Recent Programs

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