, and increased demand for food grown closer to home are being addressed by innovative farmers, gardeners, and communities throughout Vermont. Speakers: United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Saturday. LaDonna Redmond keynote speaker on Saturday. Legendary Vermont dairy farmer Jack Lazor Sunday keynote speaker. Monday features an intensive grower workshop with farmer Richard Wiswall, author of The Organic Farmer's Business Handbook. Technical tracks for commercial farmers will be offered. 78 Workshops, Children's Conference. More information here.
14 - World's Greatest Sleigh Rides, Lisbon Falls; Farmers' Draft Horse, Mule and Pony Club. www.farmersdraftclub.org/
14 to 26 - Biodynamic Winter Intensive: Plants, Earth, and Cosmos for farmers, gardeners, and others seeking a relation to the land. Hawthorne Valley Farm and The Nature Institute, Harlemville New York. Week One: February 14-19 - Cultivating Perception and Flexible Thinking; Week Two: February 21-26 - The Theory and Practice of Biodynamic Farming. Visit hawthornevalleyfarm.org or contact caroline@hawthornevalleyfarm.org for more information
17 - Goat Cheese 101. Appleton Creamery, taught by Caitlin Hunter, head cheesemaker and owner. $125/day or $225 for two days. Non-refundable deposit of $50 required at signup. Class size limited to 5. Lunch, handouts provided. Go to www.appletoncreamery.com for more information and a downloadable registration form or email info@appletoncreamery.com
18 - MOFGA Buildings & Grounds Committee Meeting. 3:00 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity. For more information contact Vernon LeCount, MOFGA Buildings & Grounds Coordinator.
19 - Registration Deadline for Beginning Farmer Series. University of Maine Cooperative Extension will offer a four-week Beginning Farmer Series in Waldo. Classes start on February 25, and will be held on Thursdays from 6:30 – 9:00 PM. U Maine Extension Educators Rick Kersbergen and Caragh Fitzgerald will collaborate with farmers and other experts from around the region to present this series. Novice farmers will be given the tools to evaluate and choose enterprises, develop a business plan, and market their products. Cost is $50 per farm to cover the cost of materials. Registration ends February 19. For more information, contact Heather Andrews at (207) 622-7546 (toll free 1-800-287-1481 in Maine) or regkenn@umext.maine.edu.
20 - Gaining Ground Workshop. At Laudholm Farm, Wells Estuarine Reserve.This workshop, sponsored by Equity Trust, will show farmers how to form partnerships with conservation organizations to gain affordable and permanent access to farmland. The workshop will be approximately 5 hours (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and includes lunch. Cost: $15. For more information and a registration form, contact Maine coordinator Erin Quigley: erinquigley@gmail.com, 207-272-8696, www.equitytrust.org. Equity Trust will offer this workshop again on March 6th at MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
22, 23, 24, 25, 26 - NOFA Accreditation Course in Organic Land Care. Save the Bay Center, 100 Save the Bay Drive, Providence, RI. 30-hour course for professionals will provide the education needed for an understanding of organic land care design and maintenance. $550 Course. Early bird discount: -$30 for registrations received by Jan. 29 in NY & RI. NOFA Membership Discounts: -$15. Course fee includes a delicious, catered lunch daily. $150 Exam & Accreditation (optional). Register by calling 203-888-5146. Details here.
23, March 2, 16, 23, 30 - Successful Beekeeping Course 2010. 6-session class on Tuesday evenings 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Session #6 – Beekeepers’ Field Day date and site TBA. Presented by Univ. of Maine Cooperative Extension Hancock County Office & Tri-County Beekeepers, Maine State Beekeeping Association. Course fee $80.00 per person/couple. Limited to 25 people. Hancock County Extension Office, 63 Boggy Brook Road, Ellsworth, ME 04605. For session topics and registration details contact Andrew Dewey, andrew@beeberrywoods.com
24 - MOFGA Certification Services, LLC Board Meeting. 2 - 5 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
25 - Beginning Farmer Series. University of Maine Cooperative Extension will offer a four-week Beginning Farmer Series in Waldo. Classes will be held on Thursdays from 6:30 – 9:00 PM. U Maine Extension Educators Rick Kersbergen and Caragh Fitzgerald will collaborate with farmers and other experts from around the region to present this series. Novice farmers will be given the tools to evaluate and choose enterprises, develop a business plan, and market their products. Cost is $50 per farm to cover the cost of materials. Registration ends February 19. For more information, contact Heather Andrews at (207) 622-7546 (toll free 1-800-287-1481 in Maine) or regkenn@umext.maine.edu.
26 - Producing Quality Organic Grains for Maine: Disease Management and Grain Cleaning, Drying & Storage. 9:45 am to 3:00 pm, MOFGA Common Ground Education Center, Unity, Maine. Organized by UMaine Coop. Extension in partnership with The Kneading Conference, Heart of Maine RC&D, and MOFGA. Guest speakers: Gary Bergstrom, Professor of Plant Pathology at Cornell University and an authority on the management of wheat and corn diseases; Mark Fowler is Associate Director and Milling Specialist for the International Grains Program at Kansas State University; Jack Lazor owns and operates Butterworks Farm, an organic dairy farm in Westfield, VT, with over 30 years of experience growing organic grains for feed and human markets. Pre‐registration required by Feb. 17. Cost: $10 per person per event, includes lunch. Download workshop brochure and registration form. For information, contact: Ellen Mallory, UMaine Coop. Extension, 207 581‐2942 / ellen.mallory@maine.edu
27 - Bread 101 Hands-on Baking Class. Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm. Now, more than ever, knowing how to bake your own bread is a skill worth having. Come cure your “yeast anxiety” and learn the FUNdamentals for turning out warm, fragrant and inexpensive loaves of bread for your family. Limit 10 students. Cost - $65 (includes lunch). 10% discount for MOFGA members. Stone Turtle Baking & Cooking School, 173 Howitt Road, Lyman, Maine 04002; 207-324-7558; Cell: 207-459-0567; Email: michael@stoneturtlebaking.com www.stoneturtlebaking.com
27 - Maine Grass Farmers Network conference, Kennebec Valley Community College, Fairfield. Keynote speakers Troy Bishop, Rachel Gilker and Seth Wilner. www.umaine.edu/umext/mgfn/
27 & 28 - Home Cheesemaking class. Appleton Creamery, taught by Caitlin Hunter, head cheesemaker and owner. $125/day or $225 for two days. Non-refundable deposit of $50 required at signup. Class size limited to 5. Lunch, handouts provided. Go to www.appletoncreamery.com for more information and a downloadable registration form or email info@appletoncreamery.com
28 - Maine Community Supported Agriculture and Fisheries (CSA and CSF) Fair, 1 to 4 p.m., locations statewide. FMI: www.mofga.org, melissa@mofga.org, 207-568-4142

March 2010

1, 8 & 15 - Class: Designing Your Dream Garden. Instructor: Nancy Chandler. 3 session organic gardening class will discuss your past garden successes and problems, explain how to keep your plants well fed and healthy, and how to use biological and cultural controls to prevent disease and insect problems from destroying your flowers, herbs, fruits and vegetables. Mondays, from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm. at LHS, 156 East Ave., Lewiston, ME. $37 fee. For more information, contact Lewiston Adult Education: phone 795-4141, email adulted@lewistonpublicschools.org or visit LEA's website.
4 & 5 - MOFGA's Introduction to Organic Farming Short Course. At Royal River Natural Foods in Freeport. Details at www.mofga.org.
4 - 6 - Maine Fishermen's Forum. Rockport. Details at www.mainefishermensforum.org
6 - Gaining Ground Workshop. At MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center in Unity.This workshop, sponsored by Equity Trust, will show farmers how to form partnerships with conservation organizations to gain affordable and permanent access to farmland. The workshop will be approximately 5 hours (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and includes lunch. Cost: $15. For more information and a registration form, contact Maine coordinator Erin Quigley: erinquigley@gmail.com, 207-272-8696, www.equitytrust.org.
7 - Artisan Breads - Italian - hands-on baking class. Sunday, 10 am – 4 pm. Who doesn’t like Italian bread? Real Italian Bread is so much more than what we see today. Light, crispy crust and a soft, fragrant interior! You’ll learn about traditional Italian Biga. Then the loaves will be baked in our traditional wood-fired oven. Yum! Limit 10 students. Cost - $65 (includes lunch). 10% discount for MOFGA members. Stone Turtle Baking & Cooking School, 173 Howitt Road, Lyman, Maine 04002; 207-324-7558; Cell: 207-459-0567; Email: michael@stoneturtlebaking.com www.stoneturtlebaking.com
8 to 9 - Farming Smarter, Not Harder: Tune-up Your Business and Increase Your Net Profit. Farm business course at MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center in Unity. 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Workshop led by Richard Wiswall, owner/operator of Cate Farm in East Montpelier, VT, and author of The Organic Farmer’s Business Handbook - A Complete Guide to Managing Finances, Crops, and Staff - and Making a Profit. Participants will focus on the farm’s profit centers - which parts of the farm make the most money and which may actually lose money, while learning efficient planning, office management, and financial tips for success.MOFGA’s Common Ground Education Center. Fee: $150 for an individual, $225 for two people from the same farm. Register.
9 - Organic Gardening Presentation. By Jean English. Co-sponsored by MOFGA. This talk will be the first event of a three-part Eat Local Challenge, hosted by the Belfast Coop. The Eat Local Challenge will show how choosing local, organic food is better for our environment. See additional events on March 23rd and 24th. For more information, contact the Belfast Coop by email or phone at 338-2532.
11 - Meeting of the Executive Committee of MOFGA's Board of Directors. 3 - 5:30 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
11 - MOFGA Farm Meeting. 2:00 p.m. at MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center in Unity. Every year we gather to coordinate the use the agricultural and garden spaces at MOFGA’s Common Ground Education Center. Once again, we would like to get a head start on planning. All people, committees and groups intending to do any work or projects this year, or in the future, on MOFGA property are encouraged to attend. Contact Vernon LeCount for more information.
11 - Common Ground Country Fair Steering Committee Meeting. 6 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
13 - Spring Growth Conference, MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center, Unity. www.mofga.org
13 - 16th Annual Gathering for Changing Maine: "Practicing Nonviolence in Our Daily Lives and in the World." Saturday, 8:30 am to 4 pm (snow date: March 14), Pine Tree State Arboretum, 153 Hospital St., Augusta. For more information: Larry Dansinger, ROSC, (207) 525-7776 or rosc@psouth.net
13 - Pies and Tarts hands-on baking class. Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm. Regardless of the season a great pie deserves a great flaky and tender crust. Strawberry and rhubarb season is just around the corner so it’s time to get ready. You’ll learn the secret of perfect pastry dough, plus lots of good stuff to put inside. This class will cover traditional, butter and savory pastry doughs and have you baking like a pro. Rustic fruit tart, Tart a la Moutarde, and more. Limit 10 students. Cost - $65 (includes lunch). 10% discount for MOFGA members. Stone Turtle Baking & Cooking School, 173 Howitt Road, Lyman, Maine 04002; 207-324-7558; Cell: 207-459-0567; Email: michael@stoneturtlebaking.com www.stoneturtlebaking.com
20 - MOFGA Organic Orcharding Workshops: Pruning Fruit Trees and Early Spring Orchard Care. Locations: Blue Hill, Unity, Waterboro. Fee is $30 per person. Learn to prune fruit trees to encourage vigorous growth, heavy fruit set, and quality fruit yield. Collection of scion wood and storage will also be discussed. Please bring a bag lunch, course will run from 10-3 pm. A snow date of Sunday, March 21 is planned. www.mofga.org
20 - Beginner's Level Sheep Shearing School. Saturday, at Sun Rise Acres in Cumberland (Cumberland County). Sponsored by the Maine Sheep Breeders Association and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. $30.00 per person. Fee includes personal instruction, hands-on learning, lunch and a reference note book on sheep shearing. Enrollment limited to 22 participants. For more information, contact Extension Educator, Richard Brzozowski, rbrz@umext.maine.edu; 207-780-4205.
20 - Artisan Breads – Rye – hands-on baking class. Saturday, 10 am – 4 pm. A good Rye Bread is a beautiful thing – and so rare today. For most of Eastern Europe and Russia rye bread is the staff of life. Learn to handle one of the most interesting of the artisan breads – sourdough rye. Limit 10 students. Cost - $65 (includes lunch). 10% discount for MOFGA members. Stone Turtle Baking & Cooking School, 173 Howitt Road, Lyman, Maine 04002; 207-324-7558; Cell: 207-459-0567; Email: michael@stoneturtlebaking.com www.stoneturtlebaking.com
20 & 21 - New Hampshire Old House & Barn Expo. Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Radisson Hotel, 700 Elm Street, Manchester, NH. One-stop-shopping trade show helps old house and barn owners and enthusiasts with appropriate and affordable solutions. Meet knowledgeable suppliers of repair and restoration products and services; gather valuable ideas from hourly live talks and demonstrations. Energy savings, window repair, weatherization techniques featured. Presented by New Hampshire Preservation Alliance. $10 adults; $5 seniors and children. Contact: 603-224-2281 or www.nhpreservation.org
23 - Movie Night in Belfast - King Corn and its sequel Big River. The screening of these movies will be the second event of a three-part Eat Local Challenge, hosted by the Belfast Coop. The Eat Local Challenge will show how choosing local, organic food is better for our environment. Heather Spalding, MOFGA Associate Director, will lead a short discussion following the movies. For more information, contact the Belfast Coop by email or phone at 338-2532.
24 - Locavore Potluck and Variety Show. In Belfast. Homegrown entertainment about homegrown food! This will be the third of a three-part Eat Local Challenge, hosted by the Belfast Coop. The Eat Local Challenge will show how choosing local, organic food is better for our environment. For more information, contact the Belfast Coop by email or phone at 338-2532.
25 - Growing Connections: Farm to School and Classroom to Cafeteria. The Maine-ly Nutrition and Take Time! School Program is bringing Tony Geraci, Chef Andrea, and local Maine advocates for Farm-to-School initiatives together to help school teams develop plans to increase nutrition education, local foods, and a strong cafeteria/classroom connection in Maine schools. 8:00 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at the Augusta Civic Center. For more information, contact Mary Ann Bennett at mbennett@usm.maine.edu or 626-5044 or Amy Root at aroot@usm.maine.edu, or call 592-2276. Sponsored by the Maine Nutrition Network, a part of the USM/Muskie School.
26 - 27 - Bread Intensive with Richard Miscovich. Hands-on baking class. Friday, 2 pm – 6 pm & Saturday, 8 am – 4 pm. Richard was head bread baker at King Arthur Flour’s bakery, owns and operates One Acre Garden and Bakery in Beaufort, NC and is an Associate Professor at the International Baking & Pastry Institute at Johnson & Wales University. Richard will cover the range of artisan breads as well as provide information on wood-fired oven use and construction. Limit 10 students. Cost - $300 (includes lunch). 10% discount for MOFGA members. Stone Turtle Baking & Cooking School, 173 Howitt Road, Lyman, Maine 04002; 207-324-7558; Cell: 207-459-0567; Email: michael@stoneturtlebaking.com www.stoneturtlebaking.com
27 - Seed Swap and Scion Exchange. www.mofga.org
27 - Hancock County Soil & Water Conservation District’s Farm Tour & Annual Banquet. 2:00 to 3:30 Maple Sugaring Tour at Happytown Farm in Orland. 4:00 to 5:00 Climate Change and its Future Effects on Maine Agriculture, presentation by George Jacobson, State Climatologist, held at the Halcyon Grange in Blue Hill. 5:00-7:00 Dinner and door prizes. Cost: $12 per person. Pre-registration required by March 17 by calling the District office at 667-8663 or emailing: megan.facciolo@me.nacdnet.net. More information here: www.ellsworthme.org/soilandwater

April 2010

Late April - Goat Cheese 101. Appleton Creamery, taught by Caitlin Hunter, head cheesemaker and owner. $125/day or $225 for two days. Non-refundable deposit of $50 required at signup. Class size limited to 5. Lunch, handouts provided. Go to www.appletoncreamery.com for more information and a downloadable registration form or email info@appletoncreamery.com
1 - Grow Your Own Organic Garden workshops. www.mofga.org
8 - Common Ground Country Fair Steering Committee Meeting. 6 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
8 - Commercial Kitchen Licensing Workshop. SOLD OUT! At Royal River Natural Foods in Freeport. Designed for farmers and others interested in home-food processing for resale. Workshop will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The morning panel presentation will be moderated by Cheryl Wixson, MOFGA's resident chef. Licensing requirements, food safety, and liability insurance will be covered by panel members, including: A representative from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension; Russell Libby, Executive Director of MOFGA; and a representative from the Maine Department of Agriculture. The afternoon program will be dedicated to a discussion of labeling requirements and organic certification requirements with Kate Newkirk, Associate Director MOFGA Certification Services LLC; and a round table sharing of experiences. Registration fee: $25 for MOFGA members and $35 for non-members. Please note: Lunch is not included in this workshop, but is available for purchase at the venue. If you would like to be on a waiting list, please call the MOFGA office at 568-4142.
10 - Beginner's Level Sheep Shearing School. Saturday, at Arledge Farm in Littleton (Aroostook County). Sponsored by the Maine Sheep Breeders Association and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. $30.00 per person. Fee includes personal instruction, hands-on learning, lunch and a reference note book on sheep shearing. Enrollment limited to 22 participants. For more information, contact Extension Educator, Richard Brzozowski, rbrz@umext.maine.edu; 207-780-4205.
10 - Massachusetts Organic Gardening Workshop Day. Details.
11 - MOFGA Board of Directors Meeting. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
11 - Artisan Breads – French Bread hands-on baking class. Sunday, 10 am – 4 pm. Our most requested class – 6 hours of instruction and hands-on experience in making crusty European-style hearth breads. You will learn about pre-ferments (Poolish and Pâte Fermentée) and how to mix and handle these unique doughs, and bake them off – in both our beautiful “le Panyol” wood-fired oven and conventional ovens. imit 10 students. Cost - $65 (includes lunch). 10% discount for MOFGA members. Stone Turtle Baking & Cooking School, 173 Howitt Road, Lyman, Maine 04002; 207-324-7558; Cell: 207-459-0567; Email: michael@stoneturtlebaking.com www.stoneturtlebaking.com
14 - Producing Quality Organic Grains for Maine: Weed Management and Grain Seeding. 9:45 am to 3:00 pm, MOFGA Common Ground Education Center, Unity, Maine. Organized by UMaine Coop. Extension in partnership with The Kneading Conference, Heart of Maine RC&D, and MOFGA. Guest speakers: Gary Bergstrom, Professor of Plant Pathology at Cornell University and an authority on the management of wheat and corn diseases; Mark Fowler is Associate Director and Milling Specialist for the International Grains Program at Kansas State University; Jack Lazor owns and operates Butterworks Farm, an organic dairy farm in Westfield, VT, with over 30 years of experience growing organic grains for feed and human markets. Pre‐registration required by April 5. Cost: $10 per person per event, includes lunch. Download workshop brochure and registration form. For information, contact: Ellen Mallory, UMaine Coop. Extension, 207 581‐2942 / ellen.mallory@maine.edu
17 - Earth Day Work Day, MOFGA’s Common Ground Education Center, Unity. Help us wake up the gardens for the season! www.mofga.org
17 - The Green Fair. Hosted by Plants Unlimited on Route 1 in Rockport. 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The third annual Green Fair is a local, grass roots celebration of Green organizations, products and services to promote a Greener mid-coast for Earth Day and everyday. MOFGA will have an informational table at the Fair. Details.
17 & 18 - Farm Tractor Workshop. At MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center in Unity. A hands-on workshop that demystifies tractors and empowers tractor users to operate and maintain their machines more safely, and with greater skill and confidence. Details.
24 - MOFGA Organic Orcharding Workshop: Grafting Fruit Trees. Location: Unity. Fee is $50 per person. Learn to propagate and reproduce your favorite fruit tree varieties. Instructor Delton Curtis of Curtis Pond will explain why to graft and demonstrate Whip & Tongue and T-Budding (indoors) as well as outdoor grafting (top working) of established trees. Participants will graft stock to take home and plant. Care for seedlings will be discussed. Please bring a grafting knife and a bag lunch. Course will run from 10-3 pm. Grafting Knives can be purchased in advance from FEDCO. Details about MOFGA's Organic Orcharding Series.
24 & 25 - Home Cheesemaking class. Appleton Creamery, taught by Caitlin Hunter, head cheesemaker and owner. $125/day or $225 for two days. Non-refundable deposit of $50 required at signup. Class size limited to 5. Lunch, handouts provided. Go to www.appletoncreamery.com for more information and a downloadable registration form or email info@appletoncreamery.com.

May 2010

8 - MOFGA Organic Orcharding 101 with Michael Phillips, author of The Apple Grower. Location: Unity. Fee is $40 for MOFGA members, $50 for non-members. Phillips will lead a comprehensive exploration of organic disease and insect strategies, including lectures, discussions, question and answer periods inside and out. Learn what to expect in your orchard and how to manage it. Please bring a bag lunch, course will run from 10-3 pm. Visit Michael's website. Details about MOFGA's Organic Orcharding Series.
13 - Meeting of the Executive Committee of MOFGA's Board of Directors. 3 - 5:30 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
13 - Common Ground Country Fair Steering Committee Meeting. 6 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
22 - Small Farm Field Day. 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. at MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
22 - MOFGA Volunteer Celebration. We will post details when we finalize them.
31 - Postmark deadline for Northeast SARE graduate student grant application. www.nesare.org

June 2010

6 - MOFGA Board of Directors Meeting. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
10 - Common Ground Country Fair Steering Committee Meeting. 6 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.

July 2010

2-4 - 2010 Northeast Permaculture Convergence. A gathering of Permaculture designers, practitioners and teachers from acrcoss the northeastern US and eastern Canada, with workshops, field trips, home-cookjed food, entertainment and camping. Co-sponsored by Newforest Institute and MOFGA. For information write to neconvergence@gmail.com or twitter @neconvergence.
8 - Meeting of the Executive Committee of MOFGA's Board of Directors. 3 - 5:30 p.m. at MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
8 - Common Ground Country Fair Steering Committee Meeting. 6 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
31 - MOFGA Organic Orcharding Workshop: Bud Grafting. Led by Delton Curtis at Curtis Pond Nursery, Thorndike. Fee: $50 per person. "Budding" uses individual buds from this year’s new growth to graft onto rootstock already set in the nursery. All major tree fruit species will be covered. 10 am to 1 pm. MOFGA will supply buds and rootstock. Participants should bring their own knives. Knives will also be available for purchase at the workshop. www.mofga.org.

August 2010

12 - MOFGA Board of Directors Meeting. 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
12 - Common Ground Country Fair Steering Committee Meeting. 6 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.

September 2010

7 - Meeting of the Executive Committee of the MOFGA Board of Directors. 3 - 5:30 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
9 - Common Ground Country Fair Steering Committee Meeting. 6 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
19 - Massachusetts Food Preservation Workshop Day. Details.
22 - Common Ground Country Fair Planning Team Potluck and Meeting. 6 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
24, 25 & 26 - Common Ground Country Fair. MOFGA's signature event, celebrating Maine's organic bounty. Always the third weekend after Labor Day. Mark your calendars! Details.

October 2010

6 - Common Ground Country Fair Planning Team Potluck and Wrapup Meeting. 6 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
9 - 11 - Pork Processing Workshop. At MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
17 - MOFGA Board of Directors Meeting. 9 a.m. to noon at the Common Ground Education Center.
17 - Common Ground Country Fair Steering Committee Meeting. 9 a.m. to noon at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.
17 - Joint Meeting of MOFGA's Board of Directors and the Common Ground Country Fair Steering Committee. Potluck lunch at noon. Meeting from 1 - 3 p.m.
23 - The Great Maine Apple Day. www.mofga.org

November 2010

10 - Meeting of the Executive Committee of MOFGA's Board of Directors. 2 - 5 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center.
10 - Common Ground Country Fair Steering Committee Meeting. 6 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.

December 2010

5 - MOFGA Board of Directors Meeting. 9 a.m. to noon at the Common Ground Education Center.
9 - Common Ground Country Fair Steering Committee Meeting. 6 p.m. at the Common Ground Education Center in Unity.