Farmington, ME—University of Maine Cooperative Extension has announced that 2 Canning / Freezing Workshops will be held on Wednesday July 17^th at the UMaine Cooperative Extension Office in Franklin County, 138 Pleasant Street, Suite 1, Farmington, 04938. The first workshop will begin at 12:00pm and end at 3:00pm and the second workshop will begin at 5:30pm and end at 8:30pm. Registration is $15 and must be paid in advance.

The minimum number needed to hold the class is 8 and the maximum per class is 15. 

 In this course you will learn the basics behind home food preservation and food safety. The course will consist of insight into how canning and freezing function as preservation methods. This is a hands-on workshop where attendees will be canning mixed berry jam.  Please bring a pot holder with you to the workshop.

 For more information, to register, or to request special accommodations, contact Carol Ross by email: carol.ross@maine.edu or by phone at 1-207-778-4650.

 Registration fees must be paid in full prior to the class.

 UMaine Extension programs are open and accessible to all in accordance with program goals. To provide adequate time to respond to your request please provide as much notice as possible.

One of Maine’s public universities

Apple Tree Pruning Workshop

Monday, May 20th, 2013 at 5:00 – 7:00 PM    

Workshop Fee, Location and Registration Information:

The University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Franklin County is offering an apple tree pruning workshop on Monday, May 20 from 5-7 P.M. at the Cooperative Extension office at 138 Pleasant St. in Farmington. The class will be held rain or shine.

A $5 fee is payable the day of the class.  Pre-registration is required.  To register, please call 778-4650.  Class size is limited to 20 people.

For many home gardeners, the joy of a new apple tree is replaced with – what do I do with this plant now? How do I train and prune it?

Dave Fuller, Agriculture and Non-Timber Forest Products Professional for UMaine Cooperative Extension will teach why we prune, what kinds of cuts to make, and learn by doing pruning in a hands-on demonstration. The class will start inside and then we’ll travel to a nearby yard with apple trees of varying age, where pruning and training will be demonstrated. Dress to be outside and bring your favorite pruning tool. Questions are encouraged!

For more information or to request a disability accommodation to participate in this program, please call (207) 778-4650.

About University of Maine Cooperative Extension:

As a trusted resource for almost 100 years, University of Maine Cooperative Extension has supported UMaine’s land and sea grant public education role by conducting community-driven, research-based programs in every Maine county.

UMaine Extension helps support, sustain and grow the food-based economy. It is the only entity in our state that touches every aspect of the Maine Food System, where policy, research, production, processing, commerce, nutrition, and food security and safety are integral and interrelated. UMaine Extension also conducts the most successful out-of-school youth educational program in Maine through 4-H.

Marketing Tips for Business Success

Tuesday, May 21st, 2013      6:00 – 9:00PM

Workshop Fee, Location:

The Class Fee is $15. Pre-registration and pre-payment is required.  The deadline to register for this workshop is May 17^th.

The Class is being held at the UMaine Cooperative Extension Franklin County Office located at 138 Pleasant Street, Farmington, Maine. 

 Are you looking for profitable ways to market your products or services?  Are you interested in learning about effective, proven marketing strategies that will increase sales and improve your bottom line? 

 Whether you are starting a new business or expanding into a new market, having a solid marketing plan is an important key to success.  In this interactive workshop, you will hear about innovative and creative ways to reach new and existing customers and learn practical marketing tips from a panel of successful small and home-based business owners.  Panelists will include local business owners.

UMaine Cooperative Extension’s Dr. James C. McConnon, Economics and Small Business Specialist, will be the key presenter.

For more information, to register or to request a disability accommodation to participate in this program, please call (207) 778-4650.

 About University of Maine Cooperative Extension:

As a trusted resource for almost 100 years, University of Maine Cooperative Extension has supported UMaine’s land and sea grant public education role by conducting community-driven, research-based programs in every Maine county. 

UMaine Extension helps support, sustain and grow the food-based economy. It is the only entity in our state that touches every aspect of the Maine Food System, where policy, research, production, processing, commerce, nutrition, and food security and safety are integral and interrelated. UMaine Extension also conducts the most successful out-of-school youth educational program in Maine through 4-H.

The festival celebrates local foods, both wild and cultivated, and promotes community involvement in enhancing our local food system and supporting its farmers.

At 9:00 a.m., an antique tractor parade down Main Street will kick off the day’s festivities with farmers showing off their favorite farm machinery, accompanied by musicians and other parade marchers. Festival goers can register for other (free) events between 9:00 and 2:00 at the UMF Emery Community Arts Center, where most activities will occur.

At 10:00 a.m., there will be the keynote address in the Emery Community Arts Center, entitled “Local Food Production: The Promise and the Reality” by John Jemison of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, which will explore local food systems in Maine.

Between 9:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., there will be the “Fiddlehead Market,” a collection of dozens of local food vendors who will display and sell local foods and crafts, in and around the UMF Emery Community Arts Center. Fiddlehead cooking demonstrations will showcase safe and delicious fiddlehead recipes.

After lunch, between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m., you will be able to choose from among four simultaneous sessions held at University of Maine at Farmington, including a fiddlehead talk and walk with Dave Fuller, UMaine Extension (appropriate footwear recommended), a local food foraging demonstration workshop, a small business workshop exploring small scale food processing, and permaculture-style gardening workshop.

Supervised children’s activities will be offered by UMF students on campus from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and will include sidewalk art, face painting, games, and crafts. Visitors are also encouraged to visit the Farmington Historical Society’s Titcomb House (between 10 and 2) and the Nordica Homestead on Holley Road, both of which are opening their doors for the festival.

The event will conclude with a festival wrap-up reception at the Homestead Bakery between 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.

For more information on the festival, please contact Luke Kellett, UMF Sustainability Coordinator at 207.778.7096 or luke.kellett@maine.edu, or visit www.mainefiddleheadfestival.com.

The festival is organized by a collaborative that includes the University of Maine at Farmington’s Sustainable Campus Coalition and Partnership for Civic Advancement, the Farmington Downtown Association, UMaine Cooperative Extension, Franklin Savings Bank, Homestead Bakery, University Credit Union, and Western Mountains.

Transferring the Farm Workshop

April 18, 2013, 9:00AM to 3:00PM

An Introductory Workshop to Help Farm Families Minimize Farm Business Succession Risks

 Workshop Location and Fee:

The location is the same as the mailing address below.  Pre-registration is required. Please register before April 15^th to avoid a late fee.  A minimum of 10 participants is needed to hold this workshop.  Workshop fee is $10 per person which includes registration and workshop packet.  Please make check payable to: UMaine Cooperative Extension and mail to:

Transferring the Farm Workshops

UniversityofMaineCooperative Extension

FranklinCountyOffice

138 Pleasant Street,Suite #1

Farmington,ME04938-5828

 Transferring the Farm is a day-long workshop being offered inFarmington,ME.We have offered this program across New Englandover the past several years. The workshop will help farmers and farm families make informed decisions about transferring the farm to the next generation. Each workshop will address details on retirement and estate planning, legal approaches to protect assets from taxes, tools you can use to transfer farm assets, and determining your goals to address transfer planning.

 Lunch will be on your own; you may bring a bag lunch.

If you require special accommodations or financial assistance to participate in this program, please contact Melissa Libby at (207)581-2788 by April 10, 2013 so we may assist you.

AboutUniversityofMaineCooperative Extension:

As a trusted resource for almost 100 years, UniversityofMaine Cooperative Extension has supported UMaine’s land and sea grant public education role by conducting community-driven, research-based programs in everyMaine county. 

 UMaine Extension helps support, sustain and grow the food-based economy. It is the only entity in our state that touches every aspect of the Maine Food System, where policy, research, production, processing, commerce, nutrition, and food security and safety are integral and interrelated. UMaine Extension also conducts the most successful out-of-school youth educational program inMainethrough 4-H. 

Classes will be held  Saturday Mornings , April 6, 13, 20, 27, 10:00 a.m. to  Noon. The driving test and written final exam will take place on Saturday, May 4 at 10:00 a.m.

Cost: $20.00

Pre-registration is required.

Location for All Class Sessions:  East Dixfield Fire Station, on Rt 2 in East Dixfield.

Participants will learn how to handle tractors and equipment safely, how to identify hazards, and how to minimize the chances of accidents. The course is open to all adults and youth interested, but priority will be given to youth ages 14 to 16.  The course is required for 14 and 15 year olds who plan to operate farm equipment for hire on farms other than their own. A Federal Certificate of Training will be issued at the completion of the course after successful completion of the written test and driving course and with attendance requirements met.

Sponsored by: University of Maine Cooperative Extension and R.S Osgood & Sons of East Dixfield

For more information, to pre-register or to request a disability accommodation call the UMaine Extension Franklin County Office at 1.207.778.4650. You may also email Judy Smith, Community Education Assistant, at judy.smith@maine.edu

The class will be held March 26, 2013, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., at UMaine Extension Franklin County Office, 138 Pleasant Street, Farmington, ME  04938.  This also the mailing address.

Pre-registration and pre-payment is required. The class fee is $15.00. Please call 207-778-4650 or email marc.edwards@maine.edu to register or for more information.

If you have developed a specialty food product and intend to sell, or are selling your product, this is the workshop for you!

The Pricing Your Food Products workshop will provide an overview of what is involved in successfully developing a pricing strategy.  The highlights will include: What is Profit?, What is my market willing to pay?, and Record Keeping for developing prices.

UMaine Cooperative Extension’s Dr. James C. McConnon, Economics and Small Business Specialist, will be the key presenter.

If you are a person with a disability and will need any accommodations to participate in this program, please call the office at 778-4650 or 1-800-287-1478 to discuss your needs. Please contact us at least 5 days prior to this event to assure fullest possible attention to your needs.