Piscataquis Observer highlights ‘One Tomato’ program

The Piscataquis Observer featured the University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s “One Tomato” program that seeks to introduce or reintroduce folks to gardening. “Tomatoes are a pretty friendly plant. They’re generally pretty easy to grow and take care of,” says Trisha Smith, community education assistant with the Piscataquis County office of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. “You can grow them in a bucket or a bag of soil.” Smith recently provided free cherry tomato seedlings to people at the Dover-Foxcroft Area Food Cupboard. “It’s not a lot, but it’s something and it’s an empowering thing to be able to produce food for yourself and your family,” she says. “Maybe people will do this and it will be a confidence booster so they’ll grow more next year.” While supplies last, Extension staff will have seedlings at Tradewinds in Milo, 7 to 11 a.m. Friday, June 5; Smith’s Grocery and Lunch in Brownville, from noon to 3 p.m. June 5; Whitney’s Supermarket in Guilford, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 6; and the Piscataquis County Extension Office in Dover-Foxcroft, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, June 8. People also can sign up at bit.ly/OneTomato2020.