Spring 2008 Dairy Forage/Grain Conference
Contact: Rick Kersbergen, Sustainable Dairy and Forage Systems Educator, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, 1-800-287-1426
WATERVILLE –University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Maine Organic Milk Producers (MOMP) will sponsor the 2008 Dairy Forage/Grain conference with a focus on processing grains for their livestock. The conference will provide information to answer the question, “Is it time to grow some of your own grain?” With increasing costs of grain and higher transportation costs, producers may want to consider adding these crops to their farm enterprise.
This seminar will be held on March 28 in Waterville at Governor’s Restaurant, beginning with registration at 9:30 a.m. Topics and presenters include Sid Bosworth from the University of Vermont who will discuss various corn harvest methods, including grain, high moisture ear and shell and high cut corn silage. Also featured will be Loic Dawarvin from Les Fermes Longpres, Que. Dawarvin and his family grow organic corn, soybeans, small grains and sunflowers on their farm. They also press many of their oilseed crops and are true innovators in cultivation and harvest equipment. In the afternoon, Heather Darby from the University of Vermont will present research from a SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) project that she has been working on with Tim Griffin (USDA/ARS) and Rick Kersbergen from the University of Maine. That work involves growing small grains in the northeast. There will also be a farmer panel discussion with Maine grain growers.
Pre-registration is required. The cost is $10.00 per person and includes lunch. Registration materials can be found at www.umext.maine.edu/waldo/calendar/forageconf.htm or by contacting UMaine Extension Waldo County Office at 1-800-287-1426 (in Maine) or 207-342-5971.
Additional support for this conference is provided by Northeast SARE and the Maine Crop Insurance Program.