Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Workshops slated for high tunnels; tomato grafting

The University of Maine Cooperative Extension is holding a pair of interesting early spring workshops at the university's Highmoor Farm on Route 202 in Monmouth, Maine.

High Tunnel Field Day will be held on Monday, March 29. This is an all-day affair from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Participants are asked to bring their own lunch.
Registration is $20 and includes program materials and snacks.
To register, visit the Extension website and click on High Tunnel Field Day under Waldo County News & Info or call 1-800-287-1426.

Here's a breakdown of the schedule and speakers:
  • 8:30 to 9:00 Registration Welcome. NRCS program introduction
  • 9:00 to 10:00 Site selection and construction basics (Mark Davis)
  • 10:00 to 11:30 Crop production basics -- soils/fertility; rotations; tomatoes; mulches row covers (Mark Hutton)
  • 11:30 to 12:00 Drip irrigation in High Tunnels (Mark Hutchinson)
  • noon to 1:00 Lunch On your own
  • 1:00 to 1:30 Cut flower production (Barb Murphy)
  • 1:30 to 2:15 Fruit production in tunnels (David Handley)
  • 2:15 to 2:45 My experiences with high tunnels (Doug Chipman, Chipman Farm, Inc., Androscoggin County)
  • 2:45 to 3:15 Winter season growing (Rick Kersbergen)
  • 3:15-3:30 Questions
Tomato Grafting Workshop

A two-hour tomato grafting workshop is slated for Friday, April 2 at 2 p.m.

David Colson, of New Leaf Farm in Durham, and Mark Hutton, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Vegetable Specialist, will describe the benefits and drawbacks of using grafted tomatoes in commercial hoophouse production. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to make up to 30 grafted tomato plants for their farm. The grafted plants will be grown at Highmoor Farm and be available for transplanting approximately the first week of May, 2010.

Pre-registration is required to attend the Tomato Grafting Workshop. The cost is $30 per person to cover supplies. Please register by March 25, 2010. Registration limited to 30. For more information, visit the Extension website.

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