University of Maine Cooperative Extension Piscataquis County

09/14/2026

Learn to Identify and Manage Invasive Plants 🌿

Learn to Identify and Manage Invasive Plants 🌿

Not sure what’s growing on your property or what to do once you identify an invasive plant?

Join UMaine Extension’s Nick Rowley for a free workshop covering common terrestrial invasive plants, how to identify them and strategies for controlling them.

📅 September 23 | 5:30–8 p.m.
📍 UMaine Extension Somerset County Office, Skowhegan
🌱 Approved for 2 Pesticide Recertification Credits

Space is limited, so register today!

👉 extension.umaine.edu/event/introduction-to-invasive-plant-id-management

09/14/2026

FARMSTAND ROLL CALL! 🍎

FARMSTAND ROLL CALL! 🍎

One of the best parts of harvest season in Maine? A stop at the local farmstand.

Whether it’s a roadside table with an honor box, a family farm you visit every year or a farm store packed with Maine-grown favorites, we want to see the places you love to stop!

📸 Post a photo of your favorite Maine farmstand in the comments and you’ll be entered to win some UMaine Extension swag!

Shopping at local farmstands is a great way to enjoy what’s in season while supporting Maine farms and connecting with the people who grow our food.

👇 Let’s fill the comments with farmstands from across the state!

09/13/2026

09/10/2026

September is Food Safety Education Month! 🧼

September is Food Safety Education Month! 🧼

Whether you’re packing lunch, preparing dinner or cooking for a crowd, food safety starts with a few simple habits.

Remember the basics:
🧼 Clean: Wash hands and surfaces often.
🥩 Separate: Keep raw meat, poultry and seafood away from ready-to-eat foods.
🌡️ Cook: Use a food thermometer to make sure foods reach a safe internal temperature.
❄️ Chill: Refrigerate perishable foods promptly.

Small steps in the kitchen can make a big difference in preventing foodborne illness.

UMaine Extension offers food safety information and training for home cooks, volunteers, food service professionals, producers and more.

🔗 Explore our food safety resources and training opportunities: https://extension.umaine.edu/food-health/food-safety/training/

09/10/2026

It’s caterpillar season at Rogers Farm! 🦋

It’s caterpillar season at Rogers Farm! 🦋

Our colleagues at Rogers Farm Demonstration Garden spotted some tiny monarch visitors among the milkweed. 🌿

If you’re walking through the gardens, take a little extra care around the milkweed and other plants—these little caterpillars can be easy to miss!

Milkweed provides essential food for monarch caterpillars as they grow and prepare for their incredible transformation.

09/09/2026

Tractor Safety for Beginners: Behind the Wheel with Confidence

Monday, September 18, 2026, from 2:30 PM - 6:00 PM
UMaine Rogers Farm, 941 Bennoch Road, Old Town, Maine 04468

Register today! https://extension.umaine.edu/event/tractor-safety-for-beginners-workshop/

09/04/2026

Extension Tractor Safety for Beginners: Behind the Wheel with Confidence

Monday, September 18, 2026 from 2:30 - 6:00 p.m.

UMaine Rogers Farm, 941 Bennoch Road, Old Town, Maine 04468

Extension Tractor Safety for Beginners: Behind the Wheel with Confidence

Monday, September 18, 2026 from 2:30 - 6:00 p.m.

UMaine Rogers Farm, 941 Bennoch Road, Old Town, Maine 04468

Workshop Description: Join UMaine Extension’s Farm and Tractor Safety Team at the UMaine Rogers Farm in Old Town for a hands-on tractor workshop in a supportive, low-pressure environment to build real confidence behind the wheel. We will practice key safety protocols; equipment basics; starting, stopping, steering, and operating a tractor around obstacles; and interactive activities to reinforce safety concepts and equipment hitching methods. Our goal is to remove the intimidation factor from tractor operation. Guided by patient instructors, you'll practice core skills at a comfortable pace alongside peers who are also starting fresh. You will leave with the foundational knowledge and hands-on experience needed to tackle farm tasks safely and independently. Light refreshments will be provided.

Audience: This program is designed specifically for new, hesitant, or aspiring operators. Participants must be 14 years old or older to drive the tractor. An assumption of risk document must be completed by the participant or a guardian prior to participation.

This work is supported by the Northeast Extension Risk Management project award no. 2024-70027-42540, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Link for more information and to register.

https://extension.umaine.edu/event/tractor-safety-for-beginners-workshop/

09/04/2026

Today, September 4th, we have cukes and peppers on our . There is also a bag of dog treats and a box of coffee pods.
Have a great weekend!

09/04/2026

🇺🇸 Holiday Hours 🇺🇸

The Piscataquis County Extension Office will be closed on Monday, September 7th, in observance of Labor Day.

We will be open on Thursday, September 10th, and Friday, September 11th, next week.

Thank you, and have a safe and happy Labor Day!

09/03/2026

Garden Fest Returns to Rogers Farm! 🌻

Garden Fest Returns to Rogers Farm! 🌻

Bring the family and spend a fall morning exploring the gardens at UMaine Extension’s annual Rogers Farm Demonstration Garden Fest and Fun Run!

Visitors can explore more than 30 themed gardens and enjoy hands-on activities, tastings, art in the garden, veggie vehicle races and more. You can also learn about pollinator-friendly gardening, seasonal eating, soil testing and cover crops.

🌈 A rainbow-themed fun run for children ages 12 and younger begins at 11 a.m., with a chance to make a wand or banner beforehand.

📅 September 12 | 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
📍 Rogers Farm, Old Town
🎟️ Free and open to the public

Come explore, learn and have some fun in the garden!