By Maddie Eberly Growing up in Pennsylvania, I found fascination in the forest while hiking through the rolling hills of Lancaster County. I observed shoreline plants while paddling on human-built lakes and on the Susquehanna River just a few miles south of Three Mile Island (a nuclear power plant that partially melted down in 1979),
By Jacki Martinez Perkins “She’s beautiful, she’s rich, she’s got huge … tracts o’ land!” – King of Swamp Castle in “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” We do not need huge tracts of land in order to keep livestock. Industry professionals like to use general guidelines of 1 acre per animal, but this is,
By Roberta Bailey Every time I shell Scarlet Runner beans with their vibrant purple-pinks swirled with blackish purples, I think of Jack and the Beanstalk. These are the beans that would tempt many of us to trade the family cow. Surely, they are full of magic, at least enough to make us covet them, to
An Interview with Dr. Rachel Criswell Back in December of 2021, Maine was rocked by the discovery of “forever chemicals” on farmlands. The issue of contamination by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a large group of man-made chemicals used in consumer goods for their stain- and water-resistant qualities, had been bubbling to the surface since 2014, when
By Madi Whaley A few years ago, someone sent me a video wherein a new gardener showcases the many bags of soil and compost, fertilizers, pots, and other inputs purchased in starting their garden — a whole balcony of materials that would go to fill brand-new raised beds and containers, and to maintain the vegetable
By Jacki Martinez Perkins, MOFGA’s Organic Dairy and Livestock Specialist When you think of dairy, what comes to mind? Do you enjoy cream in your coffee, cook with butter, garnish with shredded cheese, or go for sweet treats like whipped cream or ice cream? There’s a large variety of dairy products originating from all over
By Caleb P. Goossen, Ph.D., MOFGA’s Crop Specialist With the changing climate introducing greater variability and weather extremes to our seasons, it is perhaps to be expected that the insect and disease pests that we deal with have also been impacted, and are expected to be further impacted moving forward. Insects and disease pathogens are
By C.J. Walke, Orchard Program Manager Harvest season in the Maine Heritage Orchard (MHO) is an exceptionally busy time of year, considering the vast diversity of apple and pear varieties that we grow, our modest orchard staff, and that preparations for the Common Ground Country Fair are ramping up just as we get into picking
By Roberta Bailey When I was in my early years of homesteading, my gardens were my canvas, the plants my palette, an artistic expression of edible creativity that I never wanted to end. As news of the oncoming killing frost came across my weather radio, I would roar against the fates, head tilted to the
By Barbara Damrosch Storing root crops isn’t the necessity it once was, when they stood between you and starvation from late winter to spring, but it’s great to have a stash of them on hand for the winter table. I’m going to assume that most of you don’t have a root cellar. You are more
