Eat Smart Eat Local Workshop Series
...helping people shape the future of western Maine

The Eat Smart Eat Local initiative promotes local agriculture and aims to increase the availability of, and demand for, locally produced foods.

Farm Energy Audit Workshop - press release
Location: Skowhegan - Grassland Farm
May 14, 2008
10:00 am – 11:30 a.m.
Presenter: AJ Ballard, Energy Auditor from Efficiency Maine

Essentials of Business Planning for Small Farms - details
Monday, April 7, 2008 2-5pm

"Unheated Greenhouses: Their Construction and Year Round Uses" (download pdf tutorial 8.48MG)
Demonstration Greenhouse Workshop
Without the benefits of tarps and other plant growing technologies, western Maine’s outdoor growing season falls into a solid zone 4 on the plant hardiness map and runs from early May to late September.  But at a cost ranging from under $100 to less than $6,000 and using vegetables such as greens, herbs and root crops, Maine farmers and gardeners can extend the harvest to nearly 10 months, producing fresh vegetables into December and replanting again in February. Learn about greenhouse materials and costs, ground and soil preparation, irrigation, crops, marketing.

To schedule a workshop with greenhouse consultant, John Pino, contact Tricia Cook or by phone 207-778-3885.

DVD recordings of the workshops below are available for sale.
Email MBTV or call 207-778-8146 for more information.

Eat Smart Eat Local Conference - October 2006
“Save Time, Lower Costs, Create a Buzz with Farm to School: and the Kids Love It!” - Anthony Geraci, Food Service Director Con-Val School District, Peterborough, N.H. (Con-Val Food Service)
“Where Maine School’s Stand Today On Farm-to-School” - Ron Adams, President, Maine Food Service Association & Food Service Director, Gorham School System
“Real Medicine, Real Health” - Dr. Arden Andersen, D.O., Ph.D addresses the health consequences of conventional food production.  His full day presentation is an indepth look at soil microbiology and how it supports (or fails to support) plants and livestock, and the health of the humans who eat both. (AcresUSA)

"Meet the Buyers" - June 2006 - Farmers meet representatives from the local schools, area restaurants, natural food stores and Farm Fresh Connection, the in-state buyer/distributor for local farm products. The buyers on the panel gave a brief description of their buying requirements and then the evening was open for questions.

"Extending the Harvest, Part II – Farming the Back of the Calendar" - April 2006 - Intended for farmers seeking to extend their growing season with unheated and heated hoop house and greenhouse technologies. Presenters: Dr. Mark Hutton from the University of Maine’s Highmoor Farm who discussed low-cost, unheated hoop house construction and production methods; David Blanchard, co-owner of Flying Pond Farm in Vienna, who produces salad greens throughout the winter months in heated hoop houses; John Pino, owner of Mooarhill Farm in Mt Vernon; and Arie Vandergiessen, Chief Operating Officer at U.S. Functional Foods, the company constructing the 24 acre greenhouse facility in Madison for the year-round production of vine ripe tomatoes.

"Extending the Harvest, Part I - Cold Storage" - February 2006 - Focus on both on-farm and centralized storage systems for: potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, and beets. Presenters: Steve Belyea of the State Department of Agriculture; Jim Cook from Skylandia Farm and Crown of Maine Cooperative; Jay Robinson, who does mixed vegetable production on two farms in Somerset; and Ross Adams, a Farmington producer.