This is an online event.Join Sally Stockwell of Maine Audubon and Allyssa Gregory from the Maine Forest Service for a presentation on how to manage your woodland to enhance habitat for birds and other wildlife. We will discuss the importance of Maine forestlands for breeding birds, brook trout, and other wildlife; introduce you to 20 priority birds and […]
Join Ethan Tapper, the Chittenden County Forester with the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation for a discussion about old forests in the Northeast. We’ll explore what old forests look like (it may surprise you!), why they should be important to us, and how we can actively manage existing forests to become more like […]
Join University of Maine Extension Professional Jason Lilley to learn everything you need to know about making your own maple syrup, including identifying and tapping trees, collecting and boiling sap, as well as filtering, grading, and canning syrup. Jason will focus on homestead-scale systems that require a limited initial investment in equipment. Designed for beginners.REGISTER
Join Joe Dembeck from the Somerset County Soil & Water Conservation District to learn about USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) cost-share programs available to provide financial support to woodland owners managing their land for timber quality, wildlife habitat and forest health. We’ll discuss both the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the new Conservation […]
Tour the hobby-scale maple sugaring operation at Tessier's farm in Skowhegan. We'll see the Tessier's 50 bucket system, learn how they balance boiling with the rest of their farm operation and discuss how they designed and built their own flat pan evaporator.REGISTER HEREQuestions? Email [email protected]
Join Michael Friedland to learn about Maine's lumber economy. Friedland is the owner of a socially and environmentally conscious lumberyard in Southern Maine that uses a farmers' market model to aggregate and sell products from small sawmills. We will discuss the difference between sustainable forestry and sustainable forestry products and explore opportunities and obstacles to […]
This introductory one and half-day in-person field course is suitable for new or beginning chainsaw operators, and is designed to serve women and non-binary participants. Our overwhelming focus is on safety and creating a space where participants feel comfortable asking questions and learning at their own pace. Chainsaws are serious business. Topics to be covered […]
Join Conservation biologist Aleta McKeage to learn about the role assisted tree species migration may play in maintaining resilient forests in Maine and help MOFGA and Waldo SWCD establish a small climate-adapted tree research site. During this hands-on volunteer workday, we'll briefly discuss the stresses native trees are currently experiencing, explore the risks and benefits […]
This introductory one and half-day in-person field course is suitable for new or beginning chainsaw operators. Our overwhelming focus is on safety and creating a space where participants feel comfortable asking questions and learning at their own pace. Chainsaws are serious business. Topics to be covered include personal protective equipment (PPE), saw operation and maintenance, […]
This introductory one and half-day in-person field course is suitable for new or beginning chainsaw operators. Our overwhelming focus is on safety and creating a space where participants feel comfortable asking questions and learning at their own pace. Chainsaws are serious business. Topics to be covered include personal protective equipment (PPE), saw operation and maintenance, […]
This half-day field course taught by foresters, soil scientists and experienced land managers is a great introduction to the basics of forest ecology and active stewardship. While touring Hidden Valley Nature Center, we will cover woodland ecology, silviculture, legal issues, management plans, forest tending activities and more. Designed for those with beginner to intermediate experience […]
Join us to learn some new skills & enjoy a summer's day on the MOFGA grounds!This free & family-friendly event is open to all. All workshops are hands-on ... come learn with us • Try out a scythe or expand your scything know-how! Learn about sharpening & peening a blade; mowing technique; making hay and […]
Join us for a moderate hike to explore both managed forests at MOFGA and unmanaged old forests along the Hills to Sea trail. We’ll discuss the value of unmanaged, late-successional forests for carbon storage and healthy ecosystems, and see some spectacularly large, old trees. Leaders Buck O'Herin and Aleta McKeage will also share information about […]
Learn the basic skills needed to safely use a winch-equipped farm tractor in the woods. This beginner-level course will cover basic tractor and winch operation, building hitches, skid trail layout, landing management and techniques to limit residual stand damage. The course will not include hands-on tree felling instruction. Please bring a lunch.$100; $75 MOFGA members.REGISTER […]
Learn safe chainsaw operation in this one-and-a-half-day course open to femme, non-binary, trans and women participants. We'll cover personal protective equipment (PPE) and chainsaw selection and practice safe handling and open-face bore cutting techniques with instructor supervision. Designed for beginners. Our overwhelming focus is on safety and creating a space where participants feel comfortable asking […]
Join professional sawyer Nick Zandstra for a hands-on opportunity to learn about portable bandsaw mills. The course will cover basic mill operation, mill yard layout and techniques to maximize lumber quality while milling hardwood and pine logs harvested from the MOFGA woodlot.Please note: Though the course will be taught using a fully-hydraulic Woodmizer mill, the […]
See Dewey’s Lumber and Cedar Mill in operation and learn how they’ve succeeded by staying small and producing a high-quality, specialized product.REGISTER HERE.Questions? Please email [email protected]
Learn the basics of starting or growing a financially viable small sawmill business. We'll discuss opportunities for sawmill businesses and explore different models, strategies and products. This is the first in a two-part business development webinar series led by Harry Watt, Wood Products Specialist at North Carolina State Extension. Designed for aspiring and beginning small-scale […]
Join Harry Watt, wood products specialist at North Carolina State Extension, to learn about marketing avenues and opportunities for small sawmill businesses. We'll also discuss product pricing, basic financial metrics and cost of production. Designed for aspiring and beginning business owners but open to all.REGISTER HERE.Questions? Please email [email protected]
$60 general admission; $55 for MOFGA members Make Your Own Festive Wreath with organic balsam fir greens! Join Celebration Tree Farm & Wellness Center to learn how to make your own wreath. We’ll provide organic balsam fir greens harvested from the forest in Durham, along with dried flowers from Wolfe's Neck Farm, pine cones, and […]
Join Joseph Roy, private lands wildlife biologist with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, for a discussion about wildlife habitat management. Joe will share the four principles of wildfire habitat: cover/shelter, food, space and water. He will cover ways to maintain and improve the condition of each of these elements to benefit wildlife, […]
$60 general admission; $55 for MOFGA membersMake Your Own Festive Wreath with organic balsam fir greens!Join Celebration Tree Farm & Wellness Center to learn how to make your own wreath. We’ll provide organic balsam fir greens harvested from the forest in Durham, along with dried flowers from Wolfes Neck Farm, pine cones, and ribbons. You’ll […]
Are you concerned about the impacts of climate change on forests? Join this webinar to learn about how our forests are impacted by climate change and steps we can take to increase forest resilience. You will also learn about available resources, including a new resource recently developed by UVM Extension, Vermont Forests, Parks and Recreation, […]
Understanding how to manage and take care of forests in an uncertain future is a complex undertaking. In this webinar with Vermont Counnty Forester Ethan Tapper, we’ll discuss how to balance managing forests for climate resilience and adaptation, carbon sequestration and storage, wildlife habitat, and biodiversity, while also considering the benefits of local renewable resources […]
Join us for a hands-on low-impact forestry project! Our forests in Maine face extraordinary stressors and, at the MOFGA campus, our monoculture pine stands and our young stands are especially vulnerable. To help demonstrate proactive climate action, we are planting a selection of carefully selected new tree species which will be observed and cared for in […]
$200; $150 MOFGA members.Learn safe chainsaw operation in this one-and-a-half-day course open to femme, nonbinary, trans and women participants. We'll cover why well-fitting personal protective equipment (PPE) is important and where to find it. We'll also perform basic chainsaw maintenance, and practice safe handling and cutting techniques with instructor supervision. This workshop is designed for […]
MOFGA's campus in Unity, Maine, is home to acres of forests and fields as well as demonstration gardens, orchards and other plantings. We hope you'll join us for this opportunity to enjoy and learn from these features on campus this summer as part of our twilight gatherings. MOFGA is home to a collection of trees […]
$200; $150 MOFGA and Lakes Environmental Association members. Learn safe chainsaw operation in these one-and-a-half-day courses. We’ll cover personal protective equipment (PPE) and chainsaw selection, and practice safe handling and open-face bore cutting techniques with instructor supervision. Designed for beginners. REGISTER HERE. Learn more about our chainsaw safety courses.
Join us for a walk and talk to explore our new climate adapted tree planting! We will meet to see the new planting of 14 trees (with 14 more to come) with Aleta McKeage of the Waldo County Soil & Water district, who is partnering with us on this project. Our forests in Maine face extraordinary stressors. The MOFGA campus […]
$100; $75 MOFGA members.Learn the basic skills needed to safely use a winch-equipped farm tractor in the woods. This beginner-level course will cover basic tractor and winch operation, building hitches, skid trail layout, landing management and techniques to limit residual stand damage. The course will not include hands-on tree felling instruction.This workshop is full!Email [email protected] […]
The Common Ground Country Fair will be held at MOFGA’s Common Ground Education Center in Unity, Maine on September 22, 23, and 24, 2023. MOFGA’s annual celebration of rural living features 1000+ exhibitors and speakers, and emphasizes vibrant communities, sustainable living and local economies, while highlighting organic agriculture. Learn more here. Advance tickets are on sale […]
$100; $75 MOFGA members.Join professional sawyer Nick Zandstra for a hands-on opportunity to learn about portable bandsaw mills. The course will cover basic mill operation, mill yard layout and techniques to maximize lumber quality while milling logs harvested from the MOFGA woodlot. Please note: Though the course will be taught using a fully-hydraulic Woodmizer mill, […]
Join University of Maine Extension Maple Industry Educator Jason Lilley to learn everything you need to know about making your own maple syrup. We'll discuss identifying and tapping trees, collecting and boiling sap, filtering, grading, and canning syrup. Jason will focus on homestead-scale systems that require a limited initial investment in equipment. This webinar is […]
*Free for Journeyperson program participants and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). Scholarship application for anyone interested is available here. Mushrooms are a delicious addition to almost any garden, homestead, woodlot, or farm. In this workshop, learn how to select mushroom logs and varieties, with a specific focus on shiitakes; design an appropriate site for growing […]
*Update: this panel was originally hybrid but is now fully remote (on Zoom). Registrants will receive access to the Zoom link ahead of the event.* Join us for a panel presentation featuring wood bank leaders from around the state of Maine who will share their stories of organizing and running wood banks. Sharing similarities with food […]
Join us for a discussion on available financial incentives and assistance with the Maine Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service! Financials can be a large limiting factor to stewarding your land well. Luckily, there are resources available - whether you need a new bridge, have an understory of barberry, or simply need an updated forest […]
*Registration is free for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) community members, as well as individuals enrolled in MOFGA's Journeyperson program.Learn about assisted migration efforts at MOFGA's woodlot; strategies for growing nursery stock; planting new trees for assisted migration; as well as more broadly planning climate adaptation efforts. Plus, enjoy lunch with colleagues!REGISTER HEREOur […]
*Registration is free for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) community members, as well as members of the MOFGA Journeyperson program. In this session, Dr. Jay Wason and two of his current graduate students, Laura Pinover and Emily MacDonald, will discuss how their recent and ongoing research efforts are helping us understand how forest […]
Learn safe chainsaw operation in these one-and-a-half-day courses. We’ll cover personal protective equipment (PPE) and chainsaw selection, and practice safe handling and open-face bore cutting techniques with instructor supervision. Designed for beginners.REGISTER HERELearn more about MOFGA's chainsaw courses here!$240 general admission and $190 for MOFGA and Midcoast Conservancy members.Questions? Email [email protected]
Are you interested in climate adaptation and mitigation projects on your farm or forest land? The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides technical and financial assistance to plan and implement conservation work. Come visit a farm that has completed a conservation plan with NRCS, and learn about the process and outcomes. This is also an […]
Learn the basic skills needed to safely use a winch-equipped farm tractor in the woods. This beginner-level course will cover basic tractor and winch operation, building hitches, skid trail layout, landing management and techniques to limit residual stand damage. The course will not include hands-on tree felling instruction. REGISTER HERE *This sliding scale registration is […]
Join our Low-Impact Forestry Specialist for work in our Assisted Migration plot. Assisted Migration is the practice of aiding species in their movement as a response to climate change. MOFGA has set aside a small plot in our woods as a place for experimentation with Assisted Migration.Work in this area may include building or maintenance, […]
*This event is free for participants in MOFGA's Journeyperson program, as well as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) community members.Learn to dye fabrics with locally foraged plant materials in this introductory natural dyeing workshop, open to new and experienced dyers alike. Participants will tie-dye cotton bandanas with goldenrod and experiment with wool yarn […]
Join the Low-Impact Forestry program as we learn from Sarah Robinson from Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District and Dustin Small from Bissel Brothers Three Rivers about identifying and sustainably harvesting forest foods. Together, they will teach us about common edible plants found in Maine's forests - right here in Unity at the MOFGA campus.Please bring […]
This event has been cancelled due to low registration.Join MOFGA as we are guided by Elizabeth Grey and Alice Hotopp through a morning exploration of the Ecology of Grief.Ecological grief is the sense of loss that accompanies bearing witness to the changing landscape as a result of climate change and environmental destruction. As a landowner, the […]
Join our Low-Impact Forestry Specialist for work in our Assisted Migration plot. Assisted Migration is the practice of aiding species in their movement as a response to climate change. MOFGA has set aside a small plot in our woods as a place for experimentation with Assisted Migration.Spend the afternoon helping us remove invasive plants from […]
The Common Ground Country Fair will be held at MOFGA’s Common Ground Education Center in Unity, Maine on September 20, 21, and 22, 2024. MOFGA’s annual celebration of rural living features 1000+ exhibitors and speakers, and emphasizes vibrant communities, sustainable living and local economies, while highlighting organic agriculture. Learn more here.Advance tickets are on sale […]
*Registration is free for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) community members and MOFGA Journeypersons.Join professional sawyer Nick Zandstra for a hands-on opportunity to learn about portable bandsaw mills. The course will cover basic mill operation, mill yard layout and techniques to maximize lumber quality while milling logs harvested from the MOFGA woodlot. Please […]
This event is being hosted by UMaine. A two-day gathering at University of Maine, Orono, to inform people about current research about brown ash forests and reconvene the community of people who care for brown ash. We will also be hosting a community dinner on Indian Island on the night of October 8. We will […]
Join our Low-Impact Forestry Specialist for work in our Assisted Migration plot. Assisted Migration is the practice of aiding species in their movement as a response to climate change. MOFGA has set aside a small plot in our woods as a place for experimentation with Assisted Migration. Work in this area may include building or […]
Join MOFGA's Low-Impact Forestry program for a visit to Appalachian Mountain Club's (AMC) land near Katahdin Iron Works for a chance to learn about their stream restoration work. We will hear from their foresters as well as scientists from the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC). The workshop will begin with indoor presentations […]
Learn safe chainsaw operation in these one-and-a-half-day courses. We’ll cover personal protective equipment (PPE) and chainsaw selection, and practice safe handling and open-face bore cutting techniques with instructor supervision. Designed for beginners. REGISTER HERE Registration is $240 general admission and $190 for MOFGA and Midcoast Conservancy members. Learn more about MOFGA's chainsaw courses on our […]
What does it mean to practice biology as a feminist? To grapple with the colonial and racist histories of modern plant sciences? To move toward a feminist, decolonial botany? Explore these questions with Dr. Banu Subramaniam: Luella LaMer Professor of Women's and Gender Studies at Wellesley College, plant evolutionary biologist, and author of Botany of Empire: Plant Worlds and […]
Access to funding is so often a barrier for individuals and communities looking to start food and land-based projects. Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are banks and credit unions that specifically focus on making financial resources more accessible to marginalized communities, who are typically excluded from the financial system. CDFIs are commonly used to fund […]
Learn to sustainably forage white pine needles, and to make salve with your harvest in this evening workshop led by Emily Springer of Meeting House Farm, and organized by The Ecology School & MOFGA.The class will focus on the herbal benefits of white pine for skin, as well as how to make a salve from infused white pine oil. […]
Access to funding is so often a barrier for individuals and communities looking to start food and land-based projects. Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are banks and credit unions that specifically focus on making financial resources more accessible to marginalized communities, who are typically excluded from the financial system. CDFIs are commonly used to fund […]
Join us for a discussion with Katrina Amaral of Timberdoodle Farm to learn about logging for long-term sustainable land management while farming, what to consider for stand health and diversity, and Timberdoodle's environmental ethic.REGISTER HERETimberdoodle Farm is a specialty logging & sawmill business based in Strafford, New Hampshire. Owners Miles and Katrina Amaral began custom […]
This event has been rescheduled to January 16. Join University of Maine Extension Maple Industry Educator, Jason Lilley, to learn everything you need to know about making your own maple syrup. We'll discuss identifying and tapping trees, collecting and boiling sap, as well as filtering, grading, and canning syrup. Jason will focus on homestead-scale systems […]
Did you know that there are over 4,000 different wild bee species in the US? We usually think of wild pollinating bees in our gardens and meadows, but many of our wild bee species also rely on forest habitats for part of their life cycle. For example, some are specialized to only collect pollen and […]
This event is held by the Southern Aroostook Soil & Water Conservation District, as a part of their Winter Ag School. Speaker: Andy Whitman, Climate Carbon Specialist, Maine Forest ServiceLocation: Meduxnekeag Ramblers Club, Littleton, MELearn about current available carbon market options for small woodlot owners, and what to know to help you determine if program […]
Join us for a fun, educational afternoon celebrating the sweet Maine tradition of maple syrup production! Whether you’re an experienced sugarer or a maple novice, this event offers a unique opportunity to explore MOFGA's beautiful sugarbush, watch the sugaring process, and learn winter tree identification, all while enjoying hot drinks and the warmth of a crackling outdoor […]
This event is held by the Southern Aroostook Soil & Water Conservation District, as a part of their Winter Ag School.Speaker: Anthony D’Amato, Forestry Program Director, UVM and Paul Catanzaro, Professor & State Extension Forester, UMass AmherstTwo options for viewing the class:1. Online via Zoom – REGISTER HERE2. Group viewing of online class in the library […]
Are you curious about adapting your garden to the changing climate?In this webinar, learn some key climate adaptation strategies for gardeners to help your native plants and ornamentals thrive; as well as how what you choose to grow can support your local ecosystem and preservation efforts amid climate change. Learn from Emily Baisden, Wild Seed […]
Join us for a deep dive into sugarbush management! This crash course will cover an overview of maple in Maine, habitat assessment (including Bird Friendly Maple! and invasive plants), production, and financial incentives. You'll leave this workshop with resources and knowledge to increase the biodiversity of your sugarbush while accessing financial resources (including NRCS), forestry technical assistance, and a couple different certifications. This […]
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