Fourth annual Cultivating Our Community event set for April 9

By Kacey Weber
PCSWCD educational 
coordinator

SANGERVILLE — In Piscataquis County, we have many resources available to us, including plentiful and diverse natural resources. One of our most valuable resources is our rich agricultural soils, which in turn provide us with very productive farms. Central Maine is known for agriculture, and there are many groups in our area that work to see this resource grow and thrive.

Four years ago, in an effort to focus more inwardly on what is happening and available in our area, the East Sangerville Grange decided to hold their first annual Cultivating Our Community event. The event was a huge success in that it brought people together to talk about area resources, ideas and solutions. Since its inception, Cultivating Our Community has grown and covered topics such as food mapping, soil health, resource mapping and so much more. This year, the theme for Cultivating Our Community will be agricultural marketing to untapped markets and how marketing is connected to issues related to food access.

The Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District and the East Sangerville Grange are partnering with the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council and the UMaine Cooperative Extension Piscataquis County to bring together a fantastic line up for the 2016 Cultivating Our Community: From Cupboards to Cafes — Solutions to Bring Your Farm to Everyone’s Table.

This event will be held at the East Sangerville Grange on Saturday, April 9, starting at 10 a.m. Event organizers have put together a terrific lineup of presenters, including Shannon Grimes of Maine Farmland Trust, Nancy Perry of Good Shepherd Food Bank, Jim McConnan of UMaine Cooperative Extension and Linda Titus of AgMatters LLC. These wonderful presenters will cover topics such as developing creative ways to expand food access, food bank programs aimed to purchase food from farms, marketing tips for success, and how to become GAP certified. Together they will present information that will provide event attendees with a well-rounded view of markets in our area, issues and solutions surrounding access to these markets and a variety of new programs and opportunities available to agricultural producers in Maine.

Event attendees will have the option to come to all or some of the sessions and then join us for some fun and mingling at a Market Mixer starting at 3:30 p.m. The Market Mixer is sponsored by the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council and is an opportunity for folks to chat with representatives from business, organizations and programs all around our state and learn about a variety of new markets and potential income avenues. The Market Mixer provides an informal, fun way to check out what’s out there.

Whether you are an agricultural producer in Maine, looking to farm in the future or are just interested in what’s happening with our local food system, please be sure to join us for this fantastic annual event. You will get a chance to hear great presentations, enjoy a delicious lunch from Stutzman’s farm and delightful mixer snacks from Spruce Mill Farm & Kitchen. During the lunch and networking session, event participants will get a chance to hear from local eateries and how they source local food.

If you plan to come to the 2016 Cultivating Our Community: From Cupboards to Cafes — Solutions to Bring Your Farm to Everyone’s Table, please be sure to RSVP to the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District, 564-2321 ext. 3 or info@piscataquisswcd.org. There is a minimal registration fee for this event, which will be collected at the door. The registration fee covers access to all the presentations, a hearty lunch and the Market Mixer.

If you have yet to attend Cultivating Our Community, we strongly encourage you to check it out, as it is a wonderful annual event.