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Extension Perspectives

                      Waldo County Cooperative Extension's Monthly Newsletter                        

DON’T FORGET! It’s Time to RENEW your Perspectives Subscription! If we do not hear from you, we will remove your name from the list.  Email santunes@umext.maine.edu to renew

CALENDAR

We will be closed Monday, January 19 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Maine Ag Trades Show

Tuesday - Thursday

January 13-15 Augusta Civic Center

www.getrealmaine.com/visit/trades_show.html for more details

Starting a Home Based Business Series

Registration is required by Friday, January 9.  Visit www.umext.maine.edu/Waldo/business/workshops

For more info.  A $5.00 donation per session, or $10.00 for all three sessions, is requested for the series to help cover the cost of refreshments, publications, and resource materials.

“Starting Your Own Business: Planning for Success.” 

Thursday 9:00am – 12:00pm

January 15 Waldo Extension

 

“Understanding Your Market.”

Tuesday 9:00am – 12:00pm

January 27 Waldo Extension

 

“Resources for a Growing Business”

Tuesday 9:00 - 11:30am

February 10 Waldo Extension

 

Doing Business Radio Show

Thursday                                       10am - 11am

February 5

Businesses Using Non-Timber Forest Products

WERU 89.9/102.9 FM  Live broadcast encourages listeners to phone the station with comments, reactions, & questions.

Visit www.umext.maine.edu/Waldo/Radio 

Waldo County Extension Association Meeting

Monday                                       6:30pm - 8pm

February 9

University of Maine Cooperative Extension, 992 Waterville Rd, Waldo. Public welcome

Rethinking Agriculture - 8th Annual Soil Conf.

Tuesday - Wednesday

February 17 - 18     Bangor Motor Inn

Registration and info available at www.heartofmaine.org 

Maine Dairy Seminar

March 17th

Waterville Elks Club, call 1-800-287-7170 to find out more and to register

Master Gardener Volunteer Program Begins Soon

The 2009 Master Gardener Volunteer Program for Kennebec & Waldo will be starting in early March.

This year’s program will focus on ornamentals and will begin on March 10.  Classes will be held in Manchester from 12:30 to 3:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays until April 30.  In the spring of 2009, the training will continue with a required minimum of two hands-on workshops.

After completing all 13 classes, an open book exam and 2 workshops, participants are required to give 40 hours of volunteer time to their community. There are many ways for trainees to share their new gardening knowledge – demonstration gardens, school programs, Plant-A-Row for the Hungry campaigns, newsletter articles, public talks and slide shows, and more.

After 40 hours of volunteerism, Master Gardeners become certified and can maintain yearly certification with as little as 20 hours. Advanced training opportunities and newsletters are available to all certified Master Gardener Volunteers. The total program costs $90.00 and includes a large reference manual and extensive hand-outs from Extension specialists and industry experts.

If you are interested in taking the program and becoming a Master Gardener Volunteer, please call or e-mail for an application. Class size is limited, so we will accept applicants on a first-come first-served basis and a clear indication that the applicant is committed to the volunteer component of the program.

For more information, please contact: The University of Maine Cooperative Extension Kennebec County Office 1-800-287-1421 (in Maine) or 207-622-7546 or e-mail cfitzgerald@umext.maine.edu.

Expanding Regional Agritourism One Farm at A Time

Generating revenues from agritourism depends on your success in developing your farm's products, venue and environment for visitors seeking a multi-attraction destination. With an increasingly diverse visitor population and recent changes in the economy, technology and travel habits, it might be time to rethink your farm's value and how better employing its natural and man-made assets can help you "sell the farm." This highly interactive tour de farm will help you discover what works, what's needed and how to get where you want to go.

Panelists/Specialists will include:

▪ Lisa Chase, Natural Resources Specialist with the University of Vermont Extension and Director of the Vermont Tourism Data Center; principal investigator for the SARE grant

▪ Barbara Frerichs, Owner/Operator, Frerichs Farm, Warren RI

▪ Beth Kennett, Chair, the Vermont Farms Assoc

▪ Steve Krohn, the New England Wine School, Wine Entertainment Resources

▪ Cindy Martel, Marketing Specialist for the West Virginia Department of Agriculture

▪ Mary Beth Miller, Director, Gardening For Good, Westport MA

▪ Stu Nunnery, Director, Rhode Island Center for Agriculture Promotion & Education, RI FarmWays

Eric Scherer, State Resource Conservationist, NRCS-RI

The Agenda

The Farm as "Product"

Enhancing the retail environment on your farm; growing your product lines; new product development; marketing; merchandising and sales.

The Farm as "Venue"

Your farm as a destination - THE place for visitor activities and events - food and wine programs, tours and trips, accommodations; making your site visitor-friendly; designing your activities with the customer in mind.

The Farm as "Environment"

Best Practices for Agritourism: environmental stewardship and agricultural authenticity, aesthetics; employing your natural assets and conservation practices for business success.

The Farm as (a learning) "Place”

Employing landscapes, history, culture and more for programs and activities that attract people of all ages and interests.

Assessing the Farm Experience

Knowing your enterprise(s) and what you can offer; how to expand on both.

If you do now or wish to host visitors on your farm to generate additional revenues, don't miss this program!

To register online, go to www.harvestnewengland.org

We also invite you to participate in the "Agritourism Development "session being held Wednesday, February 25th from 1:45-3PM.

Participating organizations in the SARE grant and preparations for this special training program include: The University of Vermont Extension; Vermont Farms! Assoc; Maine Department of Agriculture; University of Maine Cooperative Extension; University of Maryland Cooperative Extension; Plymouth State University Center for Rural Partnerships, New Hampshire; New Hampshire Coalition for Sustaining Agriculture; New Hampshire Employment Security; State University of New York College of Environmental Science & Forestry; Rhode Island Center for Agricultural Promotion and Education; University of Rhode Island Extension; West Virginia Department of Agriculture, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.

Maine Agricultural Trades Show

January 13-15, 2009 Augusta Civic Center Augusta, Maine 

The show provides an atmosphere for everyone to walk through, observe and educate themselves about the different areas of agriculture. Not only does the trades show furnish a showplace for farmers and producers to come and see the most up-to-date farm equipment and farming needs, but provides an opportune juncture for networking and exchanging ideas. The show provides a wealth of knowledge for non-farmers to learn about agriculture and is a great opportunity to learn how the locally grown products they consume are harvested and processed. Many thanks to our exhibitors and sponsors for making this show possible. Whether you are a conventional, organic, or non-traditional farmers, a hobbyist, an educator or supplier, simply coming together keeps Maine agriculture strong. Visit the shows new event featuring agricultural educational videos, this will surely be a great new tradition. Support agriculture by buying locally.

Visit over 100 exhibit booths to find out what's new, and attend seminars and meetings held by various organizations to learn about the latest developments in the ag arena.

It is a pleasure for the Department of Agriculture to organize this 68th annual three-day show and we look forward to seeing you there.

For a complete schedule, visit www.getrealmaine.com/visit/trades_show.html

NEW ENGLAND GROWS 2008 Features All-New Schedule

New England Grows - the world-class educational conference produced by the green industry, for the industry - has announced an exciting new format for 2008. New program elements include an intensive opening day on Wednesday, February 6 with Master Classes for experienced green industry professionals and an engaging keynote address featuring renowned entrepreneur, Chris Zane, owner of Zane’s Cycles in Branford, CT, will be followed by an Expo Preview Reception from 4 p.m. to 7 pm Thurs & Fri, Feb 7 & 8 offer educational sessions and the exposition will be open from 8 -5 both days.

In addition to Master Classes, New England Grows 2008 offers a cutting-edge educational program focused on skill-building and business solutions. New this year is "Essentials of Plant Identification" led by Professor Jack Ahern from the University of Mass., combining classroom instruction with a self-guided, plant ID challenge on the tradeshow floor. More sessions are led by other top green industry thought leaders including Robert Hendrickson, Chris Woods, Troy Marden, Art Cameron, Page Dickey, and Glynn Percival. As always, continuing education credits are offered.

The Great Ideas Pavilion is back by popular demand. Designed and staffed by the region’s top extension personnel, you’ll find an interactive opportunity to meet one-on-one with university faculty about the newest and most important research-based information that will impact you and your customers. The Great Ideas! pavilion is located in the middle of the Common on the exposition floor. Stop by any time during regular exhibit hours and tap this wealth of information.

The Jump Start Café is another exciting feature for 2008. Before sessions begin, conference attendees can enjoy early morning conversation with colleagues. New England Grows 2008 also debuts the Retailers' Choice Awards, giving special recognition to the hottest new retail garden center ideas and trends on the tradeshow floor. The exposition features an open floor plan with 700 suppliers in 1400 idea-rich exhibit booths filled with new products and trends that will drive green businesses in the coming year.

A special discount rate of $35 is offered for those registering before January 15, 2008. For more information or to register for the conference, please visit www.NEGrows.org or call (508) 653-3009.

About New England Grows: New England Grows is an educational partnership between the New England Nursery Assoc, Associated Landscape Contractors of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Arborists Assoc, Massachusetts Nursery & Landscape Assoc, and its network includes more than 30 allied green industry organizations.

Parents Are Teachers Too program
If you are expecting or recently had your first baby, call 1-800-287-1426 for more information or to enroll in the PATT program to help your child get the best possible start in life.

Eat Well program
Could you use help in stretching food stamps, cooking and shopping for one or two, providing snacks for children? Contact UMaine Cooperative Extension Eat Well Program for a nutrition aid to help you.

Staff

Extension Educators:

• Jane Haskell: Business, Youth & Community Development

• Rick Kersbergen: Agriculture & Natural Resources

EAT WELL NUTRITION STAFF:

• Sandy Dubay, Regional Nutrition Education Professional

• Beth Chamberlain, Pat Fraser: Eat Well Nutrition Associates

4-H PROGRAM AIDE:

• Joyce Weaver

PARENTS ARE TEACHERS, TOO STAFF:

• Pam LaHaye, Coordinator

• Martha Powers, Diane Russell, Ellie Weider

EXTENSION SUPPORT STAFF:

• Sónia Antunes

• Annette Hanser

Also:

• Liz Stanley, Horticultural Aide, Knox-Lincoln-Waldo county

• Caragh Fitzgerald, Ext. Educator, Kennebec & Waldo county

 Waldo County Extension Association
PRESIDENT: Barbara Gould
SECRETARY: Lucia (Chia) Murdock
TREASURER

Michelle Gharst
Jacqui Lee
Andrew Marshall
Robert Nelson
Anne Rothrock