Sat 4/1 - Winter Gardening Workshops - Vegetable Gardening 106, 2 - 3:30 pm, St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 27 Pleasant Street, Brunswick. The Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust is offering a series of six workshops on vegetable gardening, aimed at beginning and novice gardeners. At this last workshop in the series, learn how to identify and control common garden pests and diseases. FMI contact Linton Studdiford 798-5899
Mon 4/2 - Sustainable Vehicle Design: Vintage Utility Vehicles, 6 - 8 pm, Sustainability and Energy Alternatives Center at SMCC, 2 Fort Road, South Portland. Stuart Vreeland of Yarmouth, collector and aficionado, will provide an historic perspective of small practical vehicles, featuring the Piaggio Ape, for decades the simplest and cheapest form of transportation in Europe and developing countries around the world. Southern Maine Community College in South Portland is hosting a series of free community discussions with the owners and builders of a wide range of alternative vehicles, covering technical aspects, design philosophy, performance data, legal issues, cost, efficiency, historical and current trends, and personal anecdotes. FMI contact John Braugitam, 741-5958 , or Ruth Morrison, 741-5856 , at SMCC.
Mon 4/2 - Livestock 101 Online Course (must register by March 30). A four-week course sponsored by the U Maine Cooperative Extension. Basic livestock care for small-scale livestock producers; general information on the care of cattle, sheep, goats, equines, pigs, and poultry for people just starting out or thinking about raising these animals. $25. Includes program information, supporting resources, email access and conference calls with presenters. High-speed Internet connection required. FMI see www.umaine.edu/livestock/blog/2012/03/08/livestock-101/ or contact UMaine Extension Educator Donna Coffin 564-3301 or 1-800-287-1491.
Tue 4/3 - Energy Quest #8: Energetic Maps! How Geospatial Data Can Help Tell Your Energy Story, 7 - 8 pm, online webinar at http://islandinstitute.adobeconnect.com/energeticmaps. Join the Energy for ME team to learn about how mapping technologies can help us understand and tell stories about energy use.
Tue 4/3 - Green Energy Maine PechaKucha, 7 - 8:30 pm, Frontier Cafe, 14 Maine St (rear of Fort Andross Mill), Brunswick. Pecha Kucha (pe-chak-cha) is a chance to present what you are passionate about. Ten presenters will treat the audience to a smorgasbord of art and other inspirations. Kay Mann will discuss Green Energy Maine, why she created the web site, and what Mainers can do to shift from oil and gas to clean and sustainable energy sources. $5. Reserve your tickets by calling 798-6964.
Wed 4/4 - Kitchen Licensing Workshop, 10 am - 3 pm, Common Ground Education Center, Unity. Designed for farmers and others interested in home-food processing for resale. Learn about licensing requirements, food safety, and liability insurance. Morning panel moderated by Cheryl Wixson, MOFGA's resident chef. After lunch, participants will tour MOFGA's Common Kitchen. Afternoon program will discuss labeling requirements, organic certification, and a round table sharing of experiences. $35 for MOFGA members; $40 for non-members. Includes lunch. Please note this course is very popular and fills quickly. Will be offered again in December. FMI see http://www.mofga.org/Programs/Events/KitchenLicensingWorkshop/tabid/1588/Default.aspx
Wed 4/4 - Grow Your Own Organic Garden, 6 - 9 pm, Scarborough High School, Room E103, 11 Municipal Drive, Scarborough. Learn the basics of soil science and how to enrich soil to produce healthy high-yielding plants, making and using compost, principles of crop rotation, incorporating green manures and managing nutrients, differences between cultivated plants and weeds, weed control strategies, and natural insect control. $5. FMI call 730-5040 or see http://scarborough.maineadulted.org/courses/course/mofgas_grow_your_own_organic_garden
Wed 4/4 - The Last Five Percent: The Most Remote, Magical, and Pristine Corners of the Ocean, 6 pm, Franklin Theater, Waynflete School, Portland. An evening with filmmaking pioneer and ocean conservationist Feodor Pitcairn, including a screening of his film "Ocean Odyssey." Go on a high-definition journey through the last untouched five percent of the ocean: from the kelp forests to the Galapagos, from Indonesia to Belize, and from Polynesia to the Azores. Free, but donations will be accepted to benefit 10th, 11th and 12th grade scholarships for Sustainable Ocean Studies. FMI call 774-5721, ext. 318, or see http://www.waynflete.org/summertime.
Thu 4/5 - King Coal and Appalachian Activism: The Fight to Save Appalachia from Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining, 7 - 8:30 pm, Smith Auditorium, Sills Hall, Bowdoin College, Brunswick. More than 500 mountains and 1.2 million acres of landscape have been destroyed in Appalachia by mountaintop removal coal mining. Some of this coal comes to New England to fuel power plants that sell electricity to Maine. Come hear Chuck Keeney, a West Virginia historian, talk about the impacts of mountaintop removal mining, what the people of Appalachia are doing to stop it, and how we can help here in Maine. Free, but space is limited; RSVP online at http://supporters.nrcm.org/site/Calendar?id=101021&view=Detail
Fri 4/6 - Earth Stations: A Planetary Way of the Cross, 3:45 - 5:30 pm, the Bandstand, Deering Oaks Park, Portland. Evoking the traditional Good Friday practice of journeying the fourteen Stations of the Cross, this powerful event invites solemn reflection on behalf of the wounded Earth, and our role in its healing. Designed for those concerned for the Earth, regardless of religious affiliation. Prophetic and inspirational words from the world's astronauts and poets and religious leaders from many traditions will be interspersed with silence as we walk slowly from one "station" to the next. Organizations supporting this event are the Maine Council of Churches, the Chaplaincy Institute of Maine, Sierra Club of Maine, and Maine Interfaith Power and Light. FMI call the Rev. Kitsy Winthrop 773-7738.
Fri 4/6 - Backyard Poultry for Eggs or Meat, 5:30 - 8:30 pm, The Long Branch School of Maine, 20 Main Street, Bowdoinham. Learn from Brett Thompson what it takes to successfully raise chicks to egg laying adulthood. Instruction includes fencing and other predator deterrents, feeders and waterers, along with a demonstration of what to feed and how often to water. Housing will be discussed along with a demo of different types of an M.C.U. (Mobile Chicken Unit). Meat production will not include slaughtering, but you will get addresses of places to transport your birds for same. The course emphasis will be on the health, happiness and safety of your feathered charges. Bring a copy of the chicken ordinance for your town. $40. FMI call 666-8900 or see www.longbranchschool.com
Sat 4/7 - Children's Day at Fields Pond, 10 am - 4 pm, 216 Fields Pond Rd, Holden. A free day of nature programs for children and families. Fields Pond Audubon Center features a visitor center, an 85-acre pond, and a 192-acre sanctuary with trails ideal for nature study, wildlife-watching, walking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. FMI call 989-2591.
Sat 4/7 - Endangered Species Road Watch Training Session, 10:30 am – 2 pm, Goodall Memorial Library, 952 Main St, Sanford. Want to do something that is both good for you and good for Maine's wildlife? Maine Audubon is recruiting volunteers to take part in a special survey for endangered species along roads in southern Maine. Lunch provided; families encouraged to attend. RSVP to Becca Wilson 781-2330 ext. 222
Sat 4/7 - Composting Talk, 10 - 11 am, Longfellow's Greenhouses, 81 Puddledock Rd, Manchester. C.J. Walke, an avid composter and organic orchardist with MOFGA, will discuss the uses and benefits of compost in the garden. FMI call 622-5965.
Sat 4/7 - Organic Gardening Talk, 1 - 2 pm, Longfellow's Greenhouses, 81 Puddledock Rd, Manchester. Caragh Fitzgerald, an Extension Educator for the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, will discuss how to avoid pest problems and to manage your plants with natural products and natural fertilizers. FMI call 622-5965.
Sat 4/7 - Vermicomposting Workshop, 1 – 3 pm, Belfast Free Library, 106 High Street, Belfast. The Belfast Co-op is hosting Mark Follansbee, of WormMainea, for a workshop on composting with worms: an introduction to vermicomposting, setting up and maintaining a worm bin, making a bin with the group, seeing a bin in action, learning about harvesting and using vermicompost, and Q&A. You can pre-order red wiggler worms for $20/pound, and vermicompost kits (worm bin plus 1# red wigglers) for $35 by email ; be sure to mention the 4/7 workshop in Belfast. FMI email Kate Harris, the Co-op's Education Coordinator, or call the Belfast Co-op at 338-2532.
Sat 4/7 - Backyard Poultry for Eggs or Meat, 9 am - noon, The Long Branch School of Maine, 20 Main Street, Bowdoinham. Learn from Brett Thompson what it takes to successfully raise chicks to egg laying adulthood. Instruction includes fencing and other predator deterrents, feeders and waterers, along with a demonstration of what to feed and how often to water. Housing will be discussed along with a demo of different types of an M.C.U. (Mobile Chicken Unit). Meat production will not include slaughtering, but you will get addresses of places to transport your birds for same. The course emphasis will be on the health, happiness and safety of your feathered charges. Bring a copy of the chicken ordinance for your town. $40. FMI call 666-8900 or see www.longbranchschool.com
Mon 4/9 - Chemicals and Our Health, 6:30 – 7:30 pm, Pejepscot Day School, 646 Lewiston Rd, Topsham. Hear a panel discussion about safer consumer choices and policy actions. FMI call 725-1229.
Tue, 4/10 - Forum - UMAINE: Clean Tech Innovation Partner, 7:15 - 10:30 am, Wells Conf Ctr, UMAINE, Orono and Wishcamper Center, USM, Portland. E2Tech heads north to Orono for talks and tours of five clean tech research centers. Meet leaders from these centers to learn how their current projects and capabilities have spun off successful businesses and how they may be able to help yours. This special event will bridge north and south via video conferencing with attendees in Portland, providing a chance to network virtually and learn more about the cutting edge facilities, technology and people available at UMAINE to support clean tech companies. $15 E2Tech members; $25 non-members. $15 Orono attendees. Video link between UMaine and USM will end at 9:30.
Tue 4/10 - Apps for Gardeners and Plant Lovers, 5 - 6 pm, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Barters Island Rd, Boothbay. Learn about numerous informative, helpful, and downright entertaining apps available for iPad, iPhone, or iPod in this indoor/outdoor class taught by Director of Education and Staff Botanist Melissa Cullina. $10 members; $12 non-members. Pre-register by calling 633-4333, ext. 101, see www.MaineGardens.org, or stop by the Gardens.
Tue 4/10 - Tails of the Kennebec & Sebasticook, 7 pm, Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick. Enjoy a presentation by Nate Gray, fisheries restoration biologist, with the Maine Department of Marine Resources. FMI contact Ed Friedman 666-3372 .
Tue 4/10 - Chemicals and Our Health: Consumer Choices and Policy Decisions, 7 pm, Shift Sustainable Home Goods, 56 Maine St, Brunswick. Most commonly used chemicals have never been tested for safety before they are sold. Join the Environmental Health Strategy Center for a discussion about toxic chemicals in our products and their impacts on human health. Get useful tips for reducing exposure and an explanation of the policy solutions needed to protect ourselves and our families. Free. Call 729-4050 or email info@shiftofmaine.com to register.
Tue 4/10 - Grow Your Own Organic Garden, 6 - 8 pm, Abbott Room, Belfast Free Library, 106 High St, Belfast. Learn about the basics of soil science, how to enrich your soil to produce healthy, high-yielding plants. Also learn the basics of making and using compost, the principles of crop rotation and how to incorporate green manures and manage nutrients in the garden. Other topics will include distinguishing between cultivated plants and weeds, and controlling weeds and common insect pests using natural methods.
Wed 4/11 - Protecting Maine's Land, 7 - 9 pm, Gilsland Farm, 20 Gilsland Farm Road, Falmouth. Tough economic times present challenging questions for land conservation. Representatives from Maine's land trusts will describe the land they are working to acquire, and the challenges they face. Find out how you can make a difference. FMI call 781-2330.
Wed 4/11 - From Plants to Products Forum, 8 am - noon, Biovation, 55 Industrial Park Rd, Boothbay. Learn about opportunities in bio-based product development. Hear from Maine companies who are already shifting toward more sustainable production while growing their businesses and Maine's economy. $75 registration fee ($25 for students) includes breakfast, lunch and 2012 individual membership in the Sustainable Bioplastics Council of Maine. Register online at https://www.thedatabank.com/dpg/338/donate.asp?formid=biomeet&c=6566363
Thu 4/12 - Children's Story Time and Seed Planting, 10 am, Shift Sustainable Home Goods, 56 Maine St, Brunswick. Calling all little hands. Read Uno's Garden by Graeme Base and plant seeds that will ultimately decorate the sidewalk by the store. All participants will also be able to take home a planted seed of their choice, with instructions on care. Free. Call 729-4050 or email info@shiftofmaine.com to register so they can plan for supplies.
Thu 4/12 - "Permablitzing" our way to a sustainable future, 6 - 7:30 pm, Belfast Free Library, 106 High St, Belfast. Learn about the Belfast Area Transition Initiative (BATI) and its collaborative edible garden projects or "permablitzes." These are informal gatherings during which a group of at least two people come together to build edible gardens where someone lives, share skills related to sustainable living, build community networks, share food, and have fun! Permablitzes are free events, open to the public, with shared food, shared work and time to relax and have fun. Also learn about the BATI edible gardens and food security group, the local economy working group, a public transportation project, and a collaborative zero waste initiative.
Thu 4/12 - Backyard Chickens, 6 - 9 pm, Old Orchard Beach High School, Room 101, 40 E E Cummings Blvd, Old Orchard Beach. Thinking about raising chickens for eggs or as pets? Learn to raise happy hens with the basics of backyard chicken keeping: coop and yard setup, chicken breeds, baby chicks, winter care, composting, garden interaction, nutrition, health, and local resources. Instructor Stacey Collins raised her first chickens on a postage-stamp urban lot. She has an organic vegetable and fruit garden and runs Backyard Harvest (www.mainebackyardharvest.com), a chicken and garden consulting business. Get the full scoop on the benefits and drawbacks of chicken keeping in urban and suburban settings. Dispel some common misconceptions and leave with a good sense of what is really involved in successfully raising chickens in your own backyard. $35. FMI call 934-7922.
Thu 4/12 - The Future of Aquaculture: Welfare Challenges in Aquaculture, 6:30 - 8 pm, Sam L. Cohen Center for Interactive Learning, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, 350 Commercial Street, Portland. With an ever growing global population, what role can aquaculture play in ensuring a sustainable food source? Pete Southgate, of FishVet Group, will discuss critical challenges keeping fish healthy in aquaculture environments. Seating is limited, please call for reservations! FMI contact Patty Collins at 228-1625 or lectures@gmri.org
Fri 4/13 to Sun 4/22 - Solar Workshops at the home of Dr. Richard Komp, 17 Rockwell Rd, SE, Jonesport. All you can learn - in ten days, or a weekend, or two... A week with Dr. Richard Komp, including two weekend photovoltaic assembly workshops. Program presented by experienced MeSEA trainers. Sessions include "Solar PV Assembly," how to start a "PV Cottage Industry," how to "Rebuild a Solar Hot-Air Collector," and how to "Combat Climate Change." $75 one day session (Sat or Sun). $125 two day extended session (Sat & Sun). $475 full ten day intensive program. Includes noon meal. FMI call 546-1639 or 497-2204.
Sat 4/14 - 19th Annual Maine Garden Day, 7:30 am - 3 pm, Lewiston High School, 156 East Avenue, Lewiston. Workshops, Educational Displays & Trade Show. Advance registration only! Seating limited; first come, first served. Maine Garden Day Schedule: 7:30 – 8:30 Registration, refreshments & trade show, 8:30 Workshops Begin, Half-day (HD) 8:30-11:15, Quarter-day (QD) 8:30-9:45; 10:00-11:15, 11:15 – 12:15 Lunch and Trade Show, 12:15 Workshops Begin, Half-day (HD) 12:15-3:00, Quarter-day (QD) 12:15-1:30; 1:45-3:00. $50 per person (lunch is included). FMI call 1-800-287-1482 or 743-6329 or see http://www.umaine.edu/gardening/maine-garden-day/
Sat 4/14 and Sun 4/15 - Top Bar Beekeeping 101 - Weekend Intensive, 8:30 am - 4 pm, Shelter Institute, 873 Route One, Woolwich (5 miles north of Bath). Two full days of learning with like-minded folks, concerned about our environment and the health of the honey bee. History, Bee Biology, Bee Diseases, Hive Management - each session with relevant details and anecdotes. $200 ($175 early bird). Include breakfast and lunch. FMI see http://www.goldstarhoneybees.com/
Sat 4/14 - Kitchen Garden Design Workshop, 9 am - 2 pm, Bosarge Family Education Center, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay. Ellen Ecker Ogden, an expert gardener and designer, cookbook author, nationwide speaker, and founder of The Cooks Garden seed catalog, will be at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens to present a hands-on class, "Growing Food Artfully: Kitchen Garden Design." Participants are invited to bring photos of their properties to help with the design of their own beautiful and productive veggie gardens. $50 members; $60 non-members. Pre-register by calling 633-4333, ext. 101, see www.MaineGardens.org, or stop by the Gardens.
Sat 4/14 - Endangered Species Road Watch Training Session, 10:30 am - 2 pm, York Public Library, 15 Long Sands Rd, York. Want to do something that is both good for you and good for Maine's wildlife? Maine Audubon is recruiting volunteers to take part in a special survey for endangered species along roads in southern Maine. Lunch provided; families encouraged to attend. RSVP to Becca Wilson 781-2330 ext. 222
Sat 4/14 - Attracting Birds to Your Backyard, 10 – 11 am, Longfellow's Greenhouses, 81 Puddledock Rd, Manchester. Mike Windsor, the Adult Educator and Naturalist for Maine Audubon's Gilsland Farm Center, will describe how you can have an assortment of birds in your yard. Mike's presentation will be followed by a short presentation by the Augusta Area Bird Club. FMI call 622-5965.
Sat 4/14 - Brunswick Barter Market, 3 - 5 pm, Shift Sustainable Home Goods, 56 Maine St, Brunswick. Free and open to all. Anything can be brought to trade: preserved and fresh food, handmade items, seeds and plants, books, tools, or your time and skills. Inspired by the Portland Trading Post events, the guidelines are no cash changes hands (swap or simply "gift" things -- your choice), no swapping until everyone's there, find a home for all your stuff before you leave (or take it home yourself). If you bring a food item with multiple ingredients, please label. Even if you think you have nothing to offer, come check it out! For details, see the Merrymeeting Permaculture and Transition Meetup site at http://www.meetup.com/Merrymeeting-Permaculture-Transition/.
Sat 4/14 - Lawn Care Done Easily and Well, 10 am and 2 pm (Brunswick and Cumberland), 10 am only (Falmouth), Skillins Greenhouses. Want a lush green lawn safe for kids and pets? This class gives you the information and resources you need to have the lawn you want. Discover how to create a self-sustaining lawn that safeguards the health of your family while saving you time and money. Class participants receive a Skillin's 10% discount coupon for use on the weekend of your class. Customers who attend 8 classes in this series (starting with the March classes) receive a $50 Skillin’s Gift Certificate. FMI Brunswick: 442-8111 (1-800-339-8111); Cumberland: 829-5619 (1-800-348-8498); Falmouth: 781-3860 (1-800-244-3860).
Sat 4/14 - The Grass is Always Greener: Sustainable Strategies for the Home Landscape, 2 pm, Skillins Greenhouses Falmouth location only. When it comes to gardening and caring for our earth we are in it for the long term. These sustainable ideas bring you better results year after year. Class participants receive a Skillin's 10% discount coupon for use on the weekend of your class. Customers who attend 8 classes in this series (starting with the March classes) receive a $50 Skillin’s Gift Certificate. FMI 781-3860 (1-800-244-3860).
Mon 4/16 - Rachel Carson in My Life: Memories and Meaning, 5:30 pm, Lee Hall, Wishcamper Center, Portland. Martha Freeman, USM, author of the book, Always Rachel: The Letters of Rachel Carson and Dorothy Freeman, 1952-1964, will discuss a special collection of letters from Rachel Carson to her Maine summer neighbor Dorothy Freeman.
Mon 4/16 - Sustainable Vehicle Design: Human Powered Vehicles, 6 - 8 pm, Sustainability and Energy Alternatives Center at SMCC, 2 Fort Road, South Portland. Enclosed and/or recumbent bicycles and tricycles, often with electric assist. The most efficient and healthy transportation on the planet. Presenters are Allen Armstrong, builder, and Ethan Davis, Wildfire HPV, Kennebunk. Southern Maine Community College in South Portland is hosting a series of free community discussions with the owners and builders of a wide range of alternative vehicles, covering technical aspects, design philosophy, performance data, legal issues, cost, efficiency, historical and current trends, and personal anecdotes. FMI contact John Braugitam, 741-5958 , or Ruth Morrison, 741-5856 , at SMCC.
Mon 4/16 - Film Screening: A Sense of Wonder, 11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m., Lee Hall, Wishcamper Center, Portland.
Tue 4/17 - Film Screening: A Sense of Wonder, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Brooks Faculty Dining, USM, Gorham.
Thu 4/19 - Film Screening: A Sense of Wonder, 1:00-2:30 p.m., Lewiston-Auburn College, Room 287, 51 Westminster Street, Lewiston.
Film to be screened in three locations of the University of Southern Maine during the week before Earth Day. In this 55-minute, one-actress play, Rachel Carson recounts the challenge of getting her message to Congress and the public amidst widespread personal attack. Discussion will follow the screening. For more about the film, see asenseofwonderfilm.com.
Tue 4/17 - Youth 'Pickle Labs', 9:30 - 11:30 am and 1:30 - 3:30 pm, Cumberland County Extension, 75 Clearwater Drive, Ste 104, Falmouth. These two-hour, hands-on, multi-media educational programs teach children 7-12 years old about the science behind food preservation. Students will learn about food preservation science with pickles. In the process, they’ll dissect a pickle, identify pickle flavors through smell and taste, play pickle Jeopardy and sample different pickled products. Each session limited to 24 participants. $2 per child. To register, call 781-6099 or 1-800-287-1471.
Wed 4/18 and 4/25 - Organic Farming: Principles and Practices, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm, Royal River Natural Foods, Freeport. This course, sponsored by Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, is for those who are considering converting to organic or starting an organic farm. Learn about soil science, meeting crop nutrition needs with organic materials, on-farm compost production, the use of cover crops, organic methods of weed, pest and disease control, organic livestock production, organic certification, and marketing organic farm products. Hear experienced organic farmers discussing organic production of several popular commercial enterprises. Both days are approved for 3 pesticide applicator recertification credits. $75 individual (2 days), includes lunch. $30 each additional participant from the same farm or household. $30 students & apprentices. $45 per day/per person (but they strongly suggest you attend both days). FMI see http://www.mofga.org/Events/IntroductiontoOrganicFarmingShortCourses/tabid/296/Default.aspx
Thu 4/19 - 2012 Portland Community Food Forum: Creating a Healthy, Accessible and Resilient Food System, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm, Woodfords Congregrational Church, Portland. A full day of communication, connection and action planning among people working within the Portland, Maine food system. Learn what is happening with our local and regional food system, discover connections, plan collaborations and champion one another’s work, identify gaps in the local food landscape and create ideas for filling them, increase participation in the food security conversation that is already happening, broaden the vision about how Portland can be fed locally, join working groups, develop action steps and craft ideas for new projects, and explore opportunities to keep the conversation and action moving. Local organic lunch provided and coffee/tea/snacks available throughout the day. Free. Register at http://portlandfoodforum.wordpress.com/
Thu 4/19 - Youth 'Pickle Labs', 9:30 - 11:30 am and 1:30 - 3:30 pm, Cumberland County Extension, 75 Clearwater Drive, Ste 104, Falmouth. These two-hour, hands-on, multi-media educational programs teach children 7-12 years old about the science behind food preservation. Students will learn about food preservation science with pickles. In the process, they’ll dissect a pickle, identify pickle flavors through smell and taste, play pickle Jeopardy and sample different pickled products. Each session limited to 24 participants. $2 per child. To register, call 781-6099 or 1-800-287-1471.
Thu 4/19 - 50th Anniversary of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, 5 - 8 pm, Hannaford Lecture Hall, USM, Portland. A panel, moderated by Naomi Schalit, Executive Director of Pinetree Watchdog, will commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring by discussing Carson’s influence on five female environmental leaders in Maine. FMI see http://usm.maine.edu/environmental-science/rachel-carson
Fri 4/20 - Earth Day Celebration: Songs & Stories for a Small Planet, 10 - 11:15 am, Gilsland Farm, 20 Gilsland Farm Road, Falmouth. Join Maine Audubon for a rollicking performance by "Stand-Up Chameleon" Jackson Gillman. Laugh and learn about our connection to the natural world through participatory songs and movement, and Jackson’s uncanny insect impersonations and rib-tickling stories. $10 Maine Audubon members. $15 non-members. FMI call 781-2330.
Fri 4/20 - Mother film screening, 6:30 - 9 pm, First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, Kennebunk. The film "Mother: Caring for 7 Billion" brings to light an issue that fuels our most pressing environmental, humanitarian and social crises: population growth. In 2011 the world population reached 7 billion, a seven-fold increase since 1811. The film illustrates both overconsumption and inequity. Grounded in the theories of social scientist Riane Eisler, the film strives not to blame but to highlight that overpopulation is a symptom of a larger problem - a "domination system" that has glorified the domination of man over nature, man over child, and man over woman. To break this pattern, the first step is to raise the status of women worldwide.
Sat 4/21 - Urban Runoff 5K Race, 9 am, Deering High School, Stevens Avenue, Portland. Runoff is water that flows over the surface of the ground, picking up pollution as it flows. This spring, a new kind of runoff will be seen in Southern Maine! The inaugural Urban Runoff 5K and walk will raise awareness of water pollution and raise money to support clean water education in local schools, then lead into The City of Portland's Green Neighbor Family Fest. $15 pre-registration; $20 race-day registration. FMI see http://www.urbanrunoff5k.com/
Sat 4/21, Earth Day Clean Up: Scarborough Marsh, 9 am - noon, Scarborough Marsh, Scarborough. Spring is here and it is time to clean up the marsh, beaches, the Nature Center, and the grounds for the new season. Join Maine Audubon, Friends of Scarborough Marsh, TogetherGreen, and the Scarborough community for a workday, and help make our corner of the earth a better place. Groups are welcome! FMI see http://maineaudubon.org/our-locations/scarborough-marsh/
Sat 4/21 - Earth Day Work Day, 10 am - 4 pm, MOFGA's Common Ground Education Center, Unity. This is a great opportunity to meet other MOFGA supporters, learn about organic landscape maintenance, get some fresh air in your lungs and dirt under your nails. Lunch and volunteer t-shirts will be provided. If you're interested but can't make it, call MOFGA to talk about year-round volunteer opportunities. FMI call 568-4142 or email volunteers@mofga.org.
Sat 4/21 and Sun 4/22 - Trail Maintenance Weekend, Back Country Excursions, 42 Woodward Rd, Parsonsfield. Winter cleanup and trail repairs. Expect a little riding each day followed by some trail work. Pick a day or stay the weekend and ride and work both days. No fees just bring a little food to share for any meals you might want to do here. We'll do some trail pruning raking and bridge repairs, etc. We will provide most of the tools, but bring your work gloves. Saturday night accommodations are available: first come, first served camping or group bunkhouse. Reservation required as this weekend often fills right up. FMI call Cliff Krolick 625-8189 or email info@bikebackcountry.com
Sat 4/21 - Container Gardening, 10 am and 2 pm, Skillins Greenhouses. Whether you live in a condo, apartment, or want to use small spaces, gardening in containers provides a creative use of limited space. Let Skillins show you how to grow season long flowers in creative ways. Class participants receive a Skillin's 10% discount coupon for use on the weekend of your class. Customers who attend 8 classes in this series (starting with the March classes) receive a $50 Skillin’s Gift Certificate. FMI Brunswick: 442-8111 (1-800-339-8111); Cumberland: 829-5619 (1-800-348-8498); Falmouth: 781-3860 (1-800-244-3860).
Sun 4/22 - The Bicycle Coalition of Maine's Great Orono Bike Swap, 10 am - 2 pm, University of Maine, Orono. Cyclists of all ages and ability levels can buy and sell bicycles while supporting the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. Volunteers will be on hand to offer advice on all bike-related subjects. FMI see http://www.bikemaine.org/events/bike-swap, call 623-4511, or email cecelia@BikeMaine.org.
Sun 4/22 - Season Extension: Hoop Houses and Cold Frames for Early Spring, 1 pm, The Urban Farm Fermentory, 200 Anderson St., Bay 4, Portland. Learn how to build hindged hoophouses and simple coldframes to get the growing season started. Topics to be discussed: construction, seed / plant selection, site / solar orientation. $12. FMI call 773-8331 or see http://www.urbanfarmfermentory.com/classes/season-extension-hoop-houses-and-cold-frames-early-spring
Tue 4/24 - Vernal Pools, 6:30 pm, Topsham Public Library, 25 Foreside Road, Topsham. Vernal pools, small wetlands that appear only temporarily in spring, are center stage this time of year. Find out why they are important, and what they are studying in the Cathance Preserve's vernal pools. Amanda Shearin, Ph.D. Candidate in Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Maine, will conduct a lively presentation regarding this unique and precious habitat. FMI call 798-1913 or email crea@creamaine.org
Thu 4/26 - 50th Anniversary of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, 7 - 9 pm, Maine Audubon Gilsland Farm Center, Falmouth. Environmental Health Strategy Center Associate Director Amanda Sears will participate on a speaker panel discussing the 50th Anniversary of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring.
Thu 4/26 - "Living Downstream" Film and Discussion, 6 - 7:30 pm, Auburn Public Library, 300 Main Street, Lewiston. Based on the book by ecologist and cancer survivor Sandra Steingraber, Living Downstream follows Sandra during one pivotal year as she travels across North America, working to break the silence about cancer and its environmental links. A brief discussion will follow on initiatives in Maine to reduce harm from toxic chemicals. FMI contact The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing, http://www.dempseycenter.org/, call 1-877-336-7287 or email info@dempseycenter.org
Fri 4/27 - Spring Gala & Auction: Pitchfork to Plate, 7 - 10 pm, Harraseeket Inn, Freeport. Join neighbors and friends for an evening of champagne, desserts, entertainment, and a live & silent auction to benefit Wolfe's Neck Farm Foundation and its mission "to continue and improve Wolfe's Neck Farm's long tradition of sustainable agriculture, education and recreation while preserving its open space." $50 per person. Reserve tickets by calling 865-4469. FMI see http://www.wolfesneckfarm.org/spring-gala.html
Fri 4/27 and Sat 4/28 - Maine Land Conservation Conference 2012, at the Frontier Cafe in Brunswick, and The Red Mill, Mt. Ararat Middle School and Orion Performing Arts Center in Topsham. Maine Coast Heritage Trust presents the Maine Land Conservation Conference in support of Maine's land conservation community. The conference provides training on best practices in land trust management, land transactions, fundraising and stewardship. It provides a forum for learning about the most pressing issues facing land conservation today. Note: Country Edible Plant Walk and GIS Mapping Workshop have filled to capacity. FMI see http://www.mltn.org/meetings/conservation-conference.php
Sat 4/28 - Edible Landscaping Made Easy, 10 am, Longfellow's Greenhouses, 81 Puddledock Rd, Manchester. Lois Stack, University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Ornamental Horticulture, will help you plan your landscape to maximize vegetable growth and make the most of your growing experience. Grow and enjoy fresh vegetables from your own garden. FMI call 622-5965.
Sat 4/28 and Sun 4/29 - Top Bar Beekeeping 101: Weekend Intensive, 8:30 am - 4 pm, Squire Tarbox Inn, 1181 Main Rd, Westport Island. Combine a weekend class by top bar bee keeper, Christy Hemenway of Gold Star HoneyBees, with a stay at an historic inn on Westport Island. Learn how to raise bees in a top-bar hive and make honey. Includes two nights lodging (April 27 and 28), breakfast, lunch & refreshments; classes on Saturday & Sunday (April 28 & 29). Single occupancy and 1 student $415; double occupancy and 2 students $590; double occupancy and 1 student $430. Prices exclude 7% Maine lodging tax. FMI see http://www.squiretarboxinn.com/specials/
Sat 4/28 - Vegetable Gardening, 10 am, Skillins Greenhouses. Learn how to safely and smartly grow your own food. Class participants receive a Skillin's 10% discount coupon for use on the weekend of your class. Customers who attend 8 classes in this series (starting with the March classes) receive a $50 Skillin’s Gift Certificate. FMI Brunswick: 442-8111 (1-800-339-8111); Cumberland: 829-5619 (1-800-348-8498); Falmouth: 781-3860 (1-800-244-3860).
Sat 4/28 - Container Edibles, 2 pm, Skillins Greenhouses. More and more of us want to grow some of our own food as naturally and conveniently as we can. Let Skillins show you some new tricks with vegetables and herbs that can be grown indoors and out. Class participants receive a Skillin's 10% discount coupon for use on the weekend of your class. Customers who attend 8 classes in this series (starting with the March classes) receive a $50 Skillin’s Gift Certificate. FMI Brunswick: 442-8111 (1-800-339-8111); Cumberland: 829-5619 (1-800-348-8498); Falmouth: 781-3860 (1-800-244-3860).
Sun 4/29 - The Bicycle Coalition of Maine's Great Portland Bike Swap, 10 am - 2 pm, University of Southern Maine, Portland. Cyclists of all ages and ability levels can buy and sell bicycles while supporting the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. Volunteers will be on hand to offer advice on all bike-related subjects. FMI see http://www.bikemaine.org/events/bike-swap, call 623-4511, or email cecelia@BikeMaine.org.
Mon 4/30 - Sustainable Vehicle Design: Maine Electric Vehicles, 6 - 8 pm, Sustainability and Energy Alternatives Center at SMCC, 2 Fort Road, South Portland. Three-wheeled home and kit built electric vehicles are a study in simplicity and practicality. Presenters are Art Haines, SUNNev, and Bill Drinkwater, EV Maine. Southern Maine Community College in South Portland is hosting a series of free community discussions with the owners and builders of a wide range of alternative vehicles, covering technical aspects, design philosophy, performance data, legal issues, cost, efficiency, historical and current trends, and personal anecdotes. FMI contact John Braugitam, 741-5958 , or Ruth Morrison, 741-5856 , at SMCC.
Sat 7/21 - Save the date - Green Living Expo, 11 am - 6 pm, 77 Warren Rd, Denmark. Whether you are tied to the grid or tired of the grid, come to this laid back and informative green living workshop to learn now you can green up and simplify your living situation. $45-$75 self-assessed sliding scale includes workshops and community sauna to end the day. Bring your own lunch. FMI contact Jen Deraspe 595-8260 or see http://ntnretreats.com/wp/?tribe_events=green-living-expo/
