Online Workshop Fee: Sliding scale, $0-$25. Fermentation is one of the oldest and best known ways to preserve food. Not only does it expand the storage life of produce, making locally grown or home-grown food accessible in winter, but it also enhances flavor and boosts nutrition! Total beginners are absolutely welcome to join this workshop. […]
Join our second teamster roundtable, where we’ll explore draft horse care, feeding, and harnessing. We’ll watch videos submitted by our experienced teamsters, followed by a live, interactive Q&A. $15; $10 for MOFGA and DAPNET members.REGISTER HEREContact [email protected] with questions.
Farmer to Farmer in the Field: SOPs to Reduce Microbial and Chemical Threats Thursday, March 4 4-5 pm Free, but pre-registration is required.REGISTER HEREBrittany Hopkins of Wise Acres Farm will be diving into some of her SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) to reduce microbial and chemical threats. We will be joined by Hans Estrin, Produce Safety Specialist and […]
On March 27th, this workshop will also be offered in Patten - see listing here. 4 Locations: Unity: 10am - 12 noon Blue Hill: 10am - 12 noon Lubec: 10am - 12 noon Pownal: 10 am - 12 noon and 1 pm - 3 pm Fee: $35; $25 for MOFGA members Free for Journeyperson program […]
MOFGA and Maine Farmland Trust are pleased to present the third installment in our winter film series! Join us for the screening of Gather on Thursday, March 18, 2021. Gather is an intimate portrait of the growing movement amongst Native Americans to reclaim their spiritual, political and cultural identities through food sovereignty, while battling the […]
Fee: $35; $20 for MOFGA members. Dixmont (Cloudy Mountain Farm) - Workshop #1: March 21st, 10 am - 12 noon // Workshop #2: March 21st, 1 pm - 3 pm Deer Isle (Island Heritage Trust) - Workshop #1: March 21st, 10 am - 12 noon // Workshop #2: March 21st, 1 pm - 3 pm […]
Spring Growth Conference: Food Safety TrainingREGISTER HEREVirtual Training ScheduleWednesday, March 24, 10-12 AM and 4-6 PM (2 – 2-hour sessions)Wednesday, March 31, 4-6 PMWednesday, April 7, 4-6 PMWednesday, April 14, 4-6 PMWednesday, April 21, 4-6 PMWednesday, April 28, 4-6 PM This year’s Spring Growth is free of charge this year thanks to funding from the Maine […]
Fee: $35; $25 for MOFGA members Free for Journeyperson program participants, veterans, and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) Scholarships Available - apply here! Learn to prune fruit trees to encourage vigorous growth, healthy fruit set and quality fruit yield. Collection and storage of scionwood will also be discussed. This workshop is appropriate for those […]
Teamster Roundtable Saturday, March 27, 6-7:30 p.m. Join our third teamster roundtable, where we’ll discuss incorporating draft horses into forestry work. We’ll watch videos submitted by our experienced teamsters showing logging techniques, followed by a live, interactive Q&A. Designed for beginners, but open to all. Online. Fee: $15; $10 for MOFGA and DAPNET members. Register here.
We aren't able to gather in person this year for the Seed Swap & Scion Exchange, so instead, we're hosting virtual conversations about seeds and fruit trees! See this listing for scheduled Fruit Tree Webinars - April 4th from 2 pm-6 pm. Webinars about Seeds & Seed Saving – Register here! 2 pm: Seed Saving for Beginners with […]
Hosted by Heron Breen of Fedco Seeds Do you have extra seed that you don’t need? Maybe you saved your favorite variety of pea last year or bought an extra few packets of tomato seed! Or maybe you're looking for vegetable seed for this coming season. Join our seed swap to trade and share with […]
We aren’t able to gather in person this year for the Seed Swap & Scion Exchange, so instead, we’re hosting virtual conversations about seeds and fruit trees! See this listing for scheduled Seed & Seed Saving Webinars – March 29th from 2 pm-5 pm. Fruit Tree Webinars – Register here 2 pm: Wild and Feral Trees: Considerations for Scionwood Collection […]
Join MOFGA and collaborating organizations for a free labor management series this spring designed to help you support a strong, safe, and equitable farming season with employees.REGISTER HEREAll are Zoom based. Communication & Delegation - April 5th, 4-5:30 pmAnne Devin of Chase Stream Farm will teach skills for farm managers to make sure their workers […]
Spring is in the air and many of us are thinking about and planning for our summer gardens. If you have questions you're pondering, we'd love to have you join us at our upcoming Gardening Q&A on April 6th at 11:30 on Zoom. We'll answer as many questions as we can and share resources that […]
Each year, MOFGA hosts a Grow Your Own Organic Garden class and this year we are excited to provide it in webinar format. If you're growing a garden for the first time, or have been gardening for awhile and want to learn some new tips or concepts, we hope you can join us. Topics covered […]
Join Kate Garland from UMaine Cooperative Extension for the next webinar in our Gardening Webinar Series!Beginner gardeners can find great success with container gardens. This workshop will provide an overview of best practices to get the most out of small space gardens and will cover container types, substrates, plant selections, and tips on how to […]
Join us for this virtual workshop and learn to reproduce your favorite apple tree varieties! Bench grafting is a very cost-effective way to create (graft) new small trees for planting. Instructor Matt Kaminskey will explain why to graft and will demonstrate several different types of graft (whip and tongue, bark, and z-grafting). We encourage you […]
Join MOFGA and collaborating organizations for a free labor management series this spring designed to help you support a strong, safe, and equitable farming season with employees.REGISTER HEREAll are Zoom based.Supporting LGBTQ+ Employees and Apprentices - April 12th, 4-6 pmJoin Equality Maine and a panel of queer farmers to learn and discuss some of the […]
In a changing climate, forests are both an asset – helping slow and mitigate the effects of climate change by absorbing the carbon we emit – and under threat. Do New England’s forests have a broader role to play in crafting a just and sustainable world? This webinar with Vermont County Forester Ethan Tapper will […]
Spring into the growing season! Join Anneli Carter-Sundqvist for a workshop focused on getting you ready to plant this summer's vegetable garden.In this workshop Anneli will share her methods for deciding what to plant (and how much) and designing the layout of your vegetable garden. Whatever your aspirations may be for your plot, you'll learn […]
A Three Part Workshop with Michael Phillips on April 25, May 2 and May 9Cost: Sliding Scale, $30-$80, for all three sessions.Free for MOFGA Journeyperson program participants, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and veterans.Scholarships are also available - anyone can apply here.REGISTER HEREMichael Phillips, author of The Apple Grower and The Holistic Orchard, will lead […]
Join MOFGA and collaborating organizations for a free labor management series this spring designed to help you support a strong, safe, and equitable farming season with employees.REGISTER HEREAll are Zoom based.Addressing and Preventing Sexual Harassment on Small Farms - April 26th, 4-5:30 pmDesigned for farmers, this training will feature Sexual Assault Support Services of Midcoast […]
Spring is in the air and many of us are beginning to plant some vegetables and plan our summer gardens. If you have questions you're pondering, we'd love to have you join us at our upcoming Gardening Q&A. We'll answer as many questions as we can and share resources that might be helpful as the growing […]
$25; $15 for MOFGA MembersThis workshop is a virtual, condensed version of our bi-annual workshop that is usually offered over a full day at MOFGA's campus in Unity, Maine.This workshop will consist of presentations by Beth Calder of UMaine Cooperative Extension and Tom Cox, Consumer Food Inspector with Quality Assurance & Regulations, Maine Dept. of […]
Join Taylor Mendell of Footprint Farm out of Starksboro, Vermont for a virtual walkthrough of their wash/pack facility. This wash/pack facility is unique in that Taylor and her family live above the main workspace, meaning that the building was designed to be comfortable to live, as well as work in, year-round. The space was designed […]
Learn to topwork (graft) new disease-resistant, cider, dessert or heritage varieties onto your existing trees! Top working is the type of grafting that is done when you have an established tree and you'd like it to produce a different variety of fruit. This is an incredible way to expand the type of fruit you grow […]
A Three Part Workshop with Michael Phillips on April 25, May 2 and May 9Cost: Sliding Scale, $30-$80, for all three sessions.Free for MOFGA Journeyperson program participants, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and veterans.Scholarships are also available - anyone can apply here.REGISTER HEREMichael Phillips, author of The Apple Grower and The Holistic Orchard, will lead […]
The Business of Horse LoggingMay 8, Saturday, 6-7:30 p.m. Online.$15; $10 for MOFGA and DAPNET membersJoin our teamster roundtable, where we’ll explore the economics of commercial horse logging. Our panel of experienced practitioners will discuss the business of cutting trees, and how they have created unique models to remain viable in an increasingly mechanized, production-focused […]
A Three Part Workshop with Michael Phillips on April 25, May 2 and May 9Cost: Sliding Scale, $30-$80, for all three sessions.Free for MOFGA Journeyperson program participants, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and veterans.Scholarships are also available - anyone can apply here.REGISTER HEREMichael Phillips, author of The Apple Grower and The Holistic Orchard, will lead […]
MOFGA’s Farm Training Project (FTP) workshops are designed for apprentices, farmworkers and beginning farmers. They follow an informal format, usually beginning with a farm tour followed by a presentation on the topic of the day. Introduction to Crop Production Wednesday, May 12, 5:30-7:30 p.m., on ZoomJoin MOFGA’s Crop Specialist Caleb Goossen and Dickey Hill Farm for […]
Knowing proper handling and first-aid techniques can save lots of money and grief when raising livestock on your farm. Jacki Perkins, a long-time homesteader and MOFGA's dairy specialist, will demonstrate livestock handling with an interactive Q& A. Limited to 26 people.REGISTER HEREMOFGA’s Farm Training Project (FTP) workshops are designed for apprentices, farmworkers and beginning farmers. […]
As the growing season continues, gardeners both new and experienced may have questions about their crops. Whether you have a challenge with a pest, are wondering about watering, or have some other garden quandary we would love to help think through solutions. Join us for these informal Zoom conversations to help answer your questions and […]
Sustainable beekeeping is a topic that has been discussed a lot in the past few years. It means many things to many people, but to Karen Thurlow, who will be instructing this workshop, it means that you should not have to keep buying bees to replace hives that die during the winter. It's become common […]
Mothers Who Farm is for anyone wanting to connect to others about raising children while farming. Join us for an open discussion online! We will talk about creative ways to have our little ones by our side throughout the work day, share stories, brainstorm ways to form rhythms with our partners and children, and discuss […]
Join CJ Walke, MOFGA's Agricultural Specialist for Downeast Maine, for a short online presentation about growing great organic fruit with little intervention and no spraying. Aimed at beginner and backyard fruit growers. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A period - so bring all your questions about growing fruit trees! This session is directed at beginners […]
As the growing season continues, gardeners both new and experienced may have questions about their crops. Whether you have a challenge with a pest, are wondering about watering, or have some other garden quandary we would love to help think through solutions.Join us for these informal conversation via Zoom to help answer your questions and […]
Join us electronically to kick off the farming season. You will receive an overview of MOFGA’s educational programs and support resources available to apprentices, farm workers and new farmers. Most importantly, it’s a great chance to start meeting apprentices and farm workers from other farms across the state. We look forward to seeing you there! […]
Join MOFGA's Orchard Coordinator, Laura Sieger, for an online presentation about the holistic approaches to orchard care that she and others use at the Maine Heritage Orchard in Unity. These techniques involve the use of organic sprays and amendments, and these approaches are generally a bit more intensive than low-intervention approaches. This session is aimed […]
June 12 – Saturday, Two identical Sessions 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1:00-4:30 p.m. Whitney Woodlot, Gray. $25/$20 MOFGA and MWO Members This half-day field course taught by foresters, soil scientists, and experienced landowners, serves as a great introduction to the basics of forest ecology and active stewardship. While touring a recently harvested woodlot owned by […]
June 12 – Saturday, Two identical Sessions 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1:00-4:30 p.m. Whitney Woodlot, Gray. $25/$20 MOFGA and MWO Members This half-day field course taught by foresters, soil scientists, and experienced landowners, serves as a great introduction to the basics of forest ecology and active stewardship. While touring a recently harvested woodlot owned by […]
This workshop will focus on body mechanics and movement patterns to help avoid potential work related musculoskeletal injuries while farming. We will discuss and practice ideal vs real and ways to modify to get the work done safely and efficiently. Limited to 20 people.REGISTER HEREMOFGA’s Farm Training Project (FTP) workshops are designed for apprentices, farmworkers […]
Worm composting, or vermiculture, makes the world a better place by keeping food scraps out of the solid-waste system and producing fertilizer for plants, indoors and out. Jock Robie has been instructing workshops on how to build a worm bin and how to compost with worms for many years. Join us for this hands on […]
John Twomey and Leigh Norcott have maintained bluebird boxes at their home in Montville for many years. Most years, all of their boxes are occupied by bluebirds, tree swallows or chickadees. Over the past ten years Twomey and Norcott have taught bird box workshops for Aldermere Farm, MOFGA, the Ecology Learning Center, the Midcoast Conservancy, […]
Join MOFGA's Crop Specialist Caleb Goossen for a discussion on plant disease in the garden. Caleb will start by sharing strategies used to minimize the presence of disease from the outset. But we all know that sometimes diseases show up anyway, despite our best efforts or during particularly challenging growing seasons. So Caleb will also discuss what […]
Throughout the COVID pandemic, migrant dairy farmworkers have continued to work day in and day out to produce the milk and dairy products that line supermarket shelves. Yet, there are still many workers who do not have access to decent housing and a dignified workplace on the farms where they work. The Milk with Dignity […]
Free. (Donation optional.)Cows are incredible creatures and might fit in perfectly on your homestead, providing you and your family with high quality, delicious milk for making butter, ice cream, yogurt and more. But it's important to be prepared for what a milking cow requires from you before you take the plunge.Join Jacki Martinez Perkins of MOFGA for this […]
Food dehydration is a simple technique that involves removing water in foods in order to preserve them. However, it also concentrates flavor and results in tasty foods that can be eaten by themselves or used in all kinds of recipes! Dried foods are also nutritious, lightweight, and easy to store and use. Learn best practices […]
Join us for a virtual tour of Pine Root Farm and Seek-No-Further Farmstead, two farms with dedicated models to ensure their fresh produce is accessible to Mainers of all incomes. Sliding scale CSA models, EBT processing and Senior FarmShare will be discussed. REGISTER HERE MOFGA’s Farm Training Project (FTP) workshops are designed for apprentices, farmworkers […]
This event is free (Donation optional.) Composting transforms food waste from our kitchens into a substance (compost!) with a full spectrum of nutrients, lots of organic matter, and microorganisms that benefit soil. Adding compost to our gardens has many benefits, from improving soil structure to helping it retain water. It's a gardener's best friend! Indoor […]
Come walk through flowers with Swell Farm to learn the basics about flower farming through the seasons in Maine. Different sales channels will be discussed including farmstand, flower subscriptions and wholesale. Please park at public parking across the street from the farm, 1 minute away. Limited to 20 people.REGISTER HEREMOFGA’s Farm Training Project (FTP) workshops […]
How is your garden growing this season? If you have questions about anything you're noticing in your garden, we'd be happy to help answer them at this Gardening Q&A! Free and open to everyone whether you're just starting your first garden or you've been gardening for years, we'll cover whatever topics are on your mind - […]
Goranson Farm utilizes a diverse array of irrigation systems including drip, overhead rain birds, hose reels, and 3''-6'' pumps to meet crop and farm needs. They look forward to sharing their strategies for each system. Over the years NRCS irrigation projects have included wells, a recently completed in-ground hydrant system, and pump purchases. Parking: In […]
Laura is a longtime MOFGA member, and at her homestead in Dixmont she manages her small, young orchard organically. On this tour, we'll explore the orchard as well as her gardens - a vegetable patch and an herb garden which focuses on both culinary uses and pollinators.Her homestead includes a small woodlot with nearby wetlands. Join […]
Join Joshua Girard and staff from MOFGA Certification Services to discuss the basics of certifying your operation and products as organic according to the USDA National Organic Program standards. Topics will include the application process, review of the Organic System Plan, annual onsite inspections, the federal cost-share rebate program, and compliant record keeping systems. Girard […]
How late can I keep the harvest coming in during the fall months? How can I start growing (and eating) garden produce earlier in the season? We hear these questions from gardeners frequently! In this webinar MOFGA's Crop Specialist Caleb Goossen will talk strategies for growing on the shoulder seasons. He'll share practical approaches to […]
THIS EVENT IS FULLAfter gardening for 20+ years in the woods of central Maine, Dawn moved south to Portland, where she is now growing under an entirely new set of conditions. For the past four years, she has been designing and growing an integrated vegetable and flower garden in her urban front yard. Inspired by Rosamund […]
Co-sponsored by Morning Glory Farm and MOFGA.Fee: $160; $130 for MOFGA members. All meals included, as well as optional camping on-site. Other accommodation options are available in nearby Bethel.Learn to build a cob oven at beautiful Morning Glory Farm in Bethel, Maine! Wood fired earth ovens make it possible to bake incredible crusty breads and pizzas […]
Join members of the Johnny’s team on a tour of their Albion farm fields, with discussion to follow. Collin Thompson, the farm manager, will present on the farming practices implemented at Johnny's research farm, with an emphasis on those used to maintain good soil health. Dr. Lindsay Wyatt will discuss her work breeding squash and […]
Join us for a tour of a permaculture homestead designed and built by Jesse Watson of Midcoast Permaculture Design. Jesse's tour will highlight the joys of eating wild meadow plants, his pollinator gardens, water catchment systems and the aesthetic of woodland and meadow ecosystems that he evokes in his spaces. We'll also take a look […]
Online How is your garden growing this season? If you have questions about anything you're noticing in your garden, we'd be happy to help answer them at this Gardening Q&A! Free and open to everyone whether you're just starting your first garden or you've been gardening for years, we'll cover whatever topics are on your […]
Lakes Environmental Association, Bridgton, ME 8 a.m.-4 p.m each day $200 | $150 for MOFGA members (All women participants with 2 female and 1 male instructor) Course Details: This introductory two-day in-person field course is suitable for new or beginning chainsaw operators. Topics to be covered include personal protective equipment (PPE), saw operation and maintenance, […]
This in-person workshop will be held at MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center.$75; $60 for MOFGA members (includes silk scarf & printed materials.)Join this hands-on workshop for an introduction to the world of natural dyeing using plant pigments! Indigenous peoples have been dyeing cloth, baskets and other objects for many generations. Many plants and trees growing […]
Co-hosted by MOFGA and the South Portland Land Trust.Do you want to improve the health of your lawn and gardens organically, but don't know where to start? This webinar is for you! Learn the basics of organic lawn and landscape management from organic landscaping professional Chip Osborne. He'll explain how to build healthy, living soil […]
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