Resources for Organic Dairy Farmers Maine dairy farmers Erik Johnson and John Donald talked about their recent experiences transitioning from conventional to organic production at the Maine Agricultural Trades Show in Augusta in January. Johnson has about 60 to 70 milkers and 700 acres of crop ground; he is transitioning about one-third of his farm
Mulberries are a fruitful crop to grow in Maine, but plan their placement carefully so that the berries don’t stain walkways, entryways, decks, etc. Illustration from Handbook of Plant and Floral Ornament from Early Herbals, by Richard G. Hatton, Dover Publications, N.Y., 1960. By Roberta Bailey As a child I knew where every ripening fruit
By Roberta Bailey “These recipes are our gift to you. They are the ones we love, the ones that work, the ones that carry us through trouble and heartache, celebration and joy.” So begins the Ashwood Cookbook, Food for Family and Friends, a simple yet elegant collection of wholesome recipes gathered by friends of the
Growing grapes provides not just fruits for wines and jellies, but leaves for stuffing as well. Illustration from Handbook of Plant and Floral Ornament from Early Herbals, by Richard G. Hatton, Dover Publications, N.Y., 1960. By Jean Ann Pollard The Norse tale of Leif Eriksson’s epic voyage across the Atlantic to “Vinland” circa 995 –
Equisetum hyemale is the species of horsetail that grows in the mid-South, while E. arvense (below) grows in New England. Both species benefit bones and other aspects of health. Illustrations by Leslie Wood. By Leslie Wood, with Fredda Paul Spring shoots of horsetail have just begun to come up from the earth. In the early
Milky oat seeds make a tonic that can help strengthen the nervous system. Illustration from Handbook of Plant and Floral Ornament from Early Herbals, by Richard G. Hatton, Dover Publications, N.Y., 1960. By Deb Soule Some of the stresses humans are experiencing today are more complex than they were 100 years ago. The threat of
Toki Oshima drawing By Diane Schivera, MOFGA Technical Services Assistant Feed is the most expensive portion of the cost of raising chickens, and this expense is magnified by the fact that most folks feed a ground mash or pellet that is formulated and produced by a feed company. In an attempt to reduce this cost,
By Eric Sideman, Ph.D., MOFGA’s Director of Technical Services Some farmers and gardeners like to use the same ground year after year for their tomatoes. Often this works, but often it doesn’t – most commonly because of a few tomato diseases that overwinter on crop debris. The most common disease in the Northeast that leads
A Natural System Just Dying for Balance By Jean English Michael Zuck gave an inspiring talk at MOFGA and Cooperative Extension’s Farmer to Farmer Conference about using teosinte and other plants as “banker plants” in greenhouses – plants that support pests that, in turn, support beneficial insects. English photo. Michael Zuck’s fascination with nature’s multiple
Illustration from “Earthworm Biology and Production,” Leaflet 2828, University of California Cooperative Extension, Berkeley, Calif., 1977. By Jean Ann Pollard Always with us and the farmer’s friend. Right? Is that what you think when you think ‘gardening’ – when you see those long, red angleworms surfacing all over the lawn and under the rhubarb after
