Recent Programs

January 16, 2024
Noon to 1:00 pm, in person and by Zoom
Belfast Free Library
Managing Belfast’s Legacy Trees

To see a video of this past program click here.

Speaker: Jan Ames Santerre, Project Canopy Director

Now’s the time to learn about protecting and sustaining the region’s legacy trees. Forestry science and practice, state policy, a healthy local economy, and community activism have set the stage to enable Belfast to manage its urban canopy as a natural resource, instead of giving human-built infrastructure a higher priority. 

Jan Ames Santerre is the project canopy director for the Maine Forest Service, a federally funded program aimed at protecting and improving urban canopies. A native of Dover-Foxcroft, with a BS in Forest Biology from the University of Vermont, Jan helps cities and towns all over Maine with grants for tree planting, technical assistance for tree management, and training in a full range of topics related to tree management and forestry in general for municipal staff, commissions, and volunteers. 

Jan also manages the state Big Tree registry, the Tree City USA program in Maine, the Community Forest and Open Space land-acquisition program, and several other DACF initiatives related to urban and community forest health.

January 23, 2024
6:30 to 8:00 pm
Encouraging Wildlife in Our Gardens 
Speaker: Gail Presley, Wildlife Biologist

To see a video of this past program click here.

Watching a male Cardinal tenderly feed his mate makes us aware that they must be nesting nearby. Seeing a fox hunt for small rodents makes us realize it depends on our property for food. Through planning and placement, we can enhance the habitat features wildlife need to thrive in our gardens. In this talk, we’ll explore habitat needs, how to design your landscape to provide habitat, how to  choose plants to add or remove, and other steps toward rewilding our landscapes. A resources guide is available here.

Gail Presley worked as a wildlife biologist who worked in landscape conservation planning for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for 22 years. Later she led the Georges River Land Trust for seven years. Her property in Rockland was a blank canvas that she began to fill with vegetable and flower gardens, fruit trees, and native plants. She has a BS from California Polytechnic State University in wildlife conservation. 

February 20, 2024
Belfast Free Library
Noon-1 pm in person and by Zoom

Waldo County Bounty 
Speaker: Mattie J. Bamman, Writer, Homesteader, Co-founder WCB

To see a video of this past program click here

Launched in response to the pandemic, Waldo County Bounty has responded to local food insecurity through the power of gardening. A countywide network of volunteers—gardeners, farmers, educators, and service providers—work to strengthen the Waldo County food system as a whole by ensuring everyone has access to fresh, locally-grown foods. 

In this presentation, you’ll learn about WCB’s programs—Farm-to-Pantry, Gleaning, and Gardening, as well WCB’s many partners (BGC is one!). A writer and homesteader, Mattie J. Bamman was raised in the back-to-the-land movement in Downeast Maine. For 15 years he worked as a culinary travel writer. In 2018, he and his wife established a homestead and large garden using the “lasagna gardening” method, which he documented through the Ravenous Farmer channel on YouTube. In 2020, he helped launch Waldo County Bounty.          

of this past program click here.

Recently, dramatic, unpredictable seasons have been teaching us that we can’t keep using the same practices from 10 or 20 years ago and expect the same results. 

In this presentation, Irene Barber from Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens will share how garden spaces can be high-performing resilient systems that play an active role in the grassroots effort towards mitigating climate change. She’ll address the challenges we experience, including fluctuating temperatures, water conditions, and infestations. 

Barber is a seasoned professional gardener, landscape designer, and horticulturist who is always learning and excited to share the lessons with students, fellow plant people, and designers. With an AS degree in plant and soil science and a BA in communications, human behavior, Irene has brought her love of plants and people to her practice in horticultural therapy. As the adult education and horticultural therapy program manager at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, she produces up to 90 annual classes. Irene also runs a side landscape consulting and design business called Greenscapes Design LLC. 

March 19, 2024
Noon-1 pm in person and by Zoom
Belfast Free Library
Gardening Questions Answered

Speakers: Viña Lindley and Kate Garland, University of Maine Cooperative Extension

To see a video of this past program click here.

Our March meeting will be an opportunity to have your gardening questions answered by experts. Please submit your questions in advance to Hilary so that Lindley and Garland  can prepare their answers. We are hoping to cover a broad range of topics to solve our many challenges and puzzles.

Viña Lindley is based in Waldo County and works on a variety of youth and family food systems projects, including managing the state-wide FoodCorps program. FoodCorps is a nationwide team of AmeriCorps leaders who connect kids to real food to help them grow up healthy. Lindley also chairs the board of the Maine School Garden Network, serves in the Maine Farm to School work-group, and collaborates with a variety of networks and organizations in her work. 

Kate Garland helps gardeners improve efficiency and build skills through a number of educational avenues including workshops, newsletters, social media posts, and one-on-one support. Additionally, Garland works with school and community gardens to develop plans that will build sustainability and improve community impact and coordinates the Master Gardener Volunteer program, which offers  over 50 hours of in-depth training in the art and science of horticulture. In return, they volunteer their time and expertise towards educational or food security projects.

arch 26, 2024
6:30-8 pm by Zoom
In Full Bloom: Container Gardens
Speaker: Rebecca Goldenthal

To see the video of this past program click here.

A container can hold so much more than you think: long-blooming beauty, variety, and visual surprises. Through this presentation, we’ll  learn how to add color and interest to our gardens with container plantings, including native plants.

Rebecca Goldenthal grew up with a passion for gardening, inherited from a long line of Maine gardeners. She is the founder of In Full Bloom, a Portland company.

April 16, 2024

Belfast Free Library
Noon to 1 pm by Zoom
Controlling Stormwater Runoff
Speaker: Fred Bowers, Soil Scientist

Click here to see a video of this past program

Storm runoff can stoke soil erosion and damage plants. Luckily there are man-made solutions to erosion, which rely on fundamental natural soil processes. We’ll learn how to design rain gardens with consideration to natural soil and geologic processes, and about a possible demo rain garden for Belfast. Plus: other “green” options, such as eliminating impervious surfaces altogether, terracing, planting shrubs and trees in strategic places to soak up water or divert it, and other methods. 

Fred Bowers is a Ph.D. soil scientist. Soils, topography, and vegetation were his research interests at Rutgers and the University of Washington graduate schools. In his 27-year career at New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, he was a research scientist in charge of stormwater and groundwater programs. 

October 15, 2024
Noon to 1:00 pm, in person and by Zoom
Belfast Free Library
New! Conservation Landscapes Certification Programs
Speaker: Rebecca Jacobs, Program Manager, Knox-Lincoln SWCD

Rebecca Jacobs will speak about the newly developed certification program for conservation landscapes, a collaborative project between the Knox-Lincoln and the Waldo County Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Conservation Landscapes are gardens that promote native plantings, improve water quality, and provide wildlife habitat. This new certification program will help gardeners implement recommended conservation and restoration practices in a systematic way, with guidance and ideas from SWCD staff and one-on-one help right at their property. Property owners will also be introduced to new ways of measuring their progress and sharing ideas and practices with neighbors, friends, and family.

Jacobs is program manager at the Knox-Lincoln SWCD. She has worked as a staff horticulturist at the Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary in Western Massachusetts, where she honed her skills in native and invasive plants and ecological landscaping, and as the education coordinator for Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. She moved on in 2009 to start her own small design-, build-, and consultation-garden business and joined the SWCD.

November 19, 2024
Noon to 1:00 pm, in person and by Zoom
Belfast Free Library
Our Changing Garden
Speaker: Tom Atwell, Gardening Columnist

Well-known Maine garden columnist Tom Atwell began his garden in Cape Elizabeth in 1975. Nearly half a century later, his garden has evolved with the times–for as any good gardener knows, the garden should reflect the gardener’s growing knowledge and expertise. Tom will discuss how time and “design by shovel” have shaped his home landscape.

Tom Atwell, a lifelong Mainer, writes a popular weekly gardening column for the Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram, https://www.pressherald.com/author/tom-atwell/. Tom was on the editorial staff of the Portland Press Herald for 37 years until his recent retirement.

He was raised in Farmington and holds a BA in journalism from the University of Maine. After graduation, he was drafted into the Army and trained as an infantryman, but when sent to Vietnam was put to work for a division newspaper. Back home, he worked two years for the Lewiston Sun before moving to the Portland newspapers. He and his wife, Nancy, have two grown children and four grandchildren.    

January 18, 2022
Noon to 1 p.m. by Zoom
Hügelkultur: Turn your Spring and Fall cleanup into abundant food gardens!
Speaker: Teddy Mattson

Hügelkultur is a traditional gardening method from Germany and Austria that translates to “mound garden”. It consists of building a mound of woody debris and burying it in soil. Teddy will explain the philosophy, ecological principles, and practical steps to building successful hügelkultur gardens out of landscape debris, from whole trees down to lawn clippings. He will cover basic how-tos, tips and tricks for streamlining the process and some pointers regarding what not to do (i.e., invasives, messy construction, steep slopes, etc.) Never send your brush and leaves to the burn pile or transfer station again!

Teddy Mattson is the owner and operator of Dirtgoat Permaculture, the host of the Dirtgoat Permaculture Podcast, and a City of Belfast homesteader. He studied anthropology and sustainability at the University of Southern Maine where he first learned about permaculture as a strategy for addressing many of today’s most pressing issues concerning the health and well-being of our species and planet. Teddy took his first Permaculture Design Course in 2014 at MOFGA and an Advanced Permaculture Design Course in 2016 at The Resilience Hub in Portland. Since 2014 he has been consulting, designing, installing, and maintaining permaculture-inspired landscapes, while learning and doing ever more in terms of growing food for himself, friends, and family. He recently entered the realm of permaculture education through hands-on workshops at The Ecology Learning Center and at Triplet Park in Unity.

Click here for archived recording of this talk

January 25, 2022
6:30 to 8 pm by Zoom
Maine’s climate future: The role of carbon management in farms and forests
Speaker: Ivan Fernandez

This presentation will address three main topics. First, Ivan will summarize key findings from climate assessments focused on Maine, primarily the Maine’s Climate Future reports and the assessment report of the Maine Climate Council’s Scientific and Technical Subcommittee. Then he will discuss how farms and forests can contribute to what is often called ‘Natural Climate Solutions’. He will talk about soils and soil health, primarily considering soils on farms, and how enhancing soil organic carbon can promote both the resilience of the soil in light of climate risks as well as contribute to reducing atmospheric carbon concentrations. The presentation will also summarize forest  management recommendations from the recent Governor’s Task Force on a Forest Carbon Program in Maine.

Dr. Fernandez is a Professor in the School of Forest Resources, Climate Change Institute, and School of Food and Agriculture at the University of Maine. He has served on various U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Science Advisory Board committees in Washington DC since 2000. He represents the University of Maine in the USDA Northeast Climate Hub and has been involved in leading the Maine’s Climate Future assessments in 2009, 2015, and 2020. He currently serves on the Maine Climate Council as co-Chair of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee and a member of the Natural Working Lands working group. He is also a member of the 2021 Governor’s Maine Forest Carbon Task Force. He has taught courses in soil science, forest soils, carbon and climate, and climate adaptation His research focuses on the biogeochemistry of ecosystems in a changing climate, and he is actively engaged in promoting climate change solutions in Maine.

Click here for archived recording of this talk

February 1, 2022
6:30 – 8:00 p.m. by Zoom
Browntail Moth and Emerald Ash Borer in Waldo County
Speaker: Tom Schmeelk

Tom Schmeelk, State Entomologist, will be back with us again to discuss the acute browntail moth infestation in Belfast and surroundings, how we can protect ourselves, and how we can work as a community to curb this problem. He will also discuss emerald ash borer and other forest invasive pests.

This program is co-sponsored by the Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition, Belfast Garden Club, and the ABCD project of the Belfast Free Library.

Click here for archived recording of this talk

February 15, 2022
Noon to 1 pm by Zoom
Preventing and Addressing Plant Diseases in the Garden
Speaker: Caleb Goossen

Join MOFGA’s Crop Specialist, Caleb Goossen, for a discussion on organic management of plant disease in the garden. Caleb will start by sharing strategies used to minimize the presence of disease from the outset based on the disease triangle of a conducive environment, a susceptible host, and a pathogen. But sometimes diseases show up anyway, despite our best efforts or during particularly challenging growing seasons. So, Caleb will also discuss what can be done when diseases emerge. He’ll cover some of the most common diseases found in vegetable gardens in Maine.

Caleb has a bachelor’s degree in plant biology and sustainable agriculture from Hampshire College and he recently completed his PhD from the University of Vermont, where he studied the fatty acid content of storage crops. He farmed organic vegetables in Vermont for nine years before graduate school. He also has experience with organic heirloom seed production and organic orchard maintenance on farms in New Zealand.

Click here for archived recording of this program.

February 22, 2022
6:30 to 8 pm by Zoom
Growing Food and Ornamentals in a Changing Climate
Speakers: Haley Jean and Sara Keleman

This presentation will give an overview of global climate change with special attention to effects in Maine and the Northeast. Haley and Sara will discuss the local effects of global weather patterns and the challenges that they may pose to those who grow vegetables, fruit, and flowers in our region, and will suggest ways to mitigate some of the more confounding challenges. The talk will also showcase tools for learning about, understanding, and addressing climate change impacts. 

Haley Jean and Sara Keleman are M.S. students at the University of Maine School of Food and Agriculture.

Haley worked for UVM Extension for two and a half years after graduating from the University of Vermont. She hopes to dedicate her career to studying climate resilience, fueled by her passion for food systems and sustainable agriculture. Outside of work and her education, Haley loves traveling, knitting, and eating very good food!

After graduating from Reed College, Sara worked on several diversified vegetable farms, and managed educational programming for a farm-to-school nonprofit organization. She is interested in how farmers are preparing for the effects of climate change. She enjoys engaging with farmers and growers and empowering them to be a part of the knowledge creation process.

Both students are advised in their MS programs by Dr. Rachel Schattman, whose research has focused on effects of changing climate on specialty crop production in the Northeast, includingagricultural perspectives on climate change and adaptation. Prior to coming to the University of Maine, she had over a decade of experience owning and managing a diversified vegetable farm in northern Vermont. One of her interests is developing teaching tools for adult learners.

Click here for archived recording of this program: 

March 15, 2022
Noon to 1 pm by Zoom
The RSU 71 School Garden Collaborative
Speaker: Sara Hallam
Danee Voss, Lindsey Schortz, David Wessells

The collaborative includes five vibrant school garden programs across the RSU 71 school district. The vision is to cultivate ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable gardens that connect students, staff, and the broader community. Speakers will describe the garden programs at Nickerson and East Belfast Elementary Schools, Captain Albert Stevens Elementary School (CASS), Troy Howard Middle School (THMS), and the Belfast Community Outreach Program (BCOPE)

Sara Hallam is a FoodCorps Service Member at East Belfast and Kermit Nickerson Elementary Schools. She manages both school gardens and teaches gardening and nutrition. The garden at East Belfast Elementary School includes a small greenhouse and six raised beds that produce flowers and vegetables for beautiful bouquets and full bellies! The garden at Nickerson Elementary School is brand new thanks to a local Eagle Scout who built four raised beds in 2021. This garden produces a variety of cold-loving greens for the students’ salad bar.

Danee Voss is the FoodCorps AmeriCorps Service Member at CASS. AmeriCorps service members have helped to develop a robust garden, orchard, outdoor classroom, and small hoop house for CASS. Danee supports the school garden, working with K-5 and cafeteria staff to cultivate a school-wide culture of health.

Lindsey Schortz is the science and math teacher at the Belfast Community Outreach Program in Education (BCOPE), Belfast’s alternative high school program. Most classes are project based and the garden space and greenhouse are used across the curriculum. BCOPE recently completed its first year of a summer internship program supported by the Belfast Garden Club.

David Wessels is the Garden Coordinator at Troy Howard Middle School in Belfast. The THMS program includes a ⅓ acre garden of vegetables, fruits, cut flowers and seed crops, and a year-round greenhouse. Students supply around 2,000 lb. of produce annually to their cafeteria and maintain an extensive seed collection. Seeds and some produce are sold at the Belfast Coop.

Click here for archived recording of this program.

March 22, 2022
6:30 to 8 pm by Zoom
Deep Woods: How Climate Change Impacts Forests & How Forests Slow Climate Change
Speakers: Mark Berry and Nicholas Fisichelli

Join Dr. Nicholas Fisichelli, President of Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park, and Mark Berry, Forest Program Director for The Nature Conservancy in Maine, for a presentation and discussion about the interactions between Maine forests and climate change. The discussion will cover the current and potential impacts of changing climate on our forests, including shifts in species’ distributions and the disturbances that impact forests, factors that help keep forests resilient, potential management responses, and the role of forests in capturing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in forests, soils, and forest products.

Dr. Nicholas Fisichelli is the President and CEO with Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park. Nick’s work and that of Schoodic is to understand the consequences of environmental change and engage people in the science and solutions. His background is in forest ecology, climate change adaptation, and non-profit leadership. His research focuses on which tree species will thrive and which will struggle under a changing climate. Prior to arriving at Schoodic in 2016, Nick earned his PhD in Forest Ecology at the University of Minnesota. Living in coastal Maine, Nick can be found in the winters looking for elusive snow on which to ski.

Mark Berry, the Forest Program Director for The Nature Conservancy in Maine, leads TNC’s work to conserve Maine’s forests. He helps TNC develop collaborative approaches to integrate a sustainable forest economy, forest-based climate change solutions, and biodiversity conservation in Maine, and works with TNC’s regional and global teams focused on forests and natural climate solutions. Mark holds a M.S. degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Colorado and a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College. His prior experience includes leadership of Schoodic Institute and of Downeast Lakes Land Trust.

Click link for archive recording of this program:

April 19, 2022
Noon to 1 pm by Zoom
Perennial Garden Design
Speaker: John Fromer

This presentation will cover the basics and methods of successful perennial garden design, which are scalable to fit a wide range of interests. Topics will include site selection and appropriate plants, soil management, and ways to create designs. A successful design also includes the ability to properly maintain the garden, so John will also discuss challenges and solutions for garden maintenance.

John Fromer has been a gardener all his life and has been a Master Gardener since 1998. He and his wife Kathy run Appleton Ridge Flower & Vegetable Farm, where they grow more than two hundred kinds of perennials, gourmet vegetables and herbs and cut flowers. John has taught the perennial part of the Master Gardener program in three counties in Maine, does a seven-partseries on perennials at Merryspring Nature Center in Camden, and provides four-hour classes on gardening at the Mid Coast school of Technology. John has given talks at the Common Ground Fair and Union Fair, and many of the garden clubs in Maine. He has worked in the perennial department at Plants Unlimited in Rockport and also started