A picture may be worth a thousand words but when it comes to marketing, pictures (or video in particular) are proving to be worth a great deal. Using video as a primary marketing tool is now recognized as one of the top marketing trends this year. (more…)
Aroostook Hops was recently awarded a $50,000 grant from the state’s ag department. The grant is being used to make a number of infrastructure improvements, including a new harvester and a building to house it. Photo courtesy of Aroostook Hops
by Enrico Villamaino
If nothing else, 2020 gave us all an understandable reason to enjoy a good beer (or possibly several). But for brewers to provide us with good beer, they first need access to high quality hops. (more…)
by Courtney Llewellyn
Spring 2021 is a time of renewal. New crops are popping up, and people are becoming more comfortable with going out to eat again. So what better time to think about welcoming visitors back for farm dinners? (more…)
Grower Allison Akbay diversified her farm and now provides a wide variety of specialty crops for customers nearby, including mulberries and cherries. Photo courtesy of Snapping Turtle Farm
by Sally Colby
As she begins her fifth year of farming, Allison Akbay falls under the USDA’s definition of “beginning farmer.” But Allison doesn’t fit the beginner mold. (more…)
You may want to add baked goods as a value-added product. Make sure you have a plan in place before you begin.
by Courtney Llewellyn
“Why value-add?” asked Amanda Kinchla, associate Extension professor in the Food Science Department at UMass-Amherst during this spring’s virtual Harvest New England. (more…)
by Sally Colby
Baby greens have become a consumer favorite, and many growers have added the crop to their lineup. Baby leaf hemp is the latest green to entice both growers and consumers.
Dr. Neil Mattson, Cornell University, said hemp seed and grains are generally recognized as safe by the FDA. (more…)
by Courtney Llewellyn
If you’ve ever worked a retail job, whether that was a grocery store or in the local mall, you know how important visual merchandising can be. Humans are visual creatures, and they respond strongly to certain cues. (more…)
Don’t allow cuttings to become water stressed because stress increases the risk of crown budding. Start to establish wet/dry cycles, but don’t let cuttings or liners become dry or wilted. Photo by Sally Colby
by Sally Colby
Many who visit garden centers in late summer and early autumn are looking for mums to brighten the landscape, so mum growers strive for full, healthy plants. (more…)
by Sonja Heyck-Merlin
Matt Rush and Rich Taylor are the founders of a wellness program named “Stress Free You.” Rush, who has a ranch in Texas, used to work in corporate business. Taylor is a former advertising executive. They are also co-authors of the book “Stress Free You! Discover How To Turn of Stress with the Flick of a Switch.” (more…)
The redheaded flea beetle (the head has a slightly reddish tint). Photo courtesy of Maine Cooperative Extension
by Courtney Llewellyn
Much like a superhero, as a nursery owner you know that once you defeat one villain, another pops up – such as the redheaded flea beetle. (more…)
by Enrico Villamaino
The University of Maine’s Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES) was recently endowed with a grant from the USDA to assist vegetable and fruit specialists evaluate strategies for producing squash more suitable for storage during Northeastern New England’s formidable winters. (more…)
by Courtney Llewellyn
There are three different ways to improve the precision of existing orchard spraying systems. That’s what Dr. Jason Deveau of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and author of the seminal “Airblast 101,” believes. And when you’re trying to improve accuracy, the best advice for one sprayer isn’t necessarily what’s best for another. (more…)
