Maine Farms for the Future Program Seeks Applications for Business Plan Development

A request for a proposal announcement from the state of Maine:

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources, Division of Agricultural Resource Development, is requesting farmer’s applications to Round 11 of the Maine Farms for the Future Program (FFF), Phase 1 - Business Plan Development Program.

To be eligible an applicant must own and operate a Farm Business that has been producing agricultural products commercially in the State of Maine for at least two (2) years at the time of application. The applicant must own their farmland. If having recently purchased their farmland, the applicant must have at least two years experience operating a Farm Business elsewhere in Maine.  As defined in Title 7, Chapter 36, Rules Governing the Maine Farms for the Future Program, “Farm Business means that the agricultural products grown or produced on the farm are being sold commercially and the farm has documentation of gross and net farm income, expenses, net worth and farm debt.”  Successful applicants will have from December 1, 2011 to April 30, 2013 (17 months) to complete Phase 1. 

Paper and electronic copies of the Request for Proposals (RFP) packet and APPLICATION are available from:
Kimbalie Lawrence, DAFRR- ARD
28 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0041
Telephone: (207) 287-3491
Email:  kimbalie.lawrence@maine.gov

Enclose six (6) copies of the signed APPLICATION and one (1) copy each of  the 2009 and 2010 IRS Schedule F Tax forms, into one (1) large sealed envelope, clearly marked with your return address and labeled: "Proposal: Round 11 - Maine Farms for the Future Business Plan Development Program" should be mailed or hand-delivered to the Division of Purchases, Burton M. Cross Building, 4th Floor, 111 Sewall Street, 9 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0009, no later than 2:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday, October 5th, 2011, at which time and place the packets will be opened and the name of the applicant will be publicly noted and read aloud.

Stephanie R. Gilbert
Farm Viability & Farmland Protection Specialist
Maine Department of Agriculture, Food & Rural Resources
28 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0028
Phone:  207.287.7520  
Mobile:  207.557.2036
Fax:     207.287.5576
Email: stephanie.gilbert@maine.gov

Video: How to Get Rid of Japanese Beetles

A great video from our friends at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension on dealing with Japanese Beetles:

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.