Virtual Event - #NewEngland - Which #NativePlants Help #Wildlife? The Science Behind Informed Plant Selection

Thu Mar 12, 2026 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM EDT

"You’re ready to plant more native species in your garden to support wildlife. As you start to plan, you might have a few questions. Which plant species make the biggest difference? Does it matter if a plant is a cultivar? How important is local ecotype? Which plant traits attract which #pollinator?

In this talk, Desirée L. Narango, Ph.D., from the #Vermont Center for #Ecostudies, will share research that evaluates how different native plant species and characteristics influence interactions with pollinators and songbirds. Drawing from her research and that of other experts in the field, she will explore what we know (and still don’t know) about common questions in #EcologicalGardening. The talk will also highlight ways you can contribute data through community science and help improve the information available for wildlife-friendly planting decisions.

This event is co-hosted by #WildSeedProject and #MOFGA. The webinar will be recorded, and a recording will be shared with registrants within a few days of the event taking place.

Registration info: This event’s sliding scale registration is designed to keep the class as accessible as possible while also covering MOFGA’s and Wild Seed Project's costs. Recommended price for non-members is $15; recommended price for members is $10.

Scholarship funds are available to community members in order to increase program accessibility, and participants in MOFGA’s Journeyperson program are welcome to register at no-cost. You’re welcome to use the fund by checking “Scholarship/JP” at checkout. For any questions about scholarship funds, please email [email protected]."

To register:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/testorg8/2045541?trackingConsent=1

#SolarPunkSunday #GardeningForPollinators #GardeningForWildlife #NativePlantSpecies #NativePlantWorkshops

#MOFGA #VirtualEvent - #Gardening Q&A

February 25 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Free (asking for a $5 donation).

"Join MOFGA for our first Gardening Q&A of 2026!

Whether you’ve been gardening for decades or you’re daydreaming about starting your first garden this year (or somewhere in between), these informal Zoom conversations are a chance to discuss whatever gardening topics are on your mind. Bring your questions for a casual conversation and a chance to connect. Questions about planning, #pests, #SoilHealth, and more are all welcome.

This Gardening Q&A session will be recorded, and a recording will be shared out with all registrants. Registrants can submit their gardening questions in advance."

FMI and to register:
https://www.mofga.org/event-calendar/gardening-qa-9/

#SolarPunkSunday #SharingKnowledge #GardenPlanning #OrganicGardening #BeginningGardening #Homesteading #VegetableGardening #GrowYourOwn

ON THEIR WAY TO WORK!!! SUCH HARDENED CRIMINALS!!!

#ImmigrantRights group says 17 people were arrested by #CBP agents while riding bus in #Skowhegan

Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition says it has seen more immigration enforcement activity in rural areas

Jacob Murphy, February 12, 2026

Excerpt: "Maine Immigrants' Rights Coalition says the workers were staying in the former #KyesMotel in #SkowheganME. The bus regularly picks them up and brings them to #BackyardFarms.

"Backyard Farms grows #tomatoes and #lettuce and ships the produce across the country.

"Local growers are concerned that the agricultural workforce will significantly shrink with increasing immigration enforcement.

" 'The reality we're seeing is that the recent surge in ICE activity is causing uncertainty for farm labor that doesn't stop at a visa status. It’s making it harder for farms to maintain a reliable workforce, which will ultimately ripple out into the broader economy," said Jennifer Wilhelm with Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. "

Read more:
https://www.wmtw.com/article/immigrant-rights-group-says-17-people-riding-a-bus-were-arrested-by-immigration-enforcement-agents-in-skowhegan/70317074

#MIRC #Maine #ICEOutOfMaine #ICEOut #DefundICE #DefundDHS #MOFGA #MaineFarms #Farmworkers #USPol #MainePol #FuckICE

50th #CommonGroundCountryFair Silent Auction

February 13 @ 8:00 am - February 23 @ 9:00 pm

"We will have a collection of curated, high-quality items available that reflect #MOFGA’s mission and Fair history to celebrate the 50th Fair and raise funds to support MOFGA’s mission through memorabilia, unique experiences, and community storytelling.

Participate in the auction and support MOFGA’s mission of supporting farmers, empowering people to feed their communities, and advocating for an organic future."

Source:
https://www.mofga.org/event-calendar/50th-common-ground-country-fair-silent-auction/

Auction website:
http://www.32auctions.com/MOFGA2026

#SolarPunkSunday #CommonGroundFair #OrganicGardening #OrganicFarming #MaineEvents #MOFGAFundraising #SilentAuction

Virtual Event - #BookDiscussion of “The #Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World”

February 12 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

"Join us for a virtual book discussion of 'The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World,' by #RobinWallKimmerer.

Free. Registration Required."

About the author:
"As Indigenous scientist and author of #BraidingSweetgrass Robin Wall Kimmerer harvests serviceberries alongside the birds, she considers the ethic of reciprocity that lies at the heart of the gift economy. How, she asks, can we learn from #IndigenousWisdom and the plant world to #reimagine what we value most? Our economy is rooted in scarcity, competition, and the hoarding of resources, and we have surrendered our values to a system that actively harms what we love. Meanwhile, the serviceberry’s relationship with the natural world is an embodiment of reciprocity, #interconnectedness, and gratitude. The tree distributes its wealth—its abundance of sweet, juicy berries—to meet the needs of its natural community. And this distribution ensures its own survival. As Kimmerer explains, 'Serviceberries show us another model, one based upon reciprocity, where wealth comes from the quality of your relationships, not from the illusion of self-sufficiency.' "

FMI and to register:
https://www.mofga.org/event-calendar/book-discussion-of-the-serviceberry-abundance-and-reciprocity-in-the-natural-world/

#SolarPunkSunday #MOFGA #TheServiceBerryBook #IndigenousAuthors #IndigenousFood #Foraging #Nature #EthicalHarvest #HonourableHarvest

#PortlandME - #MOFGA Gardener to Gardener Conference
February 8 @ 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

$125 - $200 (see sliding scale below)

Registration is still open! Walk-ins also welcome.

"MOFGA is pleased to present Gardener to Gardener: our inaugural one-day conference for gardeners!

Connect with and learn from prominent university faculty, agricultural scientists, service providers, farmers, and fellow gardeners — through speaker sessions, activities, and shared meals. Gardeners of all levels of experience, in Maine or in the broader northeast region, will find content suited to their needs, gardening goals, and experiences.

Tickets include:

Access to all Gardener to Gardener sessions
Access to lunchtime keynote speaker, Assawaga Farm
Access to exhibitor booths featuring local service providers, suppliers, and more
A catered lunch and coffee/snack break, featuring products from local organic farms and food producers
Complimentary Gardener to Gardener mementos, to use in your gardening life and remember the conference by

View the Schedule

Conference speaker and activity sessions include:
Planning & Mapping Your Garden | Ivonne Vazquez, Bas Rouge Farm & Forge
Soil Health 101 | Rebecca Long, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
YardScaping: Soak up the Rain | Ali Clift, Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District
Seed Saving Ethics & Practical Tips for Veggie and Native Plant Seed Savers | Emily Baisden, Wild Seed Project & Heron Breen, Fruits of Our Labors
Grow Your Own Apothecary Garden: An Introduction | Emily Springer, Meeting House Farm
Unusual Backyard Fruit Trees | Dr. Becky Sideman, University of New Hampshire
Raising Chickens for Fun and Food | Patty Duffy, Agricultural Banker & Veterinary Technician (Retired)
Gardening for Pollinators Across the Landscape: From Garden to Forest | Erin Cocca, The Xerces Society
Make Your Own Garden Tools | Jack Kertesz, Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association
Livestock First-Aid | Jacki Martinez-Perkins, Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association
Garden Art | Jaime Wing, Winged Prints
Ergonomic & Accessible Gardening | Caragh Fitzpatrick, Maine AgrAbility
Farm in the Spotlight: Assawaga Farm

Gardener to Gardener runs alongside MOFGA’s annual Farmer to Farmer Conference. The dual conferences will share in lunch and the presentation from Assawaga Farm. If you’re a farmer who’s interested in attending Farmer to Farmer, learn more here.

Registration details:

In addition to accessing the concurrent sessions listed above, tickets include a catered coffee/snack break and lunch, featuring products from local organic farms and food producers. Tickets do not include lodging at the Holiday Inn by the Bay. If you would like to secure lodging at the hotel, please do so through their booking website here.

Gardener to Gardener tickets are priced on a sliding scale in order to keep the event as accessible as possible while covering MOFGA’s costs. The recommended price for MOFGA members is $150. The recommended price for non-members is $175. Learn more about membership here.

A portion of proceeds from our “Bounty” ticket sales will go toward supporting “Scholarship” tickets (free/by donation tickets) for those for whom the full price of registration is a barrier to attending. To utilize a scholarship ticket, simply click on the “Scholarship” option at checkout. Scholarship tickets are first-come, first-served; and more tickets will be made available, dependent on “Bounty” ticket sales and sponsorships from community partners. To inquire about this option, email [email protected].

Registrants will receive email updates with the conference schedule, a list of ways to enjoy your time in Portland outside of the event, and other pertinent details about what to expect when attending Gardener to Gardener.

The Holiday Inn by the Bay’s conference space is ADA accessible. If you have any needs or questions related to accessibility, including interpretation or translation services, please email [email protected] and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Reach out to [email protected] with any general questions about the event."

To register:
https://www.mofga.org/event-calendar/gardener-to-gardener-2026/

#SolarPunkSunday #MaineGardeners #MaineGrowers #SeedSaving #DIY #GardeningForPollinators #GardeningWorkshops

#PortlandME - Buyer and Seller Meet-up & Farmer Social
February 7 @ 2:30 pm - 5:00 pm

"Join #MOFGA and The #RodaleInstitute for a buyer and seller meet-up and networking event at Allagash Brewing, followed by a tour of the facility and a farmer social and drinks. Connect directly with local buyers and growers, learn from their real-world experience, and tap into resources that can boost your business. Farmers can explore new sales channels, buyers can discover trustworthy local suppliers, and everyone can build the relationships that keep our regional food system thriving.

RSVP for this free event

This event is part of our Farmer to Farmer Conference program, check out more on the conference here!

This event is supported through the United States Department of Agriculture (#USDA) Transition to Organic Partnership Program (#TOPP). TOPP is a program of the USDA Organic Transition Initiative and is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP)."

Learn more / RSVP:
https://www.mofga.org/event-calendar/buyer-and-seller-meet-up-farmer-social/

#SolarPunkSunday #OrganicGrowers #FarmerToFarmer #TransitionToOrganic #RegionalFood #MaineGrowers

So, if #GoatMilk isn't your thing, let's talk about #SoyMilk... A friend who is a #MOFGA-certified organic farmer and is #Vegan atttempted to grow soybeans in one of his fields. He said it was nearly impossible to grow them without pesticides, especially with #JapaneseBeetles here in #Maine. Sure, he used beetle traps, but a sex lure can only do so much -- beetles gotta eat! And as far as making one's own soy milk and tofu -- well, it takes almost a thousand soy beans to produce a small block of tofu (and if you do it right, you'll end up with some soy milk to drink). So, if you want to give it a go, I'd say try growing a dozen or so soybean plants, harvest the soybeans, then make your own tofu and soy milk (you'll probably just end up with one batch). And I'll tell you -- the stuff made from freshly grown, organic soybeans has a delightfully nutty taste that you don't get with most of the commercial stuff (I haven't found any that compares to the homemade stuff).

That being said, I will be posting about #GrowingSoybeans, #HarvestingSoybeans, and making #Tofu and #SoyMilk at home for a bit, before finishing up with articles about #HempCrete. Stay tuned...

#SolarPunkSunday #GrowYourOwn #GrowYourOwnFood #Gardening #GrowingSoybeans

#MOFGA - #PlantCorridors

By Heather McCargo, Photos by Jean English, Winter 2014-2015

"#NativePlant corridors attract #pollinators and #wildlife to your farm by stretching across your property to connect your piece of #NativeHabitat to nearby #meadows, #wetlands or #woodlands. This creates a much larger area for #NativePollinators to #forage, raise young and migrate. Corridors may run along a road, between fields, in a #swale or on the edge of a #forest, connecting habitats off the property and returning native plants to the parts of the farm not suitable for traditional crops.

This article describes two approaches to creating native habitat corridors: changing #mowing habits to favor native species, and planting woody and herbaceous combinations to increase native plant diversity on the farm.

Populations of all native species are in decline across the state. Our human footprint is taking its toll on wild creatures, including pollinators such as #bees and #butterflies that are so important on the farm for crop pollination. Native plant species each share an evolutionary history with indigenous insects, birds, reptiles, mammals, bacteria and fungi. When native plants are gone, many of these creatures go too, leading to a collapse of ecosystem function. Farmers benefit from the services provided by a healthy ecosystem, such as groundwater recharge; clean surface streams and ponds; pollination; a diversity of birds, spiders and amphibians to eat many insects including crop pests; and beneficial soil fungi and bacteria. Fortunately, when native plants are reintroduced into a landscape, many of these other creatures return.

As farmers and landowners, we can bring native plants, and the attendant diversity, back into the Maine landscape in a way that works with a farmer’s busy schedule. Many native plants thrive in dry, wet and shady areas that are poor sites for traditional farm crops."

Learn more:
https://www.mofga.org/resources/pollinators/plant-corridors/

#SolarPunkSunday #GardeningForPollinators #NativePlantCorridors #Gardening #Farming #Homesteading #Nature #NatureConservation #NatureRestoration #Maine