Volume 7 | September 2018
Your monthly news & updates
News and events for the Maine Beef Producers from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry, Maine Beef Producers Association and other agricultural organizations in Maine.
Thank you to folks who completed our 2018 University of Maine Cooperative Extension Agriculture Survey. If you didn't have a chance to complete it yet, here is the link to the survey.

What's New?
  • So You Want to Farm in Maine?
  • SeaLyon Farm 2018 Farmer/Veteran Field Day
  • Maine Farms for the Future Program, Round 18: Phase 1
  • Northeast SARE Invites Farmer Grant Applications
  • Items of Interest
  • Featured Resources
  • Upcoming Events
  • Newsletter Subscription Information
  • Mission and Quick Links

The Maine Beef Producers Association is proud to announce they are taking consignments for its annual "Bull, Heifer and Club Calf Show & Sale." The sale is held in conjunction with the  Fryeburg Fair   on Friday the 5th of October starting after the market steer auction in the Beef Show Barn.

   The MBPA started the sale in the late 80's as a way to offer quality Club Calves to 4-H kids for their projects in the following year. It was later expanded to include bulls to accommodate people looking for herd bull prospects. It was again expanded to include heifers born after September of the previous year for show heifer projects.

     These calves have followed the MBPA preconditioning requirements and are halter broke. There is a show preceding the sale where the calves are divided into weight classes and evaluated, with premiums offered by Fryeburg Fair.

    There have been a number of success stories arising from sale consignments, with champions from the various Baby Beef Show & Sales through out the state and one show heifer went on to be Grand Champion Belted Galloway at Eastern States Exposition.

We are taking consignments for our annual Bull, Heifer and Club Calf Sale. It is a great opportunity to showcase your operation or pick up a breeding animal or club calf for next year.

To consign or if you have any questions, please contact Ed Carter. Phone 207-877-1180 or  Miniacres1@myfairpoint.net  

The So You Want to Farm in Maine? series at multiple sites throughout Maine. In Bangor we will also offer it as a live feed and archived sessions.
This is the business planning course that meets FSA Borrower Training requirements. The goal is for you to finish the course with a farm plan to help to decide where you are going with your farm and how you are going to get there.

The Bangor edition will be the first four Tuesdays in October from 1 to 4 pm at the Penobscot County Extension Office. It will be live streamed and archived for those unable to attend in person.
Click here for the agenda for the program .  Online registration is available.


Sponsored by The United Farmer Veterans of Maine and the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT)  

SeaLyon Farm LLC, 788 Alna Road, Alna, Maine 04535.  POC: Marcia Lyons at mlyons@sealyonfarm.com  or 443-924-0352, text or call.
Event: September 29th, 0900 - 1600, must RSVP, includes lunch.

This will be a rewarding event to attend organized by Board Member, Richard Brzozowski of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and sponsored by NCAT. Don and Marcia Lyon are supplying most of the specifics with more information to come shortly. There will be a variety of activities, tours, demos, speakers and presentations. Limited registrations available.Please register now!

HERE IS THE REGISTRATION LINK.  https://maineveteranfarmer.eventbrite.com
Maine Farms for the Future Program, Round 18: Phase 1 -
 
The RFPs for MDACF grants for business plan development (Phase 1) and investment support (Phase 2) as authorized in the Maine Farms for the Future Program are available.  
A copy of the RFP, as well as the Question & Answer Summary and all amendments related to this RFP, can be obtained at this website.
 
Proposals must be received to the State of Maine Division of Procurement Services, located at the Burton M. Cross Office Building, 111 Sewall Street - 4 th  Floor, Augusta, ME 04330. Proposals must be submitted by 4:00 pm, local time, on Tuesday, October 16 th , 2018, when they will be opened. Proposals not received at the Division of Procurement Services’ aforementioned address by the aforementioned deadline will not be considered for contract award.
Northeast SARE Invites Farmer Grant Applications 

Northeast SARE is now accepting applications for the 2019 cycle of the  Farmer Grant  program. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on November 27, 2018. Projects awards are made in late February 2019 with projects to start in the spring. Application instructions and additional resources are available at this site at this site.

Learn More about SARE Farmer Grants Webinar
October 10, 2018 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. ET. Register here for this free webinar, Carol Delaney, Farmer Grant program coordinator, will provide information on program eligibility, how to apply, types of projects SARE funds, allowable expenses, and more. Bring your questions!
Items of Interest
Obsolete/ Unused Pesticide Disposal - The MDACF & MDEP are conducting another unused pesticide disposal this fall. If you have containers of pesticides that you no longer need or they are too old to use, sign up for the program here.
If you are experiencing a shortage of help on your farm this year, or have some creative solutions for finding workers, please share your experiences in  t his short survey
A recent article on shortage of farm workers appeared in the Portland Press Herald earlier this month.
Most Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry programs have moved to one 1-800 line, where calls will be forwarded to the appropriate program. The department-wide number is  1-800-367-0223 .
Firewood Scout - Maine is part of this site developed by the USDA Forest Service Wood Education & Resource Center to help residents and visitors to buy and use firewood locally, in an effort to slow the spread of invasive forest pests. You too can get your firewood business listed. Note: Emerald Ash Borer has been found in Maine.
Maine Grass Farmers Network has equipment (manure spreader and no-till drill) that members are able to use. 
Maine Hay Directory  - is available to help farmers with hay to sell and farmers looking for hay to buy. Be cautious of hay scams. 
Agrichemical and Fertilizer Suppliers in Maine  - compiled by David E. Yarborough, Extension Blueberry Specialist.  
Shared Use Farm Equipment - Maine Farmland Trust list.
Featured Resources
Webinar:
Direct farm marketers are invited to participate in a free “lunch and learn” webinar series. “In a world where, ‘If you aren’t on the web, you aren’t,’ the webinars will help direct farm marketers learn about online marketing tools and strategies to improve the effectiveness of their marketing efforts,” says Megan Bruch Leffew, University of Tennessee. Webinars are held the fourth Tuesday of each month (except December) from June 2018 – June 2019 at noon-1 p.m. Eastern. The series will cover a variety of topics related to marketing through websites, social media and email. A listing of topics and speakers and archived sessions is available on the Center for Profitable Agriculture website: ag.tennessee.edu/cpa/Pages/webinars.aspx​ .

National Beef Cattle Evaluation Consortium's 'Brown Bagger' educational series starting at noon (CST) on October 10th. Will include following topics: recent changes to genetic evaluation systems, novel trait development (PAP and water intake), encouraging data collection, correct breed utilization, and emerging decision support tools.  Register here.

Video:
Body Condition Scoring, an Important Fall Management Practice - Univ. Wisc. Extension - As we move into fall one of the management practices that is “time well spent” is body condition scoring the cows.
This provides us an opportunity to determine where they are, relative to where we want them to be at calving. From there we can group them accordingly, and determine ration needs. Dr. Glenn Selk, Oklahoma State Beef Specialist, describes body condition scoring the in this video clip.

Publications:

Body Condition Scoring Beef Cows: Body condition scores (BCS) describe the relative fatness of a cow through the us of a nine-point scale and is an effective tool for managing the nutrition program for beef herds. by R. Rasby, A. Stalker, and R. Funston.

Visit UMaine Extension online Publications Catalog for agricultural publications such as:

  • Managing and Marketing for Pasture-Based Livestock Production #2206 Provides an introduction to pasture-based livestock production, including sustainability, benefits, and the science and art of pasture-based systems. covers defining vision, mission, and goals; using resource inventories in farm planning; allocation of farm resources; and direct marketing; as well as marketing feeder cattle, dairy, and hay. 116 pages, 2006. On sale $15.00 (regular price $21.00.)
  • When to Call the Veterinarian - Tips for Producers of Small Ruminants in Maine #1049 As a sheep or goat producer, you will likely face livestock health challenges. Planning ahead by knowing when you would benefit from veterinary help, and budgeting for veterinary care, is part of good livestock management. This fact sheet can help you decide when a veterinarian is needed. 3 pages. © 2016 by University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Download it for free or buy a color copy. $0.50.
Upcoming Events
Maine Beef Producers Association
Join the Maine Beef Producers Association. 
The Maine Beef Producers Association is accepting dues for the 2018 year. Annual dues are $35. For an extra $25 you can get a year subscription to County Folks. For more information on this organization and for membership application go to  http://www.mainebeefproducersassociation.com/forms.html 

The Maine Beef Producers Association just started a new Facebook page. Like and follow to get the fastest information from Maine Beef Producers Association. Facebook
Newsletter Subscription Information
The Maine Beef Newsletter (MBN) is now received by over 660 readers, has been offered as an educational resource by University of Maine Cooperative Extension since 2011. As of January 1, 2015, the MBN transitioned to electronic-only delivery. There will still be four ways to receive the MBN from UMaine Extension:
1) Maine Beef Newsletter remains available online for free! You can sign up to receive the newsletter through your email or view the archived issues anytime at  http://bit.ly/PPfarming  If you currently do not have an email, you can get one for free from several email hosts. If you do not have a computer, community libraries have computers for you to use to access information on the Internet and to view your email.
2) Those with no email can opt to pay an annual subscription to receive the newsletters monthly for $15/year. If you are interested in subscribing send a $15 check made out to UMaine Extension to Piscataquis County Cooperative Extension, 165 East Main St., Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426. 
 3) A third option is to come into the Piscataquis or Penobscot County Extension Office and pick up a free printed copy of the newsletter. 
4) Maine Beef Producers Association members who do not have an email on file will receive a printed copy of the newsletter as a benefit of their membership. 
      We appreciate our readers referring others to the newsletter, and sharing it with your family and friends.
   Thank you for your continued support of the MBN, providing valuable agricultural information from Extension for beef producers and those interested in the beef industry in Maine since 2011.
Mission
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension is the major educational outreach program of the University of Maine with offices statewide. UMaine Extension provides Maine people with research-based educational programs to help them live fuller, more productive lives.

Mention or display of a trademark, proprietary product, or firm in text or figures does not constitute an endorsement and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.
Local Weather Anytime
 
Many farming activities are driven by the weather. Our local National Weather Service in Caribou has meteorologists on staff 24 hours a day. They are willing to talk with you about rain predictions for your town. Give them a call at 492-0180. Or check out their online detailed maps at  http://www.weather.gov/car/.




Need Pesticide Credits

Need Pesticide credits?  Check out the  Maine Board of Pesticide credit calendar.   Many approved pesticide applicator re-certification programs are listed. 

Contributors 
Donna Coffin, Extension Educator

Colt Knight, Extension Specialist

Rick Kersbergen, Extension Educator

Goal
The goal of the Maine Beef Newsletter is to provide timely information on the production and marketing of beef grown in central Maine.

The University of Maine does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, including transgender status and gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director, Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall, 207.581.1226.
 
Photos: Donna Coffin unless indicated otherwise.
Penobscot County Office
Piscataquis County Office
Maine Beef Producers Association
Penobscot County Office -  website  
Open Monday - Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm
307 Maine Ave Bangor, ME 04401 207-942-7396 or 800-287-1485

Piscataquis County Office -  website  
Open Monday, Thursday, Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm
Open By-chance on Wednesday, Closed Tuesday 
165 East Main St Dover-Foxcroft, ME 04426 207-564-3301 or 800-287-1491