Provided by Organic Consumers Fund
WATERFORD, Maine — On a sprawling, upland pasture, where docile cows long grazed, a newer tenant occupies the field. They are neither soft nor cuddly. In fact, the owners of Beech Hill Farm & Bison Ranch are so buffaloed by their herd that they keep a respectful distance.
“We consider each one dangerous,” rancher Ted Colburn said.
The mighty American mammals that can weigh a ton and charge at 30 mph are not pets, though Colburn and his wife Doretta have named a few.
Bison farming is what the couple call a “life-extension program.” Every morning they rise early and
Read moreFor many sectors of the Maine economy, the story is one of decline and stagnation. But for Maine’s organic farms, growth is the theme.
Maine
Read moreTodd Little-Siebold of Ellsworth is on a quest to discover lost Maine treasure.
A history professor at College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Little-Siebold, 53, has spent the past eight years trying to find abandoned apple orchards in Maine to rediscover heirloom apple varieties long absent from state produce records.
The work pairs Little-Siebold’s expertise in Latin-American agrarian studies with his knowledge of apple varieties in Maine.
While researching the state’s agricultural history, Little-Siebold learned that in the mid-1800s Maine had a thriving export
Read moreAs interest in solar power grows in Maine, a local group hopes to band homeowners and small businesses together in a purchasing group to get a bulk discount on solar electric systems.
Solarize Mid Maine is gauging interest in the project, starting with an information session Wednesday evening at Colby College in Waterville. The project is targeted at Unity, Winslow, Vassalboro, Waterville, Oakland, Belgrade, Benton and Fairfield, but could include more if there’s an interest, organizers say.
The idea is to bring together a group of people from across central Maine who are
As the University of Maine System put out a call Monday for a new food service contract that would include a commitment to buying at least $1.5 million in local foods by 2020, a new coalition of food producers announced it will bid on the contract and hopes to meet that goal as early as the next academic year and eventually exceed it.
Read moreSCARBOROUGH, Maine — Foraging for insects, tender roots and other delicacies in a 4-acre pasture, a passel of Berkshire and Tamworth hogs are happy — at least as happy as pigs in mud can be.
It’s a hot August afternoon, and the swine poke out from the shade when workers from Frith Farm arrive with fresh feed and water. In a few weeks these hogs will be harvested. And, by the time you read this, the auburn-colored chickens, clucking nearby in moveable shelters, will be processed and either sold at a farmers market or available in the farm’s barn-turned-store.
Read moreYORK — Our family-owned, local hardware stores have garnered some headlines recently – not for what we put on sale, but for what we don’t.
We joined the community of Ogunquit in supporting a pesticide ban and have removed chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers from our shelves, making room for more organic and natural products. Ensuring a healthier environment for our children and grandchildren requires effort by every one of us, including the business community.
Read moreThe Organic Consumers Association is proud to join the Green Initiatives Education Fund, Food and Water Watch, Food for Maine's Future, and Food Not Bombs in cosponsoring a rally and March Against Monsanto THIS Saturday, May 23, 2015 at 2pm in Congress Square Park in Portland!
Once again, Mainers will be rising to take stand for food freedom by rallying and marching against Monsanto, the pesticide and chemical manufacturing bio-technology corporation producing our food. Monsanto is responsible for harmful products such as RoundUp herbicide, Agent
What: Rally, march and demonstration “March for Food Freedom, March Against Monsanto and pollinator ‘die in!’”
When: Saturday, May 23, 2015. Rally begins at 2pm; march will begin around 2:45pm
Where: Rally: Congress Square Park. March route: Congress Street headed east to Monument Square (where demonstration will take place), then continue east to right on Exchange Street, then down to right on Fore Street, right on Center Street to left on Spring Street, right on High Street, then right on Congress Street returning
On May 4, the Portland Press Herald published an opinion editorial against LD 991, a GMO labeling bill introduced in Maine this year. The editorial was filled to the brim with Monsanto’s talking points.
Take action now. Ask the editors of the Portland Press Herald: When did you become Monsanto’s mouthpiece? Post on FB, tweet, send an email or call!
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