Mainely Agriculture March 2012 Small

Published for farming interests statewide, 5 issues a year, always FREE

An independent farm journal

The Maine PotatoBoard has named the YoungFarmer of the year for 2012, a 28year old Brandon Berce. He farmswith his father and brother Nedand Niklas Berce in the St. JohnValley respectively.

says, he decided to go back tofarming “...at the right time.”

Brandon is first to point out thatthe key to the health andsustainability of the Maine PotatoIndustry is with “...hands oninvolvement within industryorganizations and associations atregional, state and nationallevels.” Berce Farms has beenrecognized previously in 2002 asthe Farm Family of the Year. TheFarm grows seed varieties forFrito-Lay and Brandon serves onthe Maine Potato Board’s seedgrowers’ executive council. He isalso a member of the CentralAroostook Young Farmers. Hisofficial recognition takes place atannual meeting this month.

There are manychanges in Maine forestryeach year. This is theforemost employmentindustry in the state beforefarming and tourism. Wehave two stories about thesame this issue. A look atimprovements in lumberproduction and

Potatoes keep Maine farmers goingWEATHER SERVICES - Meteorologists report unusual weather patterns comingout of Canada will limit the 2012 snow fall to a record low. Farmers need enoughsnow to provide good soil cover and perhaps an early spring thaw, an early plantingwhilst snow enthusiasts pivot for enough $ to maintain their related economy.

The soils of Penobscot, Waldo, Somerset, Franklinand Aroostook County with help from select parts ofWashington, Oxford and Piscataquis Counties bridgethe farming numbers statewide for increased potatoproduction levels historically. These fine soils aretilled at the right time with old and new equipmentand this keeps the farm implement businesses goingin isolated farm town centres. It makes for a good lifein Maine for regional service towns and thoseemployed within the many levels of this endeavor,proud of these improved crops year after year. Thispast year - by all reports - saw generally good weatherdespite increased fall rain but crops were gathered intimely fashion and the high numbers of bushels storedwere also up with potato houses emptying quickly.This represents about 380 potato growers with a totalinfluence on the state’s economy of in

Improving transport - eastto west - has new impetus thanks tocertain legislators, private industry andGovernor Paul LePage. A uniqueproposal that is both a make a work ideaand a practical cost saver to taxpayersfor state road expansions has taken fireagain in Augusta.

Our states’maple production is very high nation-wide,likely more than rival New York state as all ourproducers do not report a harvest tally asdiligently as other states.

Many producers opensap houses weekends, all month with a list ofopen farms published within a group flyerinserted in daily newspapers, prior to the event.

Quiet Winter 2011-2012

Vousparlezfrançais ?

Notre colonne sur l’agriculture par notre Correspondante Française est en page 4.

Farmer Fact # 1:Sorting: Wool classification into fine, length, elasticity, spinning characteristics.

sales, and over in personal income paying some in state and local taxes. As potatoes go, so goes Maine?

The winner of the 2011 Farm Family of the yearaward, Fred Flewelling and family of Crouseville recently said, “Peopletend to see farming as one of the most basic occupations, but the realityis, it’s extremely important, and I want to see it carried on for futuregenerations.” He doesn’t just praise farming traditions he is quick topromote that adapting to markets and staying on top of technology iskey to greater spud production levels.

Young farmer for 2012 named

He comesto farmingwith adegree infinance andmarketingwith workexperiencein the samebut later, he

a look at a necessary downsizing for a woods product transportcompany caught in the ever increasing high petroleum pricewar and the necessary maintenance of trucking along Maineroads that truly live up to the notion, you can’t get there fromhere. Look for this story .

Sunday March 25

Agriculture

Trail Riders Sleigh Event

Vol 4 No 1 Early Spring /Logging Sapping 2012AG NEWS Above the fold...Forestryin Maine

Printed with recycled newsprint, Soy based inks

International www readers 5,667Press run this issue -10 K

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1

2 Logging / Maple Sap Spring Issue Mainely Agriculture 2012

Contact us for a colored brochure regarding our summer campingschedule, horsemanship program, and Wilderness Adventure TripsLiving Waters, PO Box 250, Danforth, ME 04424Phone: 207-448-2310 or email: [email protected] Certified Horsemanship Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to improvingsafety and effectiveness in group riding programs. CHA is the oldest, largest andmost active instructor certification program in North America, certifying approximately1,000 instructors every year at clinics all over the U.S. and Canada.The CHA Instructor Certification clinic is a 5-day hands-on clinic for the purpose ofevaluating the instructor’s riding and teaching skills and certifying the knowledge and abilitylevel of the instructor. Each clinic participant will take a written test, a riding evaluation,teach a minimum of four lessons, and participate in all lessons and seminars. Certificationmay be earned in both English and Western disciplines at five levels, from Assistant Instructorto Level 4 Instructor.FOR INFORMATION ABOUT CHAwww.CHA-ahse.org (800) 399-0138 [email protected] purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHAcertifies group riding instructors, recreational vaulting coaches, barn managers, college coaches, drivers and trailguides; accredits equestrian facilities; publishes educational manuals and hosts regional and international conferences.For more information on the Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA-ahse.org or calltoll free 1-800-399-0138. To find a certified riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you visitwww.CHAinstructors.com

30 River Road (the Access Rd)

Across from Thornton Bros.

Ag Business Review

Lincoln Prescott has operated a sheet metalshop for almost 40 years at his location in the farmland area ofMalbon Mills, Skowhegan and while he is a part time shopoperation in the past 10 years and has left the need for employeesbehind when demand for such metal work declined, he still getsan occasional order for a specialty item such as this syrupmaker’s steam hood for a recent customer. This 6 ½ foot hoodwill keep the dampness of the abundant steam coming off boilingsap down near the source of the evaporator and help his customerthis season, making syrup. Prescott has made many things forcustomers in his time in Skowhegan and when we mentionedwe couldn’t find someone to make a proper cowling for a Doverstove a few years back he said, we used to do a lot of them whenthe stove company was still in business. He still gets orders tomake ‘ovals to round’ - the interface between a stove and thesmoke pipe on most stoves. It is no surprise, his shop has severallarge brakes, shears, pipe makers, tig welding and Prescott usedto get many orders for sap pans until the price of stainless pressedmass production need in the forefront, however, his knowledgeto make the same is intact, given someone with metal wanting aspecialty size pan. We would hazard a guess there is likelynothing of sheet metal he hasn’t already made at one time oranother and at the height of his business, locally, he employed

1-3 workers. This is a specialty trade business that still has aplace in farming and household/industrial planning and steppinginto his shop is not just stepping back in time it is a shop thatmirrors an infrastructure that this craft has been held in greatrespect by his customers for as many years.

Living Waters in Danforth, Maineis hosting a

Certified Horsemanship AssociationAll Discipline Standard Instructor Clinic.

June 10 to 15, 2012Cost: $650

If registration is received by May 1st, after May 1st $750Price includes books, materials, all meals and lodging.CLINIC INFORMATION: CLINIC REGISTRATION:Liz Bell Living Waters207-323-062 [email protected] [email protected]

So You Want to Farm in Maine? A farm business

course for farmers who would like to brush-up theirbusiness skills, or those thinking about becomingfarmers will be offered in five evening meetings,from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm, starting Tuesday, March 20.Classes will be held at Penobscot County ExtensionOffice in Bangor and Presque Isle Extension. Topicswill include selecting and evaluating a farmenterprise, writing a business plan, record keeping,market research and more. Cost is $50.00 per farmwith a limited number of partial scholarshipsavailable. Sponsored by the University of MaineCooperative Extension and Risk ManagementAgency. Contact Donna Coffin at 1-800-287-1491 orAndrew Plant 1-800-287-1469 (in Maine). To pre-register contact Theresa Tilton at 207-942-7396 or1-800-287-1485 or email [email protected]://www.extension.maine.edu/penobscot

Why should I become a certified Instructor? Certificationprovides you with the credentials for teaching riding,potential insurance benefits, and teaching resources.

When you apply for that Instructor position you will beable to show the potential employer your certification card.You can proudly display your certificate in your tack roomor barn office for clients to see. It lets people know you areserious about your business. There are severalorganizations that offer Instructor Certification. Amongthem is Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA),www.CHA-ahse.org. CHA offers certification in 7different areas. The Standard Instructor Certification canbe obtained in English and Western. You are evaluated inseveral areas including: riding level, the ability to conductsafe mounted lessons, ground lessons, and a written test.You will also be evaluated on your professionalism andherd management. You will participate in workshops onbarn management and risk management. A Clinic offersyou an opportunity to interact with others in the industryand glean new ideas and ways of teaching. You will belisted on CHA’s website with your contact information andCertification Level. A potential client will be able to findyou on the website. A CHA Certified Instructor is aprofessional with safety for the rider and horse as toppriority.

Why Instructor Certification?

MAg

Next IssueDeadline

May

5

Agriculture’s

Farmer Fact # 2: Estuary: The currents of the mouth of a river reaching seawater.

Farm & Business Storiesgenerate business contacts

2012 Mainely Agriculture Logging / Maple Sap Spring Issue 3

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Agriculture’s

Farmer Fact # 3: Katydid: Large green American grasshopper, loud noise maker. About 1¾”.

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Flewelling runs Flewelling Seed Farmwith his wife Patsy Campbell. He beganfarming as a child, later to farm thehomesteaded acreage of his greatgrandfather who arrived in the county inthe 1860s. Today his farm devotes 300acres to seed potato farming for both FritoLay and McCains. As a family farmer,Fred worked for years with his dad and hisdad still participates along with direct helpfrom his daughters Lindsay FlewellingHealey and Courtney Castonguay. Hecalls family farming the real fabric of thecommunity. As the head of the farm, heserves on the National Potato CouncilBoard of Directors and is chair of theNational Council’s Seed Potato Board, theAroostook Water and ConservationService and the Maine Potato GrowersBoard.. He is well known among growers.

Ernest and Alberta Angevineof Bethel have been chosen as the 2012Maine State Outstanding Tree Farmers.The award was made at the AgriculturalTrades Show before the Small WoodlandOwners Association of Maine (SWOAM)annual meeting on January 11 at theAugusta Civic Center. Now in their 90’s, the Angevines havebeen stewards of their 189 acres, as well asactive participants in the local SWOAMchapter, and overall SWOAM and TreeFarm supporters for many years. ShermanSmall, their forester says “It is impressiveto see what has been accomplished overthe course of time by diligent forestmanagement. I think Ernest and Alberta’swork provide a good example of the fruitsof long term management.” The award means a lot to Ernest andAlberta and their family. Ernest wasespecially pleased to call his daughter inNew Mexico to give her the news, sinceshe was the New Mexico Outstanding TreeFarmer in 2009. Other awards they can beproud of are: 2001, Lifetime AchievementAward from the Bethel Chamber ofCommerce, 2004, Cooperator of the Yearfrom the Oxford County Soil and WaterConservation District, and in 1990, 2003,and 2006, Oxford County Outstanding TreeFarmers. Their history of ownership goes back tothe days of WW II. While Ernest wasaway for 20 months fighting in the war inEurope, Alberta was home with their twosmall children and took the opportunity torent out Ernest’s tractor. Upon his return,this money was used to purchase theoriginal 75 acres and their farmhouse. In1965, with help from Oxford PaperCompany’s forester Abbot Ladd, theybecame part of the Maine Tree FarmSystem, Tree Farm #679. Over the yearsthey acquired additional parcels to bringtheir total acreage to 189 acres. With the original purchase of land, Ernestand Alberta knew that with good forest

management over the years, they wouldrealize income to supplement theirretirement. They also knew that alongwith managing for timber, other aspects ofthe woodlot would benefit wildlife, waterquality and recreation. They are quick tothank the many foresters who assistedthem, from private consultants to state andindustry foresters. Their first managementplan was written by Brian Milligan andtheir most recent update was written bySmall of New England ForestryConsultants. Small says “Much of theirland is considered to be excellentdevelopment land. Many acres of primelots are located along the AndroscogginRiver. They have been approachedthroughout the years to sell to developersbut have chosen to keep their land in treegrowth management. Both Ernest andAlberta have worked hard on their veryimpressive forestland, which includes 80acres of some of the largest pine treesgrowing anywhere in the State of Maine.” Much of the management workthroughout the years has been done byErnest. He started a pruning rotation in the1950’s and to date over 3,000 stems havebeen pruned. Most of the logging was doneby Ernest until the late 1990’s. Localloggers were hired a few times for thebigger jobs. There is a well establishedtrail system as well as wildlife-friendlypractices, thanks to the assistance from theOxford County NRCS office and theWildlife Incentives Program. The land has been open to the public forall types of recreation, fishing and hunting,and many people have viewed theAngevine’s ongoing managementprogram and benefited from it, evenbecoming Tree Farmers or SWOAMmembers because of their example. Theirdaughter Judy Coolidge, a retired secondgrade teacher, developed an annualEnvironmental Day on the property for allsecond graders in the district that is stillgoing strong 23 years later.

Outstanding Tree Farmers 2012

The relic to the bloodlessAroostook War has had an easy winter in2012 with limited snow fall amounts. Theblockhouse with gun ports opens in springfor tourist and historians to view. Like itscounterpart in Ft Fairfield, both offer handtool carpentry craftsmanship to view.

The fort at Ft Kent

Continued from page one

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Logging / Maple Sap Spring Issue Mainely Agriculture 2012

4

Wallace Sinclair, founder ph 965-2332Editorial offices in Lincoln & Brownville

It is our volunteer mission to support and encourage a vibrant and thriving returnto family farming / foresty / fishing along with building a more healthy farminfrastructure, a sustainable and wider regional economy based upon agriculturaltraditions handed down for centuries. Such agrarianism is indeed a culture at the sametime it is an economy. We foster and support such a local agriculturally based economy,

- M I S S I O N S T A T E M E N T -

We accept if you give

name, town, phone& email /250 words

Fabienne Prost Emily Adams Bonnie McCready Bill Sawtell Anah McCreadyEditorial Contributors

SM Publishing Co.PO Box 632 Brownville 04414

---------------------------------------

David Deschene Jack Strout Jesse A Schwarcz - Photography Gordon Moore

- wordsfrom author

Presidential to the

press, the first week ofFebruary, 2012.

Agriculture’s

Farmer Fact # 4: Disambiguation: attribute an accepted phase to another associated person.

Nor can we let the very recent demise of , a weekly newspaperthat served that region since the early 80s go without passing mention. While it listed itself atan age of 41 years, it did not publish that many years as a previous weekly established therefrom November 1970-May 1974 preceded and was followedfor several years by likely published some 35 yearsappearing after folding and was, historically, longer in print but,

and the original summer paper was initiallypublished for 27+ summers and on scene long before came along. The currententanglement to kill comes about from an insidious spinoff regional papercalled and is and of itself the untidy result of a some kind of feud between

and now pits a formerly uninvolved publisher inthe middle. This implant publisher lately established and reestablished free papers in the past5 years called , no longer published, , no longerpublished, and now defunct as a weekly failing to garner sales at 25cents, each. A replated front page concoction in the Bangor area rounds out this Ad salesman’srags and he now calls this recent concoction, . Weunderstand this marketing strategy. . It is the same with his choice of VolumeNumber and Issue Number, failing to be historically accurate for the nameplate change and thenumber of years published with a new name. However, such noncredibility for offeringanything more than simpleton news for advertising revenue is obviously scant. Such anewspaper is not a newspaper in keeping with the canons of journalism and for the good of thecommunity(s) served. There will be few if any regular select board meeting stories for so manytowns, no school board news covered by reporters, very few civic minded advance publicityfor community causes, dependable sports coverage and any real news beyond adverts for a payas you go tedium for local merchants unwisely buying into less and supporting the longestablished real local weeklies as newspapers or the established shoppers, some of which rangein age from 30 - 160+ years longevity. Shopper papers never used to claim to be anything morethan a shopper, and a newspaper calling itself a newspaper without any real news each issuewith real editorials is an insult to the intelligence of those numb enough to pick it up on thenewsstand. Yes, I am troubled the end of the has come, havingbeen the very first publisher to serve the Moosehead Lake region with a weekly with

and so, the successful years of spoke to the original notion thatwas an idea ahead of its time, so many years ago. This unfortunate and changed

situation is simply a shopper couched as “news” labeled as a new newspaper and shows a reallack of truth in circulation advertising - a doublespeak view - taking up dusty space onnewsstands and leaves a real news vacuum for a truly great area of Maine deserving far betterthan it may now get. comment by Mainely Agriculture publisher, and original editor/publisher,founder of The Spectator and founder of The Merrymeeting Standard (1984-1989).

-Politico-

The demise of Village Soup publications and so many well known coastal newspapers thismonth represents shoddy management by the publisher. Operations were employee heavyand selling off his presses months ago spelled a doubtful future. The cost of distribution withprinting at commercial plants is cheaper in the short term but always limit longevity in leantimes. Yes, “Village Soup” was a cute name but also was a denegation of the former venerableinstitutions preceding it. Newsstand pricing in these times should also have been as small aspossible in light of free paper competition everywhere. Consumers will buy a product whenprice and need are equal, otherwise, not. Recent Village Soup reputation for their paidcirculation papers was lost sales on newsstands spelling limited return for advertisers. WGS

An all volunteer farming publication

MainelyAgriculture - Established Summer 2008 -

At Globe

Printing Co.

Newspaper Business Office:39 A Main Street, Lincoln

794-2973 Phone & Fax

965-2332 H 794-2973 O 279-0029 C (when on)[email protected] [email protected]

Read back issues @ www. scribd. com

On the RFD with MainelyAgsBy Jack Strout

Since the ice has been too thin to fish on and there hasn’t been muchto hunt other than that lazy overfed groundhog who is still MIA, I findmyself home bound. During the last 2 weeks bondage, I tore downtwo walls in my camp preparing for spring renovations. Honestlythough, I think I was just desperate for more space. When I foundmyself contemplating how much lake water I would have to fetch forfire protection at the camp I realized with stunning clarity that I haveto get out of here or cabin fever will get the best of me or I’ll befetching that water and possibly paying arson fires for losing mycamp. If nothing else, I have to get out for a couple hours at least. Icould go for a drive, it is a good time for a supply run. Cash in all theBud bottles lying around, buy some new lures and maybe that huntingrifle everyone is going on about. My hunting attire is getting a bitshabby too. I am wearing my last pair of good wool pants and the lasthole free sweater. Yes it is definitely time to knock this cabin feverout with a visit to the old Hunter’s Store where the doors never close.

highly coveted birdhaving the honor to benamed State Bird by

Maine Grange NewsOur activities each quarterwith

Bonnie McCready

Anah McCready photo

Crossing theparking lot on my wayto work at GlobePrinting in Lincoln Ifind myself beingserenaded by a flock ofsmall birds in a treesinging “Bee-Bay” thesong of the Chicadee.Full name:

.This local bird isnamed after their call

.This is also theirwarning call whenpredators are near. Asa relatively permanentresident, Chickadeessurvive the harshwinters by loweringtheir body temperatureup to 54 degreesFahrenheit during coldweather nights toconserve energy.Another quality thataids the Chickadee inwinter is its ability toremember the locationof a food cache for upto 28 days.Chickadee’s can alsotolerate humanapproach to a greaterdegree than most oftheir species, eventaking seeds from thehands of a human theyare familiar with.

These are just some ofthe qualities that makethe Black CappedChickadee such a

Maine, Massachusetts,and the Provincial birdof New Brunswick,Canada. Yet despiteall this talk of statebird and wintersurvival, I can’t helpbut think this smallflock singing for me atwork could care less,they are just happy thatspring is almost here.

, Hancock Pomona April 2, 7pm

, potluck supper April 5, 6 pm withPiscataquis Pomona meeting at 7.

, Rt 7, Brooks public supperApril 7, 4:30-6 pm. Call Bill Guptill 722-3820.

Seniors & kids 6-18 $5, Adults $6.

Hosted by Wilson Grange offers 4degrees April 20. Call Karen 778-5845

, at Acorn Grange, Cushing April 14,10:30 am. Call Sherrill Snowdeal 236-3270 Inspection

and 5th Degree.

has donateddictionaries to RidgeviewCommunity School for 3 years forthe “Words for Thirds” programand to all schools in the area for 8years from a popular public supperseries & other community servicesfund raising events.

Préparation :15 minutes Cuisson : 2 minutes Attente : 1 heure

Les Bugnes (Donut Fritters)(recette lyonnaise, beignets de CarnavalIngrédients :500 gr de farine, 1 sachet de levure, 1 pincée de sel, 3 oeufs, 125 gr de beurre,1 tasse d'eau tiède,Huile pour la friture, Sucre glace.Préparation :

1 Mélangez la farine, le sel et la levure. Incorporez les oeufs, le beurre fondu et l'eau tiède.Mélangez et malaxez bien la pâte.2 Laissez la reposer 1 heure au moins.Puis étalez la pâte le plus finement possible. Découpez ensuite la pâte en forme de lune.3 Faites frire les bugnes 2-3 minutes dans l'huile très chaude.Posez les sur du papier.4 Saupoudrez de sucre glace au moment de servir.Translation :Recipe from Lyon. Grandma’s recipe. Carnival fritters. (or Donuts)Ingredients:- 500 g flour(= 1.102lb), 1 packet of yeast, a pinch of salt, 3 eggs, 125 gr of butter(= 4.409 oz),1 cup of warm water, Oil for frying , Icing sugar.Preparation :1 Mix flour, salt and yeast. Stir in eggs, melted butter and warm water. Mix well and knead the dough.2 Let stand 1 hour at least. Then spread the dough as thinly as possible. Cut the dough into a moon.3 Fry the fritters for 2-3 minutes in hot oil. Put them on paper.4 Sprinkle with icing sugar just before serving.

with Fabienne Prost, Paris - skype: prost.fabienne Port: 06 59 29 00 97

Senate andMaine’s lossThe announcement by 3term US SenatorOlympia Snowe thatthings in Congress havegone from bad to worseis not a surprise. Neitheris her wish to not seekreelection, she obviouslyhas had it up to her earswith infighting and lackof work getting done forall Americans as a result.

This reminds us ofanother Maine Senatorwho in her “Declarationof Conscience” speech inthe 1970s had a great dealto do with ending thenegativism of JoesphMcCarthy. MargaretChase Smith likeOlympia Snowe, -moderates - have madeMaine proud of publicservice amid the politicalnegativism of this time.

PALMYRA - The Beam Farm has hosted the TrailRiders of Today Club’s annual sleigh rally for manyyears. Participants bring their horses to compete invaried classes from many towns.The Currier & Ives class is judged on antiquity ofsleighs and costumes. In Reinsmanship, the driver’sskill is tested. Pleasure classes judge the horses’gaits and manners. Timed (agility). Junior andSenior drivers compete with all sizes and breeds ofhorses from Minis to Drafts. Spectators andcompetitors from from Waldo, Washington,


Strengthening Maine’s Economy was the focus of adiscussion panel that convened at the USDA State office hereFebruary 10 hosted by the US Under Secretary Dallas Tonsager andCongressman Michael Michaud. Among the invited participants was

a small agricultural

from USDA that will benefit some 25 farms she currently buys fiberfrom and will send the same to Riteway Scouring of Waldoboro thatwill help process the fiber for further refining. Riteway Scouringitself is a new venture having recently moved equipment into Maineto processs fiber from New Mexico after owner Mike Fairfield wona seed grant from the Maine Technology Institute to use thisequipment to recover the additional product, lanolin from the fiberthat is used in other value added products such as creams and lotions.

Her matching grant will mean that $60,000 total will go towardsetting up in two phases a market strategy and legal structure,feasibility study to place the kind of products to come out of suchfiber with high probability of market success. The second phase ofthe project will be to set up the production and development ofproducing the same products, “from farm to Main Street” as she termsit, in keeping with the theme of her new store opened in Portland at23 Temple Street. This store has an assortment of goods and ediblesfinely crafted domestic made consumer items. And this store alsoserves Claudia as a testing ground for selling some of the knit itemsshe already markets and produces that are from the wool of Alpacaand sheep or blends of Alpaca/Sheep wools and yarns. Her strategyis already strengthening parts of the Maine Economy and that waswhy she was invited to participate in the round table discussion.

2012 Product Market Grant Winnerbusiness that brokers Mainegrown Alpaca and Sheep fiber tomake textile value addedproducts. She buys top Mainefiber each year up to 10,000pounds of it for making productsat either Bartlettyarns ofHarmony or Jagger Company inSpringvale. The North Yarmouthfiber buyer has been in businesssince 2000 buying fiber that has a4-6 inch staple and 18-24 microns.She recently won a $30,000matching manufacturing grant

The list of round tableparticipants at the recent USDARural Development discussion atthe state office here mirrors thecurrent business, agriculture andindustrial activities in Maine latelyin the news. Following remarksopened up byCongressman MikeMichaud, USDARural DevelopmentUnder SecretaryDallas Tonsagerand state directorVirginia Manuelwith notes taken byc o n g r e s s i o n a lrepresentatives of Senators Snoweand Collins, Michaud and Pingree,all speakers had opportunity toaddress current issues of need tostrengthen the local businesseconomic climate in Maine.

Our participant list ishighlighted with a notation afterspeakers who have had successesor continue with ongoing issues forthe following reasons at their placeof business, institution or firm:

apellet manufacturer who does notalways have enough raw materialto produce enough pellets;

the pipelinecompany trying to build a gaspipeline from Richmond toMadison and currently lackspermissions from all the towns inthe plan to route the pipeline frompoint A to point B;

,the new owner of the two mills in

Millinocket and East Millinocket;

awater borne hydo powerdevelopment think tank and

which recently tookownership of a solarpower productionplant on speculationfrom the designingmanufacturer that itwill power many ofthe buildings of the

school for the school year andeventually earn money for theschool from sold electricity. Othersspeaking included: LawrenceBarrett, President Eastern MaineCommunity College; BethBordowitz, CEO Finance Authorityof Maine; Anthony Buxton,Attorney for Preti, Flaherty,Beliveau & Pachios, JamesDonnelly, Ex VP, Machias SavingsBank; John Edwards, Ex VP &CEO Bangor Savings Bank;Laurent F. Gilbert Sr., FormerMayor of Lewiston, DurwardHumphrey, CEO Katahdin ValleyHealth Center, John Kerry, Directorof Policy, New England Governor’sConference; Andrea Maker,Attorney for Pierce Atwood,Ronald Phillips, President CoastalEnterprises Inc; Claudia Raessler,owner SuriPaco, LLC; EloiseVitelli, Dir of Program & Policy forWomen, Work & Community withJerry Whalen, VP for BusinessDevelopment of Eastern MaineHealthcare.

mall ruminants are

adaptable to manydifferent productionsystems and can beraised with relativelyfew inputs, but the bigchallenge is in thecontrol of internalparasites, especiallyg a s t r o i n t e s t i n a lnematodes.

Grazing animalsingest infective larvaefrom grass and shorterforages, and theselarvae develop intoadults in theabomasum (truestomach) ofruminants. The adultparasites feed onblood in theabomasum and laytheir eggs, which arethen excreted; thelifecycle begins againwhen the eggs hatchand larvae develop onpasture, where theycan be ingested by thegrazing ruminants.Internal parasites have

become more difficultto manage in smallruminants because ofthe parasites’incresing resistance toall availabledewormers. Parasitesaffect animal health,reduce productivityand increase treatmentcosts. Pastures withheavy stocking ratesin high rainfall regionsare especiallyvulnerable to thebuildup of parasites,and the cost of internalparasite infectionincludes treatmentexpense, reducedweight gain, evenanimal death.

A new fact sheetfrom the SouthernConsortium for SmallRuminant ParasiteControl covers severalways to deploys u s t a i n a b l eg a s t r o i n t e s t i n a lnematode parasitecontrol - smartdrenching, whichincludes FAMACHA,copper oxide wireparticles, condensedt a n n i n - c o n t a i n i n gplants, selection ofresistant breeds, andother alternativemethods. Thispublication providesbasic information oneach approach, alongwith resources fortraining and moredata. The fact sheet isavailable as a freePDF download fromwww.sare.org. Select“Learning Center,”then “Fact Sheet.”

Now on internet

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Somerset andPenobscot countiesand occasionally fromBiddeford, Brunswickand AroostookCounty.

“Industry from Agriculture”

Advertising/Publicity deadlines794-2973 ph & fax 965-2332

[email protected]

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Agriculture’s

#Farmer Fact 9: Maypole : High pole decorated with flowers, ribbons at May Day for dances.

The offshoot toof Belfast,

“Journal” died March, 10 after 183years in business. At the sametime, the survivor to

lately merged with theand called

were first inbusiness since 1846 and 1870respectively. The 100+ year old

now alsofolded, has joined two other papersowned by Village NetMedialikewise defunct. The publications,

and anentertainment paper,were all folded by the publisherciting a weak economy. What isnot mentioned on the companywebsite or in news coverage of thesame are decisions contributing tomismanagement. Simply, some 56employees were notified by emailMarch 10, they had no jobs, noseverance. Owner Richard M.Anderson has had a mixed reviewof decisions leading up to thisdemise. As an upstart internetpublisher he arrived in themidcoast area establishing a newswebsite in 1997 that gravitated intoprint publishing with the start of aweekly in2003 followed by a weekly

in 2004. He closedthe same when he purchasedCourier Publications and itsprinting plant to be followed by apurchase of

a competing weeklynewspaper with

merging the two as oneand selling off press.

At the start, such decisions madesense given ownership of the sense

sense given ownership of theRockland based web press and noneed for two presses, feweremployees along with endingcompetition for yet,Anderson’s decision to sell hisRockland based press a year agoput him in a more strict, crucialweekly cash flow regime withemployees and new larger printingbills to pay each week at acommercial printing plant,elsewhere. The loss of both presseswere seen as perfunctory misstepsfor longevity in the printing trades.Increased newspaper deliverycosts and a weakened economyalso hurt. In January, Andersonsold the empty printing plant inRockland for $500,000 and had untilMarch 30 to relocate the generaloffices from this facility, yet nonew office site had beenforthcoming, news wise. With thisclosing of all newspaperoperations, this amount of moneywas apparently a stop gap cashflow sell off measure as Andersonhad recently been in negotiationsfor new financial restructuring.He was quoted that all that, “....fellapart on March 9.”

Watson’s Meats - a wellrespected local butcher shop - hasbeen rebuilding their shop sincethe loss of their meat processingfacility late last fall to fire.Animals owned by customerswere also lost. Shop ownerbrothers Jeff and Andy Watson are5th generation farmers.


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Forest Products Awards given two Maine projects The Trust for Public

Land administered by theDepartment of Conservation nowhas $8.73 million to purchase landthat not only benefits Mainerecreation but logging interestsalso.

A parcel of 11,800 acres on Crocker Mountainlocated in Carrabasett Valley has beenpurchased with $7 from Plum Creek as aworking forest, with part of the ApplalachianTrail and numerous ATV and bicycle trails tolakes, ponds and streams with mountain hiking.The money to buy this and another parcel waspart of a grant from the federal government tothe Maine Dept. Of Conservation (MDOC),with the urging of the Maine Congressionaldelegation. In Madrid Stream township, some5,808 acres have been purchased with $1.73million owned by Linkletter Timberlands LLCof Athens and is a working forest to supplyLinkletter’s pellet manufacturing plant.

This project was ranked as thirdfor the nation by Forest LegacyProgram for federal fiscal year2012, officials said. The CrockerMountain land, near the Sugarloafski resort, has exceptionaleconomic, natural resource, andrecreational value for the state. Itis the largest remaining workingforest in the Carrabasset Valley.Franklin County has the highestpercentage of workers in the forestproducts industry in Maine,meaning that jobs will beprotected as a result of theacquisition.

This land buffers the AppalachianTrail, is on snowmobile Route 115

along with four miles of the state-sanctioned all-terrain vehicle trailsystem.

The Orbeton Stream property isowned and managed by LinkletterTimberlands that uses the fiber tosupply its pellet mill, Maine’slargest, directly supporting 40employees. Protecting the samewill keep these state’s forests intimber production and also ensureaccess for outdoor recreation.,hunting, fishing, boating andswimming. The entire OrbetonStream parcel is premier nativebrook trout habitat and has beendesignated by the federalgovernment as critical to Atlanticsalmon.

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AmishNEWS

The Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack hasannounced nationwide closings of 131 USDA related Farm ServiceAgencies and Natural Resources offices within 90 days, approximatelythe first of June as presently proposed. this will be the FarmService Agency in Warren that serves Knox and Lincoln Counties, theFood and Nutrition Service (FNS) in Augusta that services KennebecCounty and the NRCS, Natural Resource Conservation Service officein Presque Isle. Calling this measure a blueprint for a stronger service,it may mean that services will not be curtailed just shuffled bytechnicians working out of more cloistered offices els ewhere in Mainecrossing over county lines to react to farmer needs. This is a mandateof the 2008 Farm Bill that also asks for faster service by the use ofinformation tech and innovative businesses approach traditions. Thisis expected to save $150 million annually.

USDA Closing offices in Maine

The Maine Farm ServiceAgency would like to reminddairy producers of importanteligibility requirements forpayment under the MilkIncome Loss Contract program(MILC). Dairy prices mayauthorize potential MILCenrollees need to notify thelocal county office withdocumentation showingeligible milk production andcommercial milk marketing for the monthswith a MILC payment rate in effect.

When producers are enrolled, a payment startmonth is selected. This month remains thesame through all program years, unless achange is requested by the dairy. Dairyproducers are allowed to change their startmonth an unlimited number of timesthroughout their enrollment . MILC programparticipants are also required to comply withFSA's Adjusted Gross Income requirementseach fiscal year. This certification, on a CCC-931, form must be completed prior to apayment being disbursed. New dairies thathave not previously participated in the MILCprogram will need to fill out CCC-580, MilkIncome Loss Contract.

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TheMaine Forest Servicewants to establish arule for lawfullyposting propertyagainst trespass by theuse of the color purpleexterior latex paint forall boundary markings.Questions? Call 207287-4906 or [email protected].

Property linemarking colorssoon required

Waiting on planting season

Itwill not be long andfarmers of the greaterSomerset County areawill be bringing invegetables, crafts andbaked goods to theroomy old county jailspaces now taken upby various farmerrelated businessendeavors andc r a f t s p e o p l edowntown. The storeis near the big Indian.

Activity here is scant,this time of year butgrowers of the regionhave a busy market inseason catering tothose wanting fresh.

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harvests, maintenance with higher fuel

Article by Emily Adams


For this interview, Cheryl was joined byher cousin, Eddie Herbest, who spent manyyears with Carroll, ran his own operation for atime, and now drives for a freight company.Some widows might have called it quits andliquidated their assets. She did not want or needto. Beyond her office door, the men knew whatto do. In the home office, she had done thecompany’s paperwork.

Carroll had downsized to running four tofive trucks this time last year. He passed awayMarch 30, 2011, as a result of a heart attack. Thecrew worked the remaining two weeks, thenmud season started.

Cheryl is running three trucks, currently,and two more are road ready. The businesssupports her and provides work for the crew.Family is part of that, including 22-year-oldgrandson, Bradley Brown, and son-in-law,Chad Grant, nephew Jason Gerrish anddedicated employee and friend Ron Martin andRoscoe Green. Her other son-in-law, DannyBrown, who has his own trucking business andwho had lost his father only two weeks prior toCarroll’s death, also joined in with a helpinghand to haul wood with his own trucks.

The weather this winter has not been goodfor harvesting. Warm weather and rains keptthe ground wet and unfrozen. Land managersare quick to shut down operations to prevent

damage to the land such as rutscaused when the ground cannotsupport heavy equipment.Winter shutdowns force landmanagers to alter plans theymade back in the summer whenthey set up the lots that weresupposed to be cut in the winter,assuming the ground would befrozen. Balmy weather can forceoperations to get redirected toareas that would normallyotherwise be cut in thesummertime. From freeze-upuntil break-up in the spring in

March (and, on rare occasions, April) it is a raceagainst time, cramming as much woods work intoa week before mud season, then hoping theground will dry out enough by June—in a badyear well into July—so work can start again. Itmeans long days for woods people.

When Eddie was a crane operator he used toremark that, instead of working “day and night”as mud season approached, the woods crew wouldwork night and day, starting at nine o’clock atnight and working when temperatures were stillcold enough to keep the unpaved roads fromforming deep ruts. They might have to be off theroad by 12 noon. Or, if temperatures stayed cold,they could continue. They would cram 70 or 80hours into four-and-a-half days.

Other times of the year it is not unusual forwoods workers to get up at four or five o’clock inthe morning, sometimes as early as two or three.The people in this industry want to do this kindof work, but getting manpower can be difficult.The remoteness of the job site and nature of the

shifts means it makes more economic senseto stay away from home during the weekrather than commute. That lifestyle limits thepool of interested workers. The Carroll Russell Trucking campconsists of house trailers owned by GreatNorthwoods, LLC on Ragmuff Road nearMile 57 on the Golden Road. They haveelectricity, so they can warm their meals in amicrowave, and satellite TV. They can getcellphone service near the camp. Somecamps have satellite internet service.

On Sundays, Cheryl cooks two days’worth of food for the crew: roasts, lasagna,American chop suey, or a boiled dinner and

rolls with pies and cookies. The men spendMonday and Tuesday nights at the camp,return home Wednesday night, return to thewoods Thursday morning, stay Thursdaynight, and then go home and spend Friday,Saturday and Sunday nights with theirfamilies. Fridays and Saturdays are spentdoing maintenance and repairs on equipment.Some woods camps might have a cookhouse, but not sleeping quarters for everyone.Some drivers sleep in the sleeper of theirtrucks.

Maneuvering a truck in the woods takessome getting used to. Turning them aroundin tight situations, getting up hills in thewintertime or, failing that, backing them upwithout leaving the road is not easy fornewcomers. When trucks did not have powersteering, driving was an arm-aching task.

Years ago the labor was more laborintensive. Fortunately for Carroll, he was notafraid of hard work. Eddie remembers him

(d)

he tradition of log hauler and harvesterCarroll Russell did not end with his unexpecteddeath last year at the age of 67. His widow,Cheryl Russell, 62, and her crew have continuedto grease the wheels of the north woodseconomy, cutting tree-length logs andsupplying mills from the home base inOrneville.

From her home office and attached truckgarage at 466 Lyford Road, Cheryl does thepaperwork associated with Carroll RussellTrucking.

Carroll drove truck for two decades beforegoing into business for himself in the 1980s. Hegrew the fleet to 13 and then expanded intoharvesting in 2004. He left Cheryl with aharvester, grapple skidder and delimber thattoday would cost $1 million to replace. Keys to Carroll’s success were his passionfor trucks, patience to work on them, an abilityto improvise, a good rapport with his workers,and a tireless work ethic.

Peterbilts were his favorite trucks. Theywere easy to work on, the cabs were tight, theytook a beating and they still held their value.The trucks have 475 and 550 h.p. Cat and 515 h.p.Detroit engines. The Stairs and Manac trailershave triple axles. Log loads are limited to102,000 lbs. on public ways. Off road, loadsweigh up to 175,000-200,000 lbs. on the privatenetwork of woods roads. Carroll had areputation for hauling big roads withoutrunning oversized trailers.

The company cuts for Great Northwoods,LLC and hauls to various mills. Tree-lengthlogs leave the Baxter State Park and Ragmuffregions and head west along the Golden Roadright to Saint-Zacharie, Quebec where there isa sawmill, D&G, and another mill to the northin Daaquam.

Widow continues business of log transport,

2012 Mainely Agriculture Logging / Maple Sap Spring Issue 9upending four-foot logs by hand into the river feeding the GreatNorthern mill in Millinocket. In the winter, truckers would drive ontothe ice and unload on the ice. There is a 1959 photo of the truck he droveafter leaving high school in the ninth grade. He did not stray far fromhis Derby and Orneville roots. He loved the woods and trucks and hadno desire to do anything else.

Cheryl was from this area, too. She worked for Dexter Shoe Co.for 25 years and did payroll manually before transitioning to Carroll’soperation full-time. They married in 1965 and had two daughters, Bonnieand Crystal, who each have two children. Twentysomething Carrollstayed at Eddie’s grandparents’ great, big farmhouse up the hill fromwhere Carroll and Cheryl eventually settled. Calvin “Sonny” Herbestwas a year older than Carroll and was his best friend. For the first twodecades of his career,Carroll drove for otheroperators (NelsonRublee, RichardDority, TinkerBurchill and, for tenyears, Paul Foulkes).He always knew hewould have his owntrucks some day. Hisemployees includedSonny Herbest, RalphHerbest, Danny Royal,Fred Spaulding, KevinRoyal, Henry Heal,Eric Young and many

others. Henry was afavorite because heand Henry had bothworked for Foulkesand were both cut fromthe same cloth: die-hard truckers.

When Carroll gotinto harvesting, he hada general idea of whatit involved and coulddo most of the repairs.He had concluded thatexpanding intoharvesting was worththe extra revenuedespite the addedresponsibilities.

The biggestchallenge in thisindustry over the years

has been the rising costof fuel. Operators arelucky these kinds oftrucks get 3.5 mpg;none of them get over4.5 mpg. A sharp hikein gas pricescompounds matters,because operatorsscramble to changetheir own prices tokeep pace. Thenumber of millsbuying lumber hasdeclined with the lossof stud mills in Milfordand Passadumkeag.The prices paid byQuebec mills leaveroom for profit. But themoney to be made isnot what it was adecade ago. Thewoods industry startedto show signs ofcontracting in 2005.

Negative changesin the economicclimate have includeda less personablebanking culture.Cheryl does not haveto worry about that,since her equipment ispaid for. But, lookingback, younger bankagents seemed lessapproachable and lessflexible than the oldtimers were, eventoward operators wholived within theirmeans to makeequipment payments.

Cow Team Road Mutton Lane

Agriculture’s

#Farmer Fact 9: Cabbage : Cruciferous plant of various edible varieties with compact head.


Raw soybeans contain several anti nutritionalcompounds which at first mention, may seemto run counter in adding it as a supplement tocattle, pig, goat or sheep feed but as with allthings, moderation is key to adding anysupplement in your overall feed program. Thegood thing about soy is a grower may likelyallow a small livestock holder to drive apickup under a harvester that needs cleaningout at this time of year andthe resulting amountdumped into barrels couldlast several years in futureuse for small livestockowners. Soy is now a majorUS crop sold to China.

Anti-trypsin is themain enzyme that breaksdown protein in the gastrointestinal tract. If fed raw,soy should only become atiny “salt and pepper” feedapproach. We know fromexperience with our sheep,that too much raw bean willcause an animal to go offstandard feed until the bodyhas time to pass the excesssoy oils ingestion. Wethereby suggest just a weesprinkle supplementapproach to various feeds inyour available feed such as crimped oats mixedwith ground corn/barley and/or a molasseslivestock feed for sheep and goats. TractorSupply carrys a cheap “livestock” mix. Notgood if fed alone but good as an additionaladditive mix. We also mix in medicated pellets

for the benefit of that tiny amount of a thevariety pelleted food source processing andlimiting /lowering the medication.

When and if you take time to roast soy, justhow much to roast, we have no experience withbut are told that prior anti nutritionalcompounds are mitigated with cooking in abean roaster and could invite larger portion

allowances. As soy ishigh in fat, soy oil has afairly low saturationvalue for non ruminants.Pigs fed whole cookedbeans at above 10% of thenormal ration will growproperly, but the carcassfat will be soft/runnyfrom reports of piggrowers on the web.Logic taken then forpigs, again is somethingless than 5% of totalamount fed - the salt andpepper approach -cooked or uncooked.Likewise, feedingcooked or uncooked soyto dairy animals canresult in off flavors inaged cheese, but otherthan that, the fodder isgreat for ruminants, high

in protein and fat (energy). A soy oil residue isa filler with little or no fat and again is high inprotein and comes with none of the aboveproblems and this can be ordered at most feedstores as “cull soy shells. “

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Maine Agriculture 2012 teacher of the year

Agriculture’s

#Farmer Fact 10: Cade: (of the young) left by the mother & raised by hand,

Erik Wade, the science and mathteacher for grades 6,7 & 8 at Hope Elementaryhas been named the 2012 MAITC Teacher ofthe year with an announcement by AgCommissioner Walter Whitcomb at the AGTrades Show, January 11. His work todevelop a school-wide composting program aswell as the integration of a garden andgreenhouse has earned this recognition. MrWade has adapted lessons that includeconcepts from the garden project into all 3grade levels and align to the state and nationalstandards. His students have designed raisedbeds, presented them to the school board, andplanted a variety of vegetables in 2011 withflowers. They study pollination, plant systems,botany and the water cycle. A parent groupmeets after school to support the program inspring and summer to water and weed.

His award was presented at the MaineAgriculture in the Classroom annual meetingby Commissioner of Education, StephenBowen. In June 2012, Erik will travel to theNational AITC Conference in Loveland,Colorado.

MAITC has as its mission to promoteunderstanding of agriculture and natural resourceswith children, educators and the public. Contact:Willie Grenier 287-5522.

AUGUSTA – There were 52 logs; 40volunteers; 8 trees from 8 differentsites; 7 landowners; 2 workshops; andbest of all, no emerald ash borer. TheMaine Forest Service, MaineDepartment of Conservation, finishedup its bark-peeling project to look forevidence of the invasive insect,emerald ash borer (EAB). The resultswere just what MFS entomologistswere hoping for. After peeling 52 logsdown to the cambium, or living layer,the volunteers found no tell-tale signsof the harmful EAB that is threateningMaine’s forests, officials said.

Seven landowners from centralMaine, who earlier this year createdtree traps to look for emerald ash bor-er, brought wood samples to the two

workshops to be examined for signsof the insect, and asked land owners tovolunteer to make tree traps for EABby girdling a tree, or stripping barkfrom around an ash tree. Girdling thetree causes the tree to become stressedand release chemicals attractive to theinsect.

The tree-girdling project grew out ofefforts of the Black Ash Task Force,a collaboration of the MFS, Universi-ty of Maine, Maine Indian Basket-makers Alliance and the U.S. ForestService and members of the Penob-scot Nation EAB, has not been foundin Maine. Nationally, ash borer haskilled thousands of trees.

Jennifer Neptune displaysstrips of brown ash used tocreate miniature baskets.Insect emerald ash borer,destroys ash, essential tothe native traditional craft.

Bark-Peeling Shows No Sign of Invasive Insect

A new reportindicates that hardwoodgrowth is 16.6 percent higherthan in 1995 for 351 milliontons, says the James W. SewallCompany, a natural resourceconsulting firm from OldTown. With growth exceedingharvests on a statewide basisby 6 percent, this growth hasoccurred at a time when pulpand paper mills around thestate have been significantlyincreasing consumption ofhardwood pulpwood for thepast several decades. TheSewall report nonethelessexpresses concern aboutregional differences inhardwood harvesting. It notesthat southern and westernforests in Maine, particularlysouth and west of Waterville,are growing faster than theyare being harvested; that ineastern Maine, harvest andgrowth essentially arebalanced; and in northern

Maine, harvests are exceedinggrowth.. According to thereport, Maine’s hardwoodinventory is made up of 45percent maple, 23 percentbirch, 11 percent poplar/aspenand smaller percentages ofoak, beech, ash and othercommercial species. Theanalysis examined harvestingon 17.06 million acres ofprivate, state and localtimberlands. It also is focusedon the traditional hardwoodroundwood resources of sawlogs and pulp wood. It did notaddress the harvesting of non-traditional fiber volumes, suchas early thinnings and loggingresiduals now left in thewoods as sources of energy,from biomass boilers to liquidfuels. A 2008 report writtenby the Maine Forest Servicehas indicated these resourcescan contribute to a strongerand expanded forest economy.

Agriculture’s

#


Scot and Christine Adams, have many goals for their operation at MoonshadowFarm. “But our primary goal,” says Scot, “is to have fat and happy cows.” In achievingthat goal, the Adams’ have placed a high priority on conservation that benefits not onlytheir livestock, but theland, as well. Practicessuch as erosion controlmeasures, improvementsin water management,and rotational grazingare examples of why thesupervisors at SomersetCounty Soil and WaterConservation Districtselected the Adams as2011 OutstandingFarmers of the Year. Scot & ChristineAdams started their 124-acre farm, in Starks in1997, with one beefanimal and one goat. Asthe operation grew, andthey learned more, onecattle breed intriguedScot more than most.“While I respect all cattlebreeds,” Scot admitted,“I have a passion for Belties.” “Belties”, or Belted Galloways, have been in the country since the 1940s. A ScottishHighland breed, they are easily identified by the wide white belt around their middles.They are of smaller stature and produce lean meat. The Belted Galloways come in threecolors; black, dun, and red. Hardy, adaptable, and unique, the breed has enjoyedincreased popularity in recent years. Part of the reason for the Belted Galloway’sincrease in visibility in Maine is Scot Adams. Showing at fairs, cattle shows, andnational sales appeals to his competitive nature, and winning ribbons promotes thebreed. “I want our herd to be the best in the country,” says Adams. “Visibility is key,”he says. “We can now sell at auction via webcam over the internet. Moonshadow Farmcattle have been sold to buyers all over the country.” Adams takes pride in the fact thatthe Moonshadow name is attached to the genetics of national champions. Promotingnot only the Belted Galloway cattle breed, but Maine beef overall, Scot serves on theBoard of Directors for the Maine Beef Producers Association. “Maine lobster is

identified as the best in the world,”says Adams. “There’s no reasonwhy Maine beef can’t have thatsame distinction.”

Raising quality beef in asustainable way starts with theland. As beginning farmers,assistance, guidancerecommendations given throughthe USDA Natural ResourcesConservation Service (NRCS)helped prioritize projects and planfor improvements. “Working withNRCS made our vision a reality –and that’s huge.” Participating in

programs with Somerset County NRCS field office, Scot and Christine have addressedmultiple conservation issues on the farm. They looked at managing roof water runoffthrough a unique system that was engineered to prevent erosion, heavy use areas,rotational grazing, and additional conservation planning has also contributed to thestress-free atmosphere the Adams’ want their cattle to enjoy. “How can cattle be happywhen they’re standing knee deep in mud?” says Christine. “The heavy use areas arebetter for our herd’s health and better for the land.” Christine Adams manages the feeding and genetics program at the farm. “Geneticsis an interesting thing,” she says. “We try to replicate success, but it doesn’t alwayswork.” The herd of approximately thirty swells to nearly fifty in the summertime.Christine keeps a close eye on the number of animals on the farm, making sure theymaintain a controllable number. “We both have full time jobs off the farm,” says Scot.“We find it best to keep the herd size manageable.” Another important part of managing,says Scot, is to work with the animals on a regular basis. “We want them to be tame,not wild. We spend hours getting them used to being brushed and combed, plus walkingwith a harness and lead rope.” This handling and training pays off during cattle showsand competitions, but also serves another important aspect of agriculture to the ownersof Moonshadow Farm. Scot and Christine have a strong commitment to education andyouth involvement and are active in their local 4-H chapter. “I’m in farming for the long

Moonshadow Farm, 2011 Somerset County Conservation District Farm

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haul,” says Scot, “but the average ageof today’s farmer is fifty-seven.We’ve worked hard to makeMoonshadow Farm what it is. I want

that to continue.”Helping teach the 4-Hgroup to raise calves,show and compete inthe ring, and attendsales has additionalbenefits. “We get fourvacations every year,”says Christine,“showing cattle at fairs.And we love it.” Scot and Christinewill have theopportunity in a fewweeks to show theircattle at the 2012National BeltedGalloway Sale inFryeburg, Maine, April26-30. As BeltedGalloway BreedRepresentative for thenational sale, Scot sees

the event as an opportunity to not onlypromote the breed but to take time tohelp with the youth show.

Farmer Fact 11: Eugenics: Science of improving offspring by selection of parent blood lines.

Wood Inventory Forecasts Opportunity


Continued from page one

is amongthe first to relate that Cianbro CEOPeter Vigue has been a one manshow in his several years’ attemptto get state planners, the public,legislators, citizens and, theDepartment of Transportation tolook at new road building in termsof need, creating new work andimproving Maine’s transportationneeds or failure for north, south,east and west. Vigue and nowSenator Thomas and mbers of theLePage appointed TransportationCommittee think this is a greatpotential boon for Maine’sgeography, so close to Quebec,New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.The fact that no direct east westroad exists or has existed for so

many years, points out aneconomic planning oversight ofmajor proportions. Long ago aproposal to send drivers south westalong an improved Rte 2 wasfought by northern agriculturalinterests and mile wise did notreally save miles, no matter if itseemed politically satisfactory tosouthern Maine interests. A morecentral and new road as the crowflies would speed goods and savepetroleum for all concerned innorthern and central Maine,transversing some 2/3 thirds of thestate’s territory. Vigue has hostedor visited public officials inQuebec, Nova Scotia, NewBrunswick, and New Found Landto garner provincial support and

- Cianbro CEO Peter Vigue

the Associated Builders of Maine andrepresentatives of lodging and smallbusinesses near the proposed corridor. Aspokesman for the Maine Motor TransportAssociation, Tim Doyle, said truckers wouldsave hundreds of dollars if such a road existedeach trip. Vigue has kept the Cianbro projectdesign close to his vest but informed thehearing attendees the road will avoid built upareas yet be near the same to both serve all toand from travel and like any major highwayspeed all goods and services economically,much like an interstate with short cut routing.

On Thursday of that week the Committeevoted to send the bill to the Senate and Housefor consideration and informed the public theexact route of the proposed highway wouldbe part of the study plan for a highway thatwould potentially cost between $1-2 billion toconstruct.

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Farmer Fact # 12:Agriculture’s

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to garner provincial support andhas garnered direct words ofsupport from Quebec and NewBrunswick public leaders.

At a hearing held February 14 inAugusta, some of the first wordsof discontent against theproposed project were voicedoutside the hearing location by afew calling themselves“Defending Water for Life”. This,despite any previous publicrelease that any engineered designfor the new road will ever disruptwaterways, streams, ponds orlakes within a heretofore nonpublic route plan. Contrary to allroad building is little if anydisruption of waterways and theinherent extra construction costsfor more bridges than necessaryor added costly road maintenanceand environmental causes to delayconstruction. The full road planis also a closely held design atpresent as would all private tollroad projects remain until allrights of way and land purchasesare secured and the feasibilitygrade study is completed.

There was some critique comingwithin the hearing from thepresident of the Maine RailTransit Coalition, Tony Donovan,when he indicated he did notknow of any goods that are soimportant to ship it would beworth building such an expensiveroad. This coming from a railspokesman knowing thathistorically the only east westtransport arm across Mainepresently is the former CP rail linenow managed by the Maine,Montreal and Maritimes RailRoad Company and is likely a rail

mirror to the future of thegeography of such a new highway.

“Maine has every potential tobecome the Northeast tradegateway...” (between ourneighbors on the east west, northand south), Vigue testified. Longa proponent for no longer placingMaine at the end of the line tonorth south transport andinvestment thinking, such ahighway says Vigue would upendthat economic negativity and fireup faster transport schedules andsave petroleum costs long term.

LD 1671 would approve anestimated $300,000 in the study’sfunding that the bill’s sponsorSen. Doug Thomas calls aninvestor-grade study, the fee forwhich to come from federalsourcing. Vigue says such aproject investor study would IDassets such as utilities wantingaccess east west across Maine forelectric wire transmission,Internet, pipelines etc. Suchinvestors would potentially helppay for the project long term withtolling to keep Maine state taxeslowered. The example ofcontinued tolls along the MaineTurnpike many years after theinitial cost of the highway waspaid off has been cited by Gov.Paul LePage as another source tofund this project and a logicalsource for funding.

Among those speaking in supportof the investor grade study were

crane operators and like the drivers who now get unloaded by the two crane operators, there have had to be changes inthe old ways. The upright locations on each truck must now accommodate the larger grapple the huge crane has fittedto unload. When all trucks are finally modified, it should take just two grapples to unload each truck end for end, theway loads already come into the yard with log tops facing each other as loaded on the yards of the many local woodlots. Previously, two portable slashers with loaders moved about the lumber yard sizing and grading, sawing and loading,reloading logs for processing at the mill and stacking them in rows such as pictured in the background here. A processof loading, unloading slashing, reloading into stacks to be moved one more time to the mill was needed. Now everythingworking in a circle at the foot of the crane goes to the mechanized slasher which sizes cuts ends and moves by conveyorto bins logs of differing lengths for processing at the mill nearby. Some 6-8 steps removed completely with feweroperators, less equipment, less maintenance, less fuel. Not often a neat appearing method in the past. Many steps were

taken long before milloperators even saw logscome in ready fordimension production. Thecrane has eliminated quite afew pieces of agingequipment subject tobreakdown and a slowerproduction pace and offersa neater stacked appearanceto the overall yard layout. Avery dramatic circular pileof logs to passers by.

Surprisingly, the majorityof the spruce that comesinto Pleasant River Lumberis taken within an 80 mileradius of Dover-Foxcroft,making this a highlyproductive part of Mainefor this species of log, not tomention the other types ofwood harvested upon thesame lots and yards that goto other local mills for otherproduct manufacture suchas biomass, firewood,hardwood lumber, veneerand more.

While the Brochu brotherskept the actual cost ofmoving the crane into theiroperation here tothemselves they indicated abrand new version of thesame would be $1.5 millionif purchased from thefactory and they havefurther crunched thenumbers and the costs tomaintaining the previousportable slashers, loadersand other former equipmentto know their crane will turna quick payback to thechanges it will help bring

about.

Perhaps like the crane itself, Pleasant River Lumber will soon dominate Maine home construction lumbermanufacture as boldly as the crane itself takes that image in the here and now.


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Farmer Fact 13: Lemming: Small mouselike rodent of far north.Agriculture’s

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Farmer Fact 14:

The Maine Agency ofFarm Family Insurance

We have an agent near you.

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Tom FosterDan Foster659 Church Hill Rd.Augusta207.622-4646

Ron Kofstad26 Rice StreetPresque Isle207.764-5645

Mike Fitzpatrick309 Main StreetBrewer207.989-8880

Greg Warren60 Main StreetBucksport207.469-7322

Miller Associates636 US Rt 1 Box 7Scarborough207.510-6301

Todd Walker2 Main StreetRichmond207.737-4200

Jane Nelson913 Main StreetVassalboro207.680-2520800.839-4435

Andy Daigle400 Main StreetMadawaska207.726-4348

Randy Lincoln24 North StreetHoulton207.532-2016

Eric HartJohn Heller20 Main StreetLivermore Falls207.597-2500

PatrickMcLaughlinPO Box 32Alfred207.490-0918


Resources, Logging, Recreation, Woods, Fields, Water & Commerce

OUT ON A LIMBA look at Wildlife Treesfor your Woodlot

A look at wildlife treesfor your wood lot

Wikipedia picture North American Wood Duck

PO Box 1343, Ellsworth [email protected]

Legend: Non historical/unverifiable story handed down by tradition.

Aroostook potato farmersNorma and Bernard Shaw, have received the2012 Distinguished Service Award presentedby Agricultural Commissioner WalterWhitcomb at the Ag Trades Show in January.The award is given to the Shaws as lifetimeadvocates for Maine Agriculture. Whitcombnoted, “I am very pleased to present this awardto the Shaws, two of the most accomplished,yet humble, contributors to Maine’s agriculturecommunity.” The natives of Limestone alsoheard Whitcomb say, “Their years of serviceand ability to focus on the positive aresomething we all should emulate.”

The couple are married 61 years and ran asuccessful farm raising 3 children whilemaintaining volunteer work with local, stateand national organizations and asadministrators of Windsor Fair, work with theAugusta Food Bank helping to expand it in the

80s from serving 20 families to more than 900needy people.

A lifelong farming advocate, Bernardserved as Maine Agriculture Commissionerfrom 1988 - 1996. He held positions withnumerous Ag organizations, including theMaine Potato Council, Maine Potato Board,Aroostook County Extension Service, NationalPotato Promotion Board, and the AgriculturalBargaining Council, in addition to representingMaine for many years at The Big E - TheEastern States Exposition. At the state level,he also served for eight years on the Land forMaine’s Future Board, and was director of theFinance Authority of Maine. At the local level,Bernard was a member of the Limestoneschool and planning boards.

Shaw family noted for 2012 Distinguished Service AwardNorma Shaw flanked by Gov. Paul LePage, husband Bernard flanked by Ag CommissionerWalter Whitcomb an.d various farm family members at 71st Ag Trades Show in January

Maine’s snowpackwas at its lowest levelshistorically, accordingto this year’s MaineCooperative SnowSurvey. The resultscan be described inone word, accordingto Robert Johnston,Maine GeologicalSurvey (MGS) as“Sparse.” Only 14 of59 sites hadmeasurable snow, thegeologist said with 17recording a trace ofsnow, which amountsto about one-third ofan inch of snow, whilethe remaining 28 sites

had no snow at all. Theoverall water contentthroughout the state,was in the lowest 10percent of historicmeasurements.

Conducted for severaldecades to determinepotential floodingforecast models. Datais shared with theMaine EmergencyManagement Agencyand county emergencyofficials and alsoamong Maine hydrocompanies to hold orrelease reservoirs.

Snow Pack Historic low

Agriculture’s

#

By Gordon MooreDistrict Forester

This sure has beena weird winter, if we cancall it winter. More of along late fall into earlyspring season.Considering the roadsand timber marketconditions right now, Ifigure it’s a good time tomake end of the runinspections on timberharvests. Right now is avery good time to be outlooking at harvestswhich were conductedduring the winter andcruising through yourwoodland in general.The snow is low, youmay not even needsnowshoes, (skiing maybe a bit rough) and thereis no leaf cover to hidethings. During myinspections it has beenstriking me that loggersseem to have gotten themessage when it comesto wildlife trees. Leavingwildlife trees in placeduring a timber harvestis one of the places inwhich we can have a realbeneficial effect onwildlife. Consider theWood Duck. About 1930many people believedthe beautiful little woodduck would go extinct.Then a guy named FrankBellrose began to look

into the life history of thebird. What he found wasjust common sense. Wehad been pretty busybuilding farms andcutting trees to buildhouses and moving allthat wood around(mostly by water in theearly days) that wehadn’t noticed that wehad taken a lot of the bigtimber right along thewater ways. Before wetook most of it, that bigtimber would naturallydecline due to old ageand develop cavitiesmany times where oldbranches had died,decayed and broken offleaving a hollow.Sometimes woodpeckers had madeexcavations into thecenter of larger trees andthat left a hollow area inthe stem. The key thinghere was the size of thetree. Wood ducks maybe small compared to us,but they need a hollow inthe tree about one footby one foot with anopening about fourinches across. Theywould also prefer thatthe opening be up fairlyhigh on the stem, thiscalls for a pretty big oldtree. Now Mr. Bellrosefigured out the Ms.Wood Duck would setup housekeeping in abox if it was in the rightlocation and had the right

view. This helped a lotwith that extinctionproblem, but the real keyto the re-establishmentof the Wood Duck wasallowing timber to growto maturity along ourwater ways and therebyallowing for the creationof natural cavities wherethe Wood Duck couldthrive. Now the WoodDuck is only one of alarge number of wildthings that use treecavities for nesting aswell as many otherfunctions in there dailylives. We only know apart of the importance ofthe effects of thesefunctions on things thatwe depend on from theforest. We know it’simportant not to removeall cavity trees from theforest. And these cavitytrees remain importanteven when they falldown. I won’t go into allthat right here, just takemy word for it, itsimportant. So now herecome the foresters andloggers, how do we dealwith all this now.

Having your forestermark wildlife treesand/or give loggersdirection as to theimportance of leavingthese artifacts in place isa good start.You don’t really need toleave all that many on agiven acre so you reallyaren’t loosing that muchincome. The benefits towildlife will benefit youas well. There are waysthat Maine ForestService DistrictForesters can help you toconsider wildlife treesand how to manage themduring a timber harvest.You can find your localMaine Forest ServiceForester by going to theForest Service Web sitewww.maineforestservice.gov and look for yourdistrict or call (207) 287-2791 or 1-800-367-0223.

- Your horse’s health is our business -Farm Calls - Hospitalization - EmergenciesTel. 207 525-4596 452 Goshen [email protected] Winterport, ME

KennethMulder Seminar from

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Estrella’s FeedFamily MarketFeed Depot

StoreHoof’n It TackHorse StuffKatahdin TrailsLyman’s SupplyMcK’s Variety

General StoreMorse Grain ShedNewcomb’s inOutlet StoreRoger’s MarketShirley GeneralSmart’s HwdeThe Potting Shed3Rivers FeedToot’s DeliWilliam’s General

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Consignment Sales Every Sunday * Estate Sales1 800 254-2214 [email protected]

207 948-2214 www.houstonbrooks.com

Agriculture’s

#

This Advertsize just $5.in Classifieds

Farmer Fact 15: Persimmon: Edible plum fruit tree of genus Diospyros, good when dried.


The new 2012Common Ground Fairposter design is availablefor sale for fair goers andreaders wanting the $10artwork for their walls.The Veazie, Maine artistLindsey Monroe Marstonused garlic scapes as thetheme in full colorlithography. Go [email protected] toorder or call 568-4142 orfax 568-4141,

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. A day longevent featuring a vari-ety classes focused ongardening, forestryand rural life. Admin-istered by the WaldoCounty Extension As-sociation and co-spon-sored by MOFGA.The event will takeplace inThorndike and will bea fundraiser for a localscholarship given tograduating WaldoCounty high schoolstudents pursuinghigher education. Formore information,contact the Extensionoffice at 1-800-287-1426

with KevinFord, $100, class

limted to 8, TBALocation.

fee $35same fee.

C o n t a c t :[email protected] 1800 287-1471sponsored by UMCEand Maine SheepBreeders Association

sponsoredby NRCS and UMCE,$15 including lunchC o n t a c t :www.umaine.edu.livestock/mgfn

MaineGrass FarmersNetwork withPineland FarmsNatural Meats, MaineBeef Producers,UMCE and NortheastHearing & Speech willhost speaker

The Fairgrounds isthe place to befor the annual

to see a full display of goats,sheep, catle, rabbits, Llama,Alpaca, fleece to buy, animals tobuy at auction and more. Meatrabbits are for sale as well from anenclosed building and they drawthe crowds looking for a tasty meal

for the table. A rival to chicken,rabbit has a flavor all its own andgarners family efforts in raising fora controlled meat supply and youthlessons. Goats are shown incompetition and treated likefamily the way they are washedand combed out. The cattleauction has buyers from all overand cash for 4 H and FHA owners.

EXPO

Buy the paint and decals1. All new hydraulics2. New 6 V battery3. Rebuilt Generator4. Rebuilt Starter5. Rebuilt Carburetor6. New front tires7. All new fluids drained twice and installed8. New tube in rear tire treads good9. Will be using to move snow until sold

10. Asking $4,50011. Raymond Harvey family owned and serviced

Will trade valued items partialmoney with sale. Wally Sinclair

Tel. 207-965-2332 no calls after 8pmTractor located in Milo

Tanja N. Ebel, D.V.M.

Team Sheep Shearingwith Edie Kirshner& Wally Sinclair

Rte 11A 222 Charleston Rd.Charleston, ME 04422

Email - [email protected] site - MaplelanefarmsMaine.com

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BANGOR - FundingBANGOR - Funding isavailable to Ag producers tomake energy-efficiency andrenewable-energy changes.Loans and grants throughthe Rural Energy for Amer-ica Program (REAP) areguaranteed loans, and/orwith grants, can be used fordevelopment & constructionof energy systems and effi-ciency improvement proj-ects. Grants can fund up to25% of eligible project costs,and loan/grant combina-tions fund up to 75%. Formore information, contactBeverly Stone, in Bangor, at990-9168 .

Energy Loans &Grants Available

Call, email965-2332

[email protected]

[email protected]

- Cockshutt 30 -


Pleasant River Lumber recently assembled anderected a huge crane shipped from Alabama to improve this growinglumber manufacturing operation here. The track driven cranedominates the landscape some 90 feet into the air and while it is not abrand new crane - having been used in Alabama some 10 years - thebeast has shown in the first weeks of operation it will be able to unloadtrucks far quicker than contemporary much smaller loaders unloadingindividual trucks all over the yard. Organizationally alone, the cranewill place all raw material within reach of the permanent slasher andfurther mill processing by one man sitting high atop the yard.

shavings, bark and other waste materials for biomass boilers and ofcourse the standard dimension building materials needed for homeconstruction. In fact, some 41 million board feet of the annualproduction goes to retail stores in Maine, New Hampshire andMassachusetts, making the local transport of the same within relativelyshort overnight trucking runs. They do deliver to accounts as far southas Maryland however and new orders come in all the time.

Things for this mill operation location were not always as rosy asthree previous firms preceded the Brochu brothers in the past 25 yearsof operation. However local, state and federal investment in thePleasant River operation has helped the firm succeed with full waterlinepressure improvement and sprinkler systems in recent years that havecome from Community Development Block Grants and the so called“Ear-Mark” Congressional budgets to help make the operation as safeand as productive as it has become. The Brochu brothers come from 4generations of family members involved in logging and two generationsof lumber manufacture and is offset with family consulting when needed.

With the advent of the new crane, the yard where trucks come inand are weighed, unloaded and logs are then moved to the slasher arenow all situated in a very tall circle around the crane for the future, toallow the crane operators time to reload the slasher in between trucksarriving , lined up, and leaving. Harry Roberts and Wade Cookson are

Since Pleasant River also recently completedconstruction of a huge slasher building, the newcrane will save steps unloading trucks andplacing fully loaded truck amounts upon theconveyor to be sized automatically by theslasher operator as logs are cut by dimension,length and other factors to enable quickerlumber manufacture elsewhere upon companygrounds.

Getting the crane in place took 17 trucksfrom Alabama, bringing in all ties, track and

and the disassembledcrane from a formerchip mill in the southland. It wasmanufactured byEndurance EquipmentCompany in 2004, so itoffers a long terminvestment use forPleasant River Lumberadministered bybrothers Chris andJason Brochu. Theyoversee 82 employeeshere working in twoshifts and produce 90million board feet ofdimension lumber peryear at Dover-Foxcroftitself. They alsooperate Pleasant RiverPine in Hancock, aspecialty mill wherethey produce even

more dimension lumber and shavings for thelivestock bedding interests of New England.And this is also part of a 130 acre operation inWest Enfield where a huge dry kiln and planeris used to dry, plane and ship, some 15 millionboard feet of finished dimension material forwholesale sales.

Among the products manufactured thatare sold are sawdust and chips for pellet mills,

Agriculture’s

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