Forget the guinea pig. How about adopting a 100-pound dairy calf for your classroom mascot by joining the Adopt A Cow program? Don’t worry about finding a pen big enough to hold her. The photos and stories we’ll send you about her life on the farm will make her “come alive” for your students! The best […]
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The Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station (MAFES) has restarted it’s publication funding program after a two-year pause. We are proud to announce that with the first cycle of 2024 funding, MAFES has supported seven peer-reviewed publications. These publications reflect the diverse research programs supported by the Experiment Station (see below). A second 2024 funding […]
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University of Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station, J. Franklin Witter Farm, houses the Wyman’s Research and Innovation Center, which is spearheading research regarding the influence of climate change on Maine’s blueberry industry. Additionally, the Center houses an agroforestry demonstration site in conjunction with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Northeast Climate Hub. The […]
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Warm weather means many farms across Maine will be hosting public access hours and events (check Real Maine or local farm websites for hours and details). MAFES’ Aroostook, Blueberry Hill, Highmoor, and Rogers farms will all be hosting field days and other opportunities for public access throughout the summer (see our events page for details). […]
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On Wednesday, May 10, 2024 Witter Farm welcomed 14 new heifers (female cattle that have not yet given birth). The Holstein heifers were selected from the stock available at Gold Top Farm in Knox, Maine. The lovely ladies were excited to arrive at their new home: The introduction of new stock to the Witter Farm’s […]
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Philip Fanning, Assistant Professor of Agricultural Entomology School of Biology and Ecology How I got here: I grew up on a small dairy farm in Tipperary, Ireland. Living on a farm is what I credit for my interest in becoming a scientist. I completed my Bachelor of Environmental Science degree at University College […]
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The Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station has published MR448: Bees and Their Habitats in Four New England States. Authors Alison C. Dibble, UMaine Francis A. Drummond, UMaine Anne L. Averill, University of Massachusetts Kalyn Bickerman-Martens, UMaine Sidney C. Bosworth, The University of Vermont Extension Sara L. Bushman, UMaine Aaron K. Hoshide, UMaine Megan E. […]
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Cooperative and cultural effects on resource harvesting are likely to influence forestry, fisheries, and agriculture in Maine through a variety of mechanisms. Maine’s local food industry is poised for growth that entails economic, environmental an social benefits. But to provide lasting positive impacts on all three fronts, local food organizations need to be socially and […]
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Evidence of anthropogenic climate change has become increasingly stronger and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has called for strong, global action to reduce the risk of human-induced climate change. Agricultural practices adopted since the mid-twentieth century have progressively diminished soil quality through the reduction of soil organic matter levels. Sustainable agricultural practices provides a […]
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Weeds remain the foremost production problem on organic farms. Organic farmers rely mostly on cultivation for managing weeds, yet weed density is generally high, and often increasing on these farms. There are two central problems with physical weed control: First, cultivation efficacy is often low and is highly variable. We aim to characterize this variability […]
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