•University of Maine • B.S. Soil Science

• B.S. Civil Engineering

•Registered Professional Engineer •Certified Soil Scientist

•Co-owner of Laughing Stock Farm since 1997 • Currently growing 12 acres of vegetables

• 6 year round greenhouses

•Recipients of the Commissioner of Agriculture’s Distinguished Service Award, 2014

A farm is a BUSINESS

The first rule of sustainability -

We have to make enough money this year to farm again next year

•Last frost of the spring, first of the fall - •First planting date •What late crops to risk •What will live through the winter •Labor requirements •When do the weeds die

Too hot (global warming?) •Plants transpire more, soil water evaporates more, farmers need to water more •Greater cost, moving irrigation pipes •Need an adequate water supply •Shorter harvest window each day

•Harder on employees •Harder on livestock •Organic nitrogen is available more quickly •More disease pressure in wet years •New and different insects and diseases

So – Vote YES on 2

Customers don’t shop in bad

weather

Portland data

rainfall in inches Mar Apr May June July Aug Annual Total Departure

30 year ave 4.1 4.3 3.8 3.3 3.3 3.1

2009 2.7 4.6 4.5 8.6 8.6 5.2 58.61 + 12.78

2010 11 1.5 1.8 3.5 4.1 3 52.52 + 6.69

2011 4.9 6.4 4.3 3.6 4.6 5.2 51.77 + 4.52

2012 2.1 4.8 5.9 8.6 4.3 6.2 54.47 + 7.22

2013 1.7 2.1 4.6 7.3 3.4 3.1 43.87 - 3.38

1981 to 2010 47.25

1961 to 1990 44.34

Raised beds – 1 to 4 passes to make each bed

not enough time to do all the work with 1 tractor

Question the conventional

wisdom

Natural Resource Conservation Service (USDA) gives farmers money for contour plowing. But not if the contours allow for drainage.

One size does not fit all.

Some answers are

simple

•No. 2 fuel oil cost 80 to 85 cents/gal a gallon in 2001 when we started this

•Used cooking oil now costs us $1.85/gal plus handling, so we use propane

•Problem- federal subsidies for renewable transportation fuels – right now over $2 per gallon

•Tax $$ being spent to support biodiesel, when our solution worked without ongoing support

•“Picking winners and losers”

•Stable economic climate •Stable regulatory climate •Stable climate climate

Farmers know best what farmers need Vote YES on 6 Above all – do no harm