Archives: Resources

Keynote Address Ken Geiser

Maine farmer Ken Geiser directs the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell. He spoke about progress in green chemistry during his keynote at the Common Ground Country Fair. English photo. Exciting Alternatives to Hazardous Technologies Ken Geiser, director of the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production at the University of

Read More »

Service Journey to Kenya

Jesse Rusak (left), Raphael Nd’ung’u Kimani and Saima Sidik share a humorous moment looking at a book while sitting on a compost bin. Photo courtesy of Expanding Opportunities. by Saima Sidik Saima Sidik of Lincolnville, Maine, and Jesse Rusak of Halifax, Nova Scotia, spent January to July 2006 in Kenya with an organization called Expanding

Read More »

Reviving Bantry Bay Farm

New Brunswick’s historic Bantry Bay Farm is being brought back into production by this intrepid foursome: Mike Hadfield, Luke McLean, Katherine McCord and Brad Aune. Photo by Larry Lack. by Larry Lack A historic saltwater farm in New Brunswick on the St. Croix River  near Calais has a new lease on life thanks to the

Read More »

Side Dishes for Baked Beans

Common Ground’s Bean Hole Beans – Continuing a Tradition Click here to read our story about cooking “Bean Hole Beans” at the Common Ground Country Fair by Roberta Bailey When I first farmed in Maine, I would set up a little table in the garage by the road and sell produce.  Each week on Fridays,

Read More »

Record Keeping for Livestock Farmers

by Diane SchiveraMOFGA’s Livestock Specialist Record keeping serves many functions for livestock farmers (and for all farmers), and it’s a requirement for organic farmers.  We all say, “I’ll remember that …,” but then we often forget. The MOFGA Certification Services Practice Manual says the following regarding animal-related record keeping:  Individual animals, and in the case

Read More »

Tomato Production in Hoophouses

Hoop houses, such as these shown at the Colsons’ New Leaf Farm, have become increasingly important for producing tomatoes in Maine. Photo by Eric Sideman. by Eric Sideman, Ph.D. MOFGA’s Organic Crops Specialist The fate of my last tomato of the season is always the same – a BLT.  And minutes after finishing that classic

Read More »

Ask MOFGA

Q. I like to feed the birds but am concerned about offering genetically engineered seeds. Are any birdseeds engineered? A. Genetically engineered varieties of most birdseed ingredients have not been commercialized. An exception would be any mix containing corn; genetically engineered corn is widely planted. The Union of Concerned Scientists (www.ucsusa.org/) lists the following crops

Read More »

Honoring Hestia

Colette harvests big tomatoes, and abundance of chard, and much more to supply her family all year with fresh and preserved produce. Photo courtesy of the Thompson family. by Marada Cook Hestia was a goddess of hearth and fire. Greek script lacks capital letters to distinguish names from objects, so Hestia meant literally the ‘hearth,’

Read More »

Healthy Food in Hospitals

The stir fry bar at Maine Medical Center in Portland. Photo courtesy of Maine Medical Center. by Terry Allan For most people, hospital food conjures images of bland, institutional, overcooked meat and vegetables accompanied by surreal Jell-O. But a quiet revolution taking place gradually in hospital kitchens around the country has positive implications not only

Read More »

Redefining Soil Fertility

There is No Soil Fertility Without a Healthy Forest Branches under 3 inches in diameter, from deciduous trees, can be chipped to make a soil-building, crop-fertilizing amendment.  English photo. by Céline Caron Terms in italics are defined in the glossary at the end of this article. Have you ever wondered how a forest can grow

Read More »
Categories
Scroll to Top