Maine strawberry growers typically use the matted row system to grow their crop. Photo by Eric Sideman. by Eric Sideman, Ph.D. As with any crop, producing strawberries organically entails a systems approach to the whole farm rather than just substituting approved organic materials for synthetic materials. Of course, many practices are the same in organic
Onions at MOFGA’s Common Ground Education Center, ready for harvest in September. English photo. by Roberta Bailey After living most of my adult life without running water, hoses are an absolute marvel of technology and a blessing to me. I never cease to find joy in the ease of running a hose to the garden
by Ann Currier It has been encouraging to see the attention that Ramial Chipped Wood (RCW – chips of deciduous tree branches that are smaller than 7 cm in diameter) is getting in The Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener. I first read about RCW in this paper in an article written by Tom
By Merry Hall At a “Word of Mouth” conference convened by Heart of Maine to help local farmers optimize marketing, a 12-person focus group was asked why they buy from local farmers. The consumers responded: • Freshness!• It supports the local economy … The money stays here.• Flavor!• Convenience• The food isn’t coated with pesticides.•
Highbush blueberries are native fruits. Like rhododendrons, these Ericaceous family members prefer to grow in areas with very acidic soils with a good layer of peat-like organic matter over very well drained soil. In swampy areas, they’re on hummocks, so roots aren’t submerged. The roots of highbush blueberries don’t penetrate clay soil well. They have
Epazote can be grown in Maine and added to Mexican dishes. Photo courtesy of Pete Nutile, Photographer, Johnny’s Selected Seeds. by Jason Moore Local farmers’ markets are an excellent source of traditional organic produce, such as sweet corn, peas and tomatoes, but also of regional and ethnic favorites, such as fresh fiddleheads, chicory, okra or
Unity College displayed a chicken tractor that student Sara Trunzo designed and built for use in the campus apple orchard. The 32-square-foot structure includes a closeable hutch for shade and nest boxes, water, feeder, and plenty of open space and sunlight. It also protects birds from predators and lets people access the birds and their
Eliot Coleman, at the 2007 Common Ground Country Fair, demonstrated a new way to extend the growing season: Sow double beds with lettuce, spinach and other cold-tolerant crops in early October; cover the beds with hoops and row covers; and around Thanksgiving, add a second cover of greenhouse plastic. The crops should be protected over
Tat soi, sown 8/11/07, was ready to eat at the Common Ground Country Fair on Sept. 21. English photo. by Jean English No surprise: I came home from the Common Ground Country Fair with a cornucopia of gardening ideas; and the lush results that came from taking a little time, space, seed and compost that
A large compost pile is made with a 25-foot length of snow fence. Green (nitrogenous) and brown (carbonaceous) layers of organic materials are alternated. By Adam Tomash and June Zellers © 2007 Photos by the authors Eggplant, peppers, tomatoes and cucurbits are among our favorite crops. All require warm soil and a fairly long growing season, which means they need a protected, heated space
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