Kersbergen matches dairy apprentices with farm in need of help, BDN reports

UMaine Alert

Posted: April 19, 2024 - 1:32 PM

At approximately 9:24 a.m. on Friday, April 19, a University of Maine graduate student was struck by a university vehicle on Long Road at the University of Maine campus in Orono. The student reports that they are at a local hospital with minor injuries.

Emergency services, including the Orono Fire Department, University Volunteer Ambulance Corps, University of Maine Police Department, Orono Police Department and Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

The university vehicle involved in the incident was a Chevrolet Express van. It was being operated by a university employee.

Counseling services and support are available for students, faculty or staff who may have been affected. The Counseling Center can be reached at 207-581-1392 and the Dean of Students Office can be reached at 207-581-1406.

The scene has been cleared and Long Road is now accessible. An investigation is being conducted by the University of Maine Police Department with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit. Any witnesses to the incident are encouraged to contact Lt. Noel Santiago at noel.santiago@maine.edu.

October 23, 2017 Cooperative Extension, Outreach, UMaine in the News

Rick Kersbergen, a sustainable dairy and forage systems expert with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, was mentioned in the Bangor Daily News article, “Community rallies for Maine farmer after he gets a concussion from his cow.” After New Vineyard dairy farmer Randall Bates was injured, his wife, Jill Bates, was left to operate Springside Farm on her own, according to the article. After hearing of Randall’s accident, Kersbergen, who also is the education coordinator for the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship program at Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment in Freeport, had an idea how to help. He knew there were five apprentices from around the country currently working on the two-year training program in Freeport and thought that one of them would be more than willing to lend a hand, the article states. While Randall was recovering, two apprentices spent nearly a month at Springside Farm, the article states. “I got to hand it to those two guys that came,” Randall said. “They were complete strangers. They came and they fit right in. They just really did a great job. It was comforting to have them step in and do what they did for us, so I didn’t have to worry about it.” Lancaster Farming also mentioned Kersbergen and the Bates family in an article on the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship program.