Maine has a large and diverse group of vegetable and berry growers that farm in excess of 11,000 acres and are responsible for over 20 million dollars in annual gross revenue. Surveys in 1999 (Handley) and 2001, 2007 (Hutton) indicated that the members of the Maine Vegetable and Small Fruit Growers Association rank varietal evaluation […]
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Strip tillage is a method of cultivation where strips are prepared for planting while residue of the previous crop is left undisturbed in the between row zones. This system improves soil health and often results in equal or higher yields when compared to bare ground systems. The use of common hairy vetch (HV) (Vicia villosa) […]
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Somerset County has the lowest rankings for county health behaviors (16th) in Maine. Thirty-four percent of adults are obese, which is also the highest rate in the state. The USDA defines food deserts for rural areas as having at least 33% of the census tracts population residing more than 10 miles from a large grocery […]
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Our goal is to provide local sheep producers with the tools and expertise to use chilled semen artificial insemination (AI) as a tool on their farms. Currently, most lambs in Maine are produced through natural breeding with on-farm rams. AI has many advantages over natural breeding that will increase animal health and farm profit, including […]
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Locally grown elderberries are in demand by the specialty beverage industry, food entrepreneurs and herbalists. A 2015 study of Vermont’s market showed the current demand to be 25,000 pounds per year, and current production to be roughly 10,000 pounds. Hobby and commercial growers in Maine continue to ask Cooperative Extension for research in growing and […]
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With 8,200 farms and 1.45 million acres of working farmland, Maine’s agricultural economy is critical to the state’s overall economic health. Due to the extensive number of hours spent working outdoors, Maine’s farmers face health threats from insect and arthropod vectored diseases. Of particular concern is the impact of Lyme disease and its vector, the […]
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The pathogenic bacteria Dickeya spp. and Pectobacterium spp. cause soft rot on tubers or blackleg on stems of potato, resulting tuber loss in storage and no emergence of seedlings in the field. The 2015 outbreak of blackleg originated in Maine, and has caused severe consequences to potato growers in the state, especially to the seed […]
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Bell peppers, sweet corn and butternut squash were evaluated in 2014. New Ace produced the greatest yield however, New Ace, Ace, JPR632, JPR1124, and JPR1127 tended to produce mostly medium size fruit having irregular shapes and thin walls. Declaration, Revolution, and Vanguard produced greater numbers of jumbo and extra large fruit. AristotleX3R, Currier, Revolution and […]
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Many plants for horticulture are propagated by stem cuttings collected during the active growing season, which are typically rooted in a greenhouse under intermittent mist. Mist prevents the cuttings from drying out and overheating before they develop their own roots. Although mist is common in the industry, it does have disadvantages that could negatively impact […]
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In recent years, Maine blueberry growers have benefited greatly from weather-based estimates that inform critically important pest management decisions. However, the high cost to operate on-site weather stations to provide input for these estimates may not be sustainable. Since 1997, the Maine apple industry has used farm-specific weather values based on interpolation between measurements at […]
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