08/24/2009 - Organic Wheat Seminar:Production and Quality in Maine
With Dr. Anders Borgen
1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center
Anders is a Danish organic farmer and organic wheat breeder with a collection of over 400 rare wheat landraces, seed quality researcher at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Copenhagen, and former board member of The Danish Association for Organic Farming. Dr. Borgen will discuss how to improve small-scale cereal production under organic, low input conditions, in terms of economy, seed quality, markets and farmers' skills. He will present an overview of organic seed production in Europe and issues of seed certification. Participants will briefly present their work so everyone can discuss our interests on that basis. The seminar will focus on developing wheat varieties best suited to organic systems by drawing on the rich genetic resources of heritage wheat populations, and developing genetically diverse 'composite-cross' genepools for onfarm
selection to improve the yield and quality of wheat. $15 pre-registration. $20 on-site registration. For more
information, see http://www.growseed.org or email Eli Rugosa at growseed@yahoo.com
07/27/2009 - Organic Grain and Forage Research
1-4 pm
UMaine Rogers Forage & Crops Research Farm-
Rt. 16, Stillwater
Research on organic grain and forage production will be highlighted at the 2009 University of Maine Sustainable Agriculture Field Day. Rick Kersbergen and Lauren Kolb will discuss results from the Organic Dairy Project. This project is in its 4th year and includes crop rotations involving various small grains, forages, soybeans and high moisture corn; dairy feeding trials; and evaluations of innovative weed management systems for organic small grains. Research on double crop forage systems, spring wheat varieties, and organic fertilizers will also be discussed on the tour. Refreshments will be provided.
No registration required.
07/17/2009 - Organic Grains and Oilseed Crops
10am – 2pm
Rainbow Valley Farm, Sidney and Bull Ridge Farm, Albion
Both Jeff Bragg and Henry Perkins have participated in a NESARE project "Expanding Grain Production and Use on
Organic dairy Farms in Maine and Vermont." They have grown both winter grains and spring grains for 3 years and have a
lot of knowledge to share. At Rainbow Valley Farm we will look at spring oats and discuss rotation strategies for organic producers who want to start growing grains in fields that are currently in sod crops. At Bull Ridge farm, we will look at sunflower and soybean production. Henry Perkins has set up an oil seed pressing operation for oil and protein meal for his livestock. The field day will start in Sidney and travel to Albion for lunch and the afternoon program.
A box lunch will be provided to those who pre-register for $5. Call 1-800-287-1426 to pre-register
07/10/2009 - Growing Organic Grains and Forages in Maine
Innovative Weed Mgmt for Organic Small Grains
11am – 1pm
W.R. Sherburne & Sons Dairy, Dexter
Come see a demonstration of two innovative weed management systems for small grains and learn how Fred and Shawn
Sherburne are integrating oats, barley, bread wheat and sunflowers into their rotation to feed their organic dairy herd, produce oil and tap into higher-value human-grade grain markets. In addition to a tour of Fred's grain crops, Fred and researchers from UMaine will discuss a demonstration trial in organic bread wheat of two contrasting weed mgmt strategies for organic grains: planting in narrow, 4½" rows, to increase the crop's
ability to compete with weeds, and planting in wide, 9" rows, to allow hoeing between the rows with a cultivator. These treatments are growing side-by-side with Fred's typical method of planting on 7" rows and using a tine harrow. The tour will also include a demonstration of the hand-guided Schmotzer cultivator.
A box lunch will be provided to those who pre-register for $5. Call 1-800-287-1426 to pre-register.
