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MOFGAs New ED Has the Perfect Name

By John Bunker Not long after MOFGA’s new executive director came on board, she asked if she could join us for our next Orchard Committee meeting. The committee members were delighted. It would be a chance to tell her about our collection of nearly 300 Maine heirloom apples, as well as our innovative orcharding practices,

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A Year on Nettie Fox Farm

Everett Ottinger and Molly Crouse of Nettie Fox Farm at the Common Ground Country Fair. English photo Cut flowers are among the varied crops grown at Nettie Fox Farm. Photo by Molly Crouse View of the fields, high tunnels and farmhouse in Crouse’s hometown of Newburgh. Photo by Nick Owings   By Sonja Heyck-Merlin In 2009, when

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Cultivating a Sense of Unity at Fjord Horse Powered Mandala Farm

Some of the Mandala Farm family: front: Licorice and Shadow; back: Ross riding Kristi with Peg the chicken, Genio, Sara, and Enna with Rosie. Photo courtesy of Mandala Farm Genio driving Fjorgyn and Grane on a Cockshutt grain drill, seeding a cover crop of oats. Photo by David McCudden Two apprentices learning to drive a

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Beautiful Berries Lead to Thriving Business

Dale-Ila Riggs with a bountiful raspberry crop growing in her high tunnel. Photo courtesy of The Berry Patch By Jean English For Dale-Ila Riggs and Don Miles of The Berry Patch in Stephentown, N.Y, about 10 miles from Pittsfield, Mass., berries helped their farm become a thriving, successful business. The Berry Patch is not certified

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From 1 Acre to 1 Million Scaling Up and Staying Profitable

  Alexander and Fasching have improved their profits and simplified their farm to the point where they can now take family vacations. Photo courtesy of Jericho Settlers Farm By Jean English Christa Alexander and Mark Fasching sell $1 million worth of vegetables, flowers and herbs produced on 30 acres of certified organic land at their

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Apprentice and Journeyperson Programs Pay Off for Wise Acres Farm

Joy Trueworthy (left) and Brittany Hopkins raise MOFGA-certified organic vegetables on their Wise Acres Farm in Kenduskeag. Photo by Nicholas Navarre via the Maine Federation of Farmers’ Markets The barn and packing area at Wise Acres Hopkins uses a Williams Tool for stale seedbedding (pictured here), cleaning up paths and for some blind cultivation of

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Steelbow Farm A Loss for Maine a Gain for Texas

Left to right: Katie Pitre, Finnegan Ferreboeuf and Jason Gold (with Izzy) at Tecolote Farm. The lovely farm house at Tecolote. Seedlings in the greenhouse A field planted to a cover crop By Jaco Schravesande-Gardei, Associate Director of Crops, MOFGA Certification Services, LLC I often say that working for MOFGA Certification Services (MCS) is mostly

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Aroostook Update

Two generations cultivate Aurora Mills & Farm. From the left and standing in front of some of the new silos: Marcus Flewelling, Sara Williams Flewelling, Matt and Linda Williams. Making things grow at UMPI: from the left, Jim Dwyer, the Dr. Robert Vinton Akeley Chair of the Agricultural Science and Agribusiness program; Jason Johnston, dean

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Gleaning Healthy Eating for Everyone

Regina Grabrovac and four young missionary volunteers from the Church of the Latter Day Saints harvest blueberries. Photo courtesy of Regina Grabrovac Volunteers glean what’s left of the tomato crop at Blue-Zee Farm in Penobscot. From left to right: Elise Teixido, Anna Wind and Justine Appel. Photo by Rachel Emus Lydia Brown and he dad, Buster,

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