July 22, 2010 by Heather.

On Tuesday, August 10, 2010, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. UNH Cooperative Extension will be holding a class along with J&F Farms in Derry. The class will be at J&F, 124 Chester Road, and will be free and open to the public. For more information download the flyer for this class: Yes You Can! at J&F Farms.

On Wednesday, August 25, 2010, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. the Yes You Can! workshop will be held at the Rockingham County Nursing Home, 117 North Road, Brentwood, in the Hilton Auditorium. For more information you can download the flyer for this class: Yes You Can! Aug. 25, 2010.

You can also read our blog about the June workshop and don’t forget to check out the calendar on UNH Cooperative Extension’s website for details about this event and many more.

Posted in author: Heather, learning, events | Print | 1 Comment »

July 21, 2010 by Heather.

New Entry Sustainable Farming Project will be holding its annual Open Farms Tour on Thursday, August 5, 2010, from 5:00 to 7:45 p.m. The event begins at John Ogonowski Memorial Fields, 126 Jones Avenue, Dracut, Massachusetts. Here is a little description of the event, courtesy of New Entry: 

New Entry will open its training farms to the public during their 3rd Annual Open Farms Tour on Thursday, August 5th, beginning promptly at 5:00 p.m.  The tour will visit three training farms, located in Dracut, MA.  
 
Speak with project farmers and staff to learn about our beginning farmer training programs, our farmland preservation efforts, and farm employment resources. Meet and network with other project supporters who believe in our mission. 
 
New Entry’s farmers attend a six-week, 18+ hour classroom training and associated field trips in which they learn about enterprise budgets, market opportunities, farm resources and the inherent risks and risk management strategies associated with farming.  They then continue on to participate in a 10-session series of hands-on, field-based practical skills workshops throughout the growing season to learn important farm skills.  Individuals receive many hours of free technical assistance and consultation.  All farmers develop detailed farm business enterprise plans which they implement in the field.
 
This event is free and open to all New Entry friends and supporters, and registration is required.  Donations are always welcome to support and expand our work.  

For registration details and directions please visit the New Entry Open Farms Tour registration page.

Posted in author: Heather, events | Print | No Comments »

July 21, 2010 by Sara Zoe.

Next up in the Dover Cassily Community Garden’s Children’s Summer Activity Series

Fall Plantings and Pressed Flowers July 24 at 10:00am, free and open to the public!

This week we will be planting fall seeds and collecting flowers to press as well as harvesting and caring for existing plantings.

Children of all ages are welcome to participate in DCCG’s children’s program. No preregistration is necessary.  We will meet at the DCCG shed at 10:00am and walk out to the garden together. It is a good idea to wear sunscreen and a hat and bring bug spray, water and a snack.

Much more information (including directions) is available at dovergarden.org or email Traci, Youth Outreach Coordinator at the.mogget@yahoo.com.

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July 21, 2010 by Debra.

Open Farm Day in Maine is coming this weekend! There are 16 farms in York County participating in this year’s annual event. We’ve already mentioned a hayride tour and picnicking at Harris Farm in Dayton. Among the many other activities, visitors will also be able to harvest garlic and test a batch of sour pickles at Snell Family Farm in Buxton, pet the animals at Wright’s Haven Farm in Limington, and see a butter-making demonstration by Kate’s Homemade Butter at Leary Farm in Saco:

Open Farm Day

July 25, 2010, State Wide, Maine

On Sunday, July 25, 2010, farms throughout Maine will open to the public. Visit a farm and see what farm life is all about. Watch farm activities and demonstrations from milking to felting; pet farm animals, pick berries, tour a barn or go on a hay ride. There will be farm-raised products for sale, displays to see and samples to taste.

See links for more information about Open Farm Day, and participating farms listed by county. Check individual farm listings for hours, directions, and featured activities and demonstrations.

Posted in author: Debra, events | Print | No Comments »

July 20, 2010 by Debra.

As posted yesterday, Late Blight has been confirmed in Maine and Massachusetts. This is a disease that threatens both home and commercial growers, and our local food supply — please monitor your tomato and potato plants, and report any sign of Late Blight to the Cooperative Extension. In New Hampshire, contact the UNH Cooperative Extension. The UNH Cooperative Extension is also offering free lab diagnosis of suspected Late Blight samples.

The latest update from Eric Sideman of MOFGA:

The latest update on late blight is not good news.  It has been found by scouts on a few more farms in the Waldoboro region. These have not been confirmed yet in the lab, but the field observations were on tomatoes and potatoes on commercial farms. This means that growers in that area should be very vigilant scouting…

To read more, including his recommendations for organic growers >

And from the Pest Management Office, Maine Cooperative Extension, which is also accepting samples of suspected Late Blight:

Late Blight:  Grower and Farm Stand Alert

Potato late blight, the disease that caused the significant crop losses for tomatoes and potatoes in Maine last year has just been confirmed at a sight in Waldoboro, and several other suspected sites are now being investigated. Typical symptoms will be a water-soaked grease spot on foliage with a fine white mycelium on the underside of the leaflet. A stalk infection will usually look dark brown, almost black.

 

The spores released by infected plants have the ability to travel 40 plus miles under the right conditions and infect potato and tomato plants. We are encouraging all commercial growers and home gardeners to be carefully inspecting their plants for disease. If late blight is found we are asking that the diseased plants be destroyed. They can be buried or simply bagged so that the spores can not escape and that the plant will die.  Late blight is an obligate parasite and needs living tissue in order to survive. Applications of protective fungicides should be applied to tomato and potato crops if they have not been receiving regular applications up to this point.

 

The Pest Management Office in Orono will look at any samples that you may suspect have been infected. When sending samples, they should be placed in a plastic bag with a piece of moist paper towel to keep the sample fresh.

 

For pictures of this disease visit the following websites:

www.longislandhort.cornell.edu/vegpath/photos/lateblight_tomato.htm

www.longislandhort.cornell.edu/vegpath/photos/lateblight_potato.htm

 

The Pest Management Office has copies of a home gardener alert, a late blight ID sheet for roadside stand producers and a poster for late blight identification that you can use to make your help and your customers more aware of this potentially devastating disease.

 

Late Blight Hotline: For the most recent information, call the IPM Hotline at 207-760-9IPM (207-760-9476).

 

Pest Management Office

491 College Avenue

Orono, ME  04473

1-800-287-0279

PMO @ umext.maine.edu

Posted in author: Debra, grow your own | Print | No Comments »

July 20, 2010 by Debra.

Pasture-raised chicken from New Roots Farm will be available for the first time at the Exeter Farmers’ Market this Thursday:

New Roots will have fresh chicken from our Certified Organic pastures at the Exeter Market on Thursday. These are not commercial cornish cross birds, but instead, are genetic stock derived from American and European heritage breeds. Freedom Rangers were developed in the early 1960’s to meet the highest standards of the French Label Rouge Free Range program. Currently, the Freedom Ranger genetic stock is used by most non-factory farm production models all across Europe and also by small pastured poultry producers in search of a traditionally raised farm chicken — just like the “oldies,” healthy and with a succulent flavor and texture.

Since our Freedom Ranger Broilers are a slower growing breed, they are naturally better suited to being raised on pasture and have none of the health issues associated with industrial birds and their ultra-rapid growth rate. 

We are thrilled to add high-quality chicken to our vegetable, pastured pork and grass fed lamb offerings and should now have chicken throughout the market season in Exeter.

For more information, please contact New Roots Farm directly. The Exeter Farmers’ Market is located at Swasey Parkway, and is open weekly on Thursdays, 2:25 to 6 p.m., through October 28th.

Posted in author: Debra, sources of local food | Print | 1 Comment »

July 20, 2010 by Sara Zoe.

 Turning Point Community Garden is a new project getting rolling in Durham, NH

From their about description, “Turning Point Community Garden is a project, headed by a UNH master’s student, to create a community area that sustainably and holistically provides food, energy, other commodities, and a pleasant space freely to the public and especially those in need. It serves as a hub for the exchange of ideas, the teaching of sustainable farming and living practices and skills, and the socialization of the community. It is located on Wednesday Hill Road, in Durham, New Hampshire, on land freely and kindly lent by the owners of Turning Point Farm.”

They are seeking any extra started vegetables or late-season seeds for the garden. Email Ellen at edm23@cisunix.unh.edu for more information. 

You can find more information about Turning Point Community Garden on Facebook

Posted in grow your own | Print | No Comments »

July 19, 2010 by Debra.

From Eric Sideman at MOFGA:

The first confirmed report of late blight in Maine just came through less than an hour ago.

 

A gardener in Waldoboro, Maine has late blight on tomatoes.

 

At this time I have no more details but will surely get them to you all as they develop.

 

Please go out now and scout your potatoes and tomatoes for signs.  Get back to me if you suspect it.  Remember, there are a lot of problems out there that can be confusing, e.g., I have mention in earlier Pest Reports blackleg, early blight and tarnished plant bug feeding.

 

If you don’t remember what to look for, take a look at these fact sheets:

http://www.longislandhort.cornell.edu/vegpath/photos/lateblight_tomato.htm

http://www.longislandhort.cornell.edu/vegpath/photos/lateblight_potato.htm

 

Eric Sideman

Crop Specialist

Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association

Phone:  603 269 6201

esideman@mofga.org

 

And from Becky Sideman at UNH:

Dear NH Veg and Berry Newsletter Recipients: 

The UMaine plant diagnostic lab just confirmed late blight on tomato in a home garden in Waldoboro, Maine.

 

Thus far, late blight has NOT been confirmed in New Hampshire. Cheryl has diagnosed several potato samples with black leg, and we’ve seen many potato plantings that are showing signs of damage by potato leafhoppers, and potatoes with black leaf tips that appear to be the result of tarnished plant bug feeding.

 

However, the Maine diagnosis means that we need to stay on the lookout, because late blight could very well be in the area. Growers that have not been applying protectant fungicides (e.g. chlorothalonil, copper) should start doing so if they intend to, and should continue to scout for symptoms of late blight on tomato as well as potato. Any suspicious samples should be sent in to the plant diagnostic lab for confirmation. Digital photos can also be quite useful — and fast. Remember that samples that are sent in for late blight confirmation are free. Diagnostic lab info can be found at: http://extension.unh.edu/Agric/AGPDTS/PlantH.htm

 

Excellent photos of symptoms of late blight can be found at:

http://www.longislandhort.cornell.edu/vegpath/photos/lateblight_tomato.htm

 

We’ll keep you posted as we learn more, or if late blight is found within New Hampshire.

 

An addendum… Rob Wick at UMass just confirmed late blight on tomato in Hadley, MA.

 

Becky Sideman

Assoc. Ext.Professor, Sustainable Horticulture

G48 Spaulding Hall, Durham NH 03824

Durham NH 03824

(P) 603-862-3203 (F) 603-862-2717

Posted in author: Debra, grow your own | Print | 1 Comment »

July 19, 2010 by Debra.

It’s easy to overlook summer squash and zucchini — they’re abundant, inexpensive, and easy to find this time of the year. They become more special, however, if you only eat them when fresh and in season, and I look forward to their arrival in both our garden and the summer farmers’ markets. We’ve already had them grilled with a minty charmoula sauce, stuffed with savory lamb, and shredded into a duck egg frittata with lots of dill. With the temperatures climbing and the first of our own zephyrs freshly picked, this simple to assemble salad shows off their nutty crunchiness, is easy on the cook, and keeps the heat out of the kitchen. It’s easy to adapt the recipe to what you have on hand or find at that day’s farmers’ market.

Summer Squash & Tomato Salad

6 small summer squash or zucchini, thinly sliced

2 large or 4 small tomatoes, coarsely chopped or cut into wedges

1 shallot or green onion, thinly sliced

red wine vinegar

olive or other salad oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

fresh herbs (basil, mint, summer savory, dill, and/or chives), chopped or shredded

1. Combine sliced summer squash with diced tomatoes. Season with red wine vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Tomatoes will release their juices to form part of the dressing.

2. Salad may be served immediately or chilled for several hours. Toss with chopped or shredded herbs right before serving. Serves 4 as side dish.

Serves 4 as side dish. Paired with some simply prepared local whitefish, a squeeze of lemon, and a green salad alongside, made for a light mid-summer supper.

Posted in Market Notes, author: Debra, recipes | Print | No Comments »

July 18, 2010 by Debra.

This year’s Open Farm Day at Harris Farm in Dayton, Maine, will feature their annual “Lunch on the Land.” A hayride tour of their farm will be followed by a benefit lunch:

JOIN US FOR A PICNIC LUNCH!!

LUNCH ON THE LAND

OPEN FARM DAY

SUNDAY, JULY 25, 2010

11:00 am-2:00 pm

Ever wonder where all the milk, beef, and veggies come from that you buy in our store and Farmers’ Market? Take a guided hayride tour of our farm to learn and ask questions, and then have a fantastic picnic lunch of farm grown food in our beautiful back meadow.

Hayride tour is free

If you wish, join us for lunch

$10.00 Adults

$6.00 kids

**Harris Farm grass fed burgers, Harris corn with our own homemade butter, our own glass bottled milk, and homemade salads and desserts**

All proceeds to benefit Goodwins Mills United Methodist Church

For more information and directions >

Posted in author: Debra, events | Print | 1 Comment »