Archives: Resources

Apple Sleuths Get a Boost from DNA Testing

By Jacob Mentlik For decades Maine’s apple expert and pomological detective John Bunker has been hunting for and rediscovering rare old varieties of apples. Using all of the clues he can gather, he pieces together the history and possible locations of ancient trees, finds and collects fruit and then spends hours poring over old books

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Milk as a Medium: Considerations for Raw Milk Production

By Jacki Perkins The history of dairy consumption dates back nearly 5,000 years. Milk pasteurization has existed since 1862 and has become mainstream right along with the push for urbanization and the loss of agrarian lifestyles. One can find studies and articles arguing both sides of the pasteurization debate. What I would like to highlight

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Celebrating MOFGA’s 50th with Recipes from Better Hummus and Gardens

By Roberta Bailey Happy 50th birthday, MOFGA. Few remember a time before MOFGA was a part of Maine. It has become the mycelium that connects and enriches all of Maine’s community, from gardeners, farmers, artists, co-ops, apprentices and journey-folk to businesses and fairgoers. As with mycelia, MOFGA extends the reach of our roots and furthers

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Is Organic Farming Contributing to a Plastic Apocalypse?

By David McDaniel I am an organic farmer recovering from a heavy reliance on and addiction to the agricultural plastic needed to make my commercial farm competitive, productive and profitable. I got into organic farming for the noble purpose of working in a vocation that would theoretically pay a livable wage while allowing me to

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A Novel Shallow Well

By Sonja Heyck-Merlin “Each time we’ve dug a shallow well, the excavator operator looks at me and says, ‘I don’t know Joe, I don’t think you’re going to get much water out of there,’” says Joe Ayotte, a hydrologist with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in New England. “It does look pretty dry but

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Spinach Leafminer and Beet Leafminer

Pests: Spinach leafminer (Pegomya hyoscyami), Beet leafminer (Pegomya betae) Pest/disease identification and lifecycle, most common symptoms and crops affected: These closely related species of leafminer attack spinach, beet, chard and some weeds, such as lambsquarters. The adult is a fly that lays its eggs on the undersides of leaves. Eggs hatch in as few as

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Cabbageworm

Pests: Imported Cabbageworm (Pieris rapae), Diamondback Moth (Platella zylostella), Cabbage Looper (Trichoplusia ni)rioceris duodecimpunctata) The first sign of imported cabbageworm is typically one or more white moths with dark marks on their wings fluttering around brassica plants during the day. Also known as cabbage whites, these moths lay ⅛-inch long eggs singly on brassica crop

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Onion Thrips

Pest: Onion Thrips (Thrips tabaci) Pest/disease Identification and lifecycle, most common symptoms and crops affected: Onion thrips are active already, and if they have been a problem for you in years past it is time to start scouting for them. They are very tiny and easily overlooked until the onion plants start showing leaves that

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Scionwood & Fruit Trees

Grafting A primer on Grafting from the MOF&G archives. These are very clear directions about how to graft – here and here. Both of these are printable for keeping close at hand. Here are clear directions on Bud Grafting. Here is a video of Delton Curtis bud grafting in Thorndike, Maine in 2013. Thoughts on

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Tips for Preventing Lyme Disease

Deer ticks are well known as a carrier for Lyme disease and are therefore a serious concern for farmers, gardeners and those of us who otherwise like to spend our time outdoors. Several other tickborne infections can result from a tick bite, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including anaplasmosis,

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