SOMERVILLE — Pumpkin Vine Family Farm will join farmers, foresters and wildlife professionals from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, to gain critical insights into how a farm functions as an ecosystem and how farmers can actively promote biodiversity to keep that ecosystem healthy and productive. The program, Whole Farm Bidiversity: Co-existing with Carnivores, will be held at the Somerville farm at 217 Hewett Road.
Presenters Andy Shultz and Morten Moesswilde, Maine Forest Service foresters; Deborah Perkins, wildlife ecologist; Geri Vistein, carnivore biologist; and Pumpkin Vine farmers Kelly and Anil Roopchand will each explore this subject from their own professional background and experience. Following the presentations, the Roopshands will lead a tour to demonstrate how they are putting these principles into practice.
An ecosystem is defined as “a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment,” yet the term is rarely used to describe a farm. A farm is indeed an ecosystem and one of the key elements in any healthy ecological system is a healthy predator-prey balance. However, carnivores are often viewed as a problem for livestock farmers and their role in herbivore control may be underappreciated by veggie growers.
This free program is the seventh in the 2018 Farmer & Gardener Workshop Series presented by Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District, Maine Coast Heritage Trust and Midcoast Farmers Alliance.
For more information or to register, visit www.knox-lincoln.org or call 596-2040.
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