Tag: local food

Mid-Coast Currents 5/16/14

Producer/Host: Sara Trunzo
Engineer: Joel Mann

Issue: People, events, and ideas in mid-coast, Maine

Program Topic: Maine Fare and celebrating Maine foods

Key Discussion Points:
1. What is the Maine Fare event?
2. Why did you organize the event?
3. What opportunities will there be for locals and visitor to enjoy or learn about farms and fisheries?

Guests:

a. Ellen Sabina is the Outreach Director at Maine Farmland Trust,  and an aspiring farmer.
b. Alex Fouliard is an Outreach Intern at Maine Farmland Trust. She recently graduated from College of the Atlantic and spends her free time running around with baby goats in Jonesboro.
c. Robin Alden is Executive Director of Penobscot East Resource Center, a non-profit organization she co-founded in 2003. Located on the waterfront in Stonington, Maine, the organization’s mission is to secure a future for fishing communities in eastern Maine.  Alden was Maine Commissioner of Marine Resources from 1995 to 1997. For twenty years she was publisher and editor of Commercial Fisheries News, a regional fishing trade newspaper that she founded in 1973 and later became publisher and editor of the publication, Fish Farming News. She was a co-founder of the annual Maine Fishermen’s Forum. She is a current member of Maine Sea Grant’s Policy Advisory Committee.

For More Information:
www.maine-fare.org
www.mainefarmlandtrust.org
www.penobscoteast.org

WERU News Report 4/30/14

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Segment 1: It’s not unusual to hear of small businesses struggling, and eventually being forced to close, especially in this economy—but it IS unusual when a community rallies to save them. News broke earlier this month that Coastal Farm and Food in Belfast was shutting down. The local farmers and food producers who relied on them were being forced to move out. But some local residents decided they weren’t going to let that happen, at least not without a fight. Here to tell that story are two of the people most closely involved (Steve Fein and Peter Wilkinson):

Segment 2: The problem of mercury contamination in the lower Penobscot river and upper bay has been receiving a lot of attention in recent weeks, after it forced the closure of the lobster and crab fisheries in the area. State officials estimate that it will be at least 2 years before the area is re-opened. But work to expose and deal with the source of the mercury from the former Holtrachem plant started more than 20 years ago, led by a grassroots movement of concerned area residents, the Maine People’s Alliance, and other environmental groups. Over the years, the Maine People’s Alliance has pursued the issue through the court system, winning a series of rulings forcing the former owners of the Holtrachem plant, a giant corporation called Mallinkrodt, to address contamination at the site in Orrington, as well as in the river. Their next big day in court is coming up in June, and they are inviting anyone who is concerned about the issue to join them in court on the opening day, June 3rd. At a presentation in Stockton Springs Saturday, Nancy Galland, one of the plaintiffs in the case, gave some background on the issue:

Family Corner 4/23/14

Producer/Host: Sue Mackey Andrews
Engineer: Amy Browne

Program Topic: Discussed food insecurity and the options that Healthy Acadia and the County Extension programs are creating through farm to school efforts, school gardens, summer food programs, nutrition education, mentoring and volunteering opportunities

Key Discussion Points:
a) Food insecurity in Maine for children is the highest of the New England States
b) Lots of options exist for families to access locally gown, healthy foods
c) Lots of options exist for individuals to volunteer, share a skill, time and develop relationships within their communities
Guests by name and affiliation:
A. Bronwyn Clement, Community Food Security Organizer at Healthy
B. Acadia
C. Elsie Flemings, Executive Director of Healthy Acadia
D. Nikki Fox, Community Health Coordinator for Healthy Acadia
E. Lisa Reilich, 4-H Youth Development Professional for Hancock & Washington Counties

Common Health 3/19/14

Host: Jim Fisher
Engineer: Amy Browne

Program Topic: Locally Grown Food

Key Discussion Points:
A) What should we be doing in March and April to grow our own food?
B) What are the rules for being organic?
C) What grows best in Maine?
D) How can we help people grow their own or share what we’ve grown?

Guests:
-Marjorie Peronto Extension Educator University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Hancock and Washington Counties 63 Boggy Brook Road, Ellsworth, ME 04605-9540 207-667-8212
-Vicki Salsbury Salsbury Organic Garden Center
1501 Maine 102 Bar Harbor, ME 04609 (207) 288-

Talk of the Towns 5/24/13

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Engineer: Amy Browne

Program Topic: Eating local from land and sea—creating a Maine Food Strategy

Key Discussion Points]:
a) What is a food system and how do seafood, including aquaculture products, and products from local farming fit into Maine’s food system?
b) Are there differences and similarities between local seafood and local food from agriculture in taking advantage of consumer interest in “local food”?
c) What are the ways that seafood harvesters and local-scale processors are finding to make connections with consumers… what are the successes and challenges? (farmer’s markets, Community Supported Agriculture models, Maine Fresh Catch, etc)
d) What have we learned from these experiments and successes?
e) At some levels, food is considered a “commodity” where uniformity, volume and high degrees of processing “delivers the goods”. Where does “quality” and freshness fit in to seafood side of food system? How do these attributes play out on the landward side, in local agriculture?
f) Who are some of the people and organizations who are working to link sea food with Maine’s food system and local consumers?
g) What is the process for coming up with a Maine Food Strategy?
h) How can harvesters, processers and consumers learn more, work together?
i) List resources and contact info for your organizations
j) Wrap up with each guest sharing “hopes for the future” as Maine develops its food strategy.

Guests:
Monique Coombs, Maine Sea Food Marketing Network
Amanda Beal, Eat Local Food Coalition
Sebastian Bell, Maine Aquaculture Association

Call In Program

WERU Community SoapBox 4/17/12

Host: Amy Browne
Engineer: Joel Mann

Issue: Open-mic style call-in show

Key Discussion Points:
“conspiracy theories”, 9/11 truth, WERU transmitter campaign, E/W Highway, strip searches, community supported agriculture, local food, upcoming events

Guests by name and affiliation: n/a

Call In Program: yes

WERU Community SoapBox 4/10/12

Host: Amy Browne
Engineer: Joel Mann

Issue: Open-mic style call-in show

Key Discussion Points:
Bipartisan politics, political participation, upcoming events, drones, Mirza Shahzah Akbar denied visa, Juniper Ridge/Old Town landfill, Casella, chicken jerky treats for dogs- danger, CSAs, local food, unions, Governor LePage

Guests: n/a

Call In Program: Yes

WERU Community SoapBox 3/13/12, 4pm

Producer/Host: Amy Browne
Studio Engineer: Joel Mann
Issue: Open-mic style call in show
Program Topic: various
Key Discussion Points (list at least 3):
Upcoming events in the area
LPG
Questions from a new Maine resident for fellow listeners
Atlantica trade corridor
Corporate control
CSAs, local food
Gender parity
Guests by name and affiliation: n/a

Call In Program: Yes