Register for Upcoming Series of Climate Forums
The Maine Farmers Resource Network is offering an upcoming series of farmer climate forums, brought to you by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association and the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont.
The following forums are part of a three-part series discussing flooding, excess precipitation, and farm resilience. Register to attend whichever sessions you wish.
Farmer Perspectives on flooding, adaptation, and building farm resilienceMarch 13, 2025 5 – 6:30 p.m. on Zoom
Amanda Andrews, Tamarack Hollow Farm; Bruce Hennessey, Maple Wind Farm; Ryan Fitzbeauchamp, Evening Song Farm
Farmers throughout New England have been severely impacted by extreme precipitation and flooding. As a result, farms are innovating, exploring creative and meaningful ways to adapt their businesses and production systems to climate change. Join us for a discussion to learn how both vegetable and livestock producers throughout New England are impacted by flooding and at the same time adapting their farms to build resilience. Presentations will be followed by a facilitated farmer-to-farmer discussion.
New England climate trends, soil hydrology, and managing the effects of soil saturation March 27, 2025 5 – 6:30 p.m. on Zoom
Sean Birkel, UMaine; Joshua Faulkner, UVM
Birkel will review Maine’s historical temperature and precipitation trends and future climate projections, and discuss impacts to the growing season. He will also give an overview of online tools relevant to agriculture, including growing degree day and precipitation summaries, frost date estimates, and other resources. Faulkner will discuss general soil and hydrology concepts that relate to drainage and water management in agriculture in the context of extreme rainfall. He will also address how saturation and soil moisture status can affect nutrient cycling and soil health factors and how those relate to farm management practices.
Climate Adaptation Planning for Flood and High Precipitation Conditions April 10, 2025 5 – 6:30 p.m. on Zoom
Sean Hagan, Maine Farmland Trust; Sara Keleman, American Farmland Trust
Climate Adaptation Planning is a useful tool to assess risks and identify strategies to increase resilience and mitigate the impacts of climate change. This session will discuss the process of climate adaptation planning, with a focus on the impacts of flooding and high precipitation conditions, and we’ll hear from a farmer who will share their experience working through this process and how it has informed their thinking.
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