August 7: Conservation Farm Tour - The SASWCD will be holding farm tours of three farms in the Patten area: Cummings Dairy Farm, McNally's small fruits farm, and Gardiner vegetable Farm. Event will include transportation and a local farms-sourced lunch. Cost is $15 and pre-registration is required due to limited seating. Check under the "Education" tab at the top of this page to view the invitation. For more info, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
OTHER HAPPENINGS
July-Sept: "SoilYourUndies" soil health experiment. Follow SASWCD's Facebook page to check out updates on this SASWCD and NRCS soil health project. We've visited SASWCD's board member's farms to plant cotton underwear and will return in 2 months to dig them up and record the level of decomposition. The underwear will be buried in fields under different rotations and tillage management. A fun diversion for us and a good way to get a visual on soil health.
In this "SoilYourUndies" photo, long-time SASWCD board member and dairy farmer Perry Lilley plants "his" pair of underwear in Lilley Farms field of no-tilled soybeans with some shovel help from his grandsons, Jacob and Collin.
August 15: Soils and Natural Resources workshop with state soil scientist Dave Rocque. Designed for anyone interested in soils but may be of particular interest to soil and wetland scientists, site evaluators, engineers, foresters, contractors and CEO's. Class will take place beginning at 8:30am at the Central Aroostook SWCD office in Presque Isle until 2pm with travel to various sites. Cost is $25 and a check may be mailed to CASWCD, 735 Main St, Presque Isle. For more information, contact Dave Rocque at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Credits are available.
October 5: Aroostook Apple Day is back this year and will be held at the Unitarian Church on Military St in Houlton with fruit tastings, apple and pear information, classes on the history of Aroostook Apples, home orchard care, small fruit growing, and more. Check back as we get closer to the date for details on the day's events.
BIG TREE CONTEST - The SASWCD and Maine Forest Service are continuing to encourage people of all ages to appreciate the value of trees and
forest with a fun competition, "Big Tree Contest". It is easy to participate. If you know of a tree that fits the "Big Tree" criteria, simply fill out a nomination form and submit it to the SASWCD. District Forester Dan Jacobs will follow up and measure the tree, recording its dimensions based on a formula. Competition will be held from January until October, with a complete list of nominated trees and measurements available at that time. It's a good excuse to get outside! You may download a Tree Nomination Form here. A list of native Maine trees can be found on the Maine Forest Service website at Forest Trees of Maine. It's a great resource as it includes photos of our native tree species.