COUNTY — Oxford County Soil & Water Conservation upcoming workshops are listed below.

There will be a Fall Mushroom Foray at the Tenmile River Demo Forest in Hiram/Brownfield on Saturday, September 30 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

There will be a Fall Tree Identification Walk on Friday, October 6, from 3-4 p.m. on Route 2 in Bethel.

On Friday, October 13 from 3-5 p.m., there will be a Fall Farm Tour: ‘Sheep Farming: If We Can Do It, You Can Too.’ hosted by Wrinkle in Thyme Farm in Sumner.

Another workshop coming up is Timber Stand Improvement & Pruning on Sunday, November 5 from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. in Hiram/Brownfield.

The Maine Master Naturalist Program is seeking applicants for an Orono course. Do you love nature? The MMNP course is a yearlong, in-depth exploration of natural history. Following graduation, Maine Master Naturalists are ready to introduce others to Maine’s natural world. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. on September 30 of this year. To learn more, visit their website: mainemasternaturalist.org

Fall Fundraiser: Wildflower Seed Sale

These seeds create a colorful garden that doesn’t require much care once it’s established.

We are selling a wildflower seed mix to support our programs. Did you know that fall is a great time to plant wildflower seeds? In fact, many seeds will germinate better after exposure to the cold and snow. Fall sowing is a low-maintenance and easy way to add color and interest to your landscape, as well as support pollinators and birds.

Unlike planting in spring, fall planting does not require intensive watering or fuss. Your seeds will happily overwinter and pop up in spring or summer next year. Some of the benefits of sowing a wildflower garden or meadow include:

•  No kneeling, bending, and digging holes to plant

•  Attracts beneficial insects, pollinators, birds, and other wildlife

•  Can fill in gaps in existing lawns or meadows to add color and pollinator food

•  Can replace areas of lawn to reduce the need to mow

•  Details can be found on our sale page: oxfordcountyswcd.org/native-plant-sale

Oxford County Conservation Photo Contest
Want to win some awesome prizes for something you’re probably already doing? While you’re out enjoying and taking photos of what Maine has to offer – keep us in mind. You could turn one of those photos into a pollinator prize package. The deadline to enter is October 31, 2023
Details can be found on our website: oxfordcountyswcd.org/ocswcd-annual-photo-contest

Education Day

With the threat of rain on the horizon (not at all surprising given the weather we have been having) there were doubts about having Education Day at the Oxford Fair this year. The forecast for September 13 was looking pretty bleak. In spite of this, we still had presenters who wanted to come to share with the students, so we gathered under cover and did it anyway. And it was great.

Rain clouds weren’t enough to keep away the students, and miraculously the rain held out all day. The kids had the opportunity to learn about forests, composting, and pollinators, and even had the chance to try their hand at CPR.

We had hundreds of kids and their families come to visit us throughout the day. We are incredibly grateful to the folks who came to help out with this special day. Caring adults make this whole thing possible. Each year we receive feedback that for many classes this is the highlight of their year. We couldn’t do it without tons of support. See you next year.

Almanac

Our ancestors paid close attention to signs from nature as they prepared for harvests and the cold winter months ahead. They then turned those observations, which have been gathered over a long period of time, into proverbs that were then passed down from generation to generation. Here are some examples:

•  Whatever July and August do not boil, September cannot fry.

•  As September, so the coming March.

•  Fair on the first of September, fair the entire month.

•  If on September 19 there is a storm from the south, a mild winter may be expected.

•  Thunder in September indicates a good crop of grains and fruits the next year.

Read more at farmersalmanac.com/september-weather-lore.

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