The Business of Farming

| Posted in Farming

Charles Lawton’s column in today’s Maine Sunday Telegram takes a look at the business side of farming in Maine.

In 2008, the total value of crop and livestock sales, government payments and the value of products consumed on the farm by their owners amounted to approximately $750 million for all Maine farms. Deducting production expenses and declining inventory values left net income of approximately $106 million.

Of this, approximately $40 million derived from corporate farms, and the remaining $66 million from sole proprietorships and partnerships. According to Bureau of Economic Analysis data, this income supported just over 7,200 farm proprietors.

Community Gardens & Farm Stands

| Posted in General News

The weekend edition of the Portland Daily Sun reports on an effort to allow community gardens to run farm stands that sell to the general public.

The planning board will review a proposed draft that would allow produce sales as follows: “A single produce stand shall be permitted on the premises of a community garden for the sale of flowers, vegetables, herbs or fruit produced on the premises; provided that the stand is no more than two hundred (200) square feet in floor area, and that sales are limited to two days per week between the hours of 9:00 am and 6:00 pm during the growing season from June 15 through October 15…”

and an article about G & R DiMillo’s new Great Bite Hope challenge meal which consists of 2 1-lb meatballs and 2 pounds of spaghetti.

Those with eyes bigger than their stomachs will face no shortage of embarrassments should they fail to finish the meal. DiMillo said that the restaurant will feature a wall of shame with photos of the gastro-poseurs, who along with the shame of it all have to pay the $22.95 bill.

Community Gardens & Farm Stands

| Posted in General News

The weekend edition of the Portland Daily Sun reports on an effort to allow community gardens to run farm stands that sell to the general public.

The planning board will review a proposed draft that would allow produce sales as follows: “A single produce stand shall be permitted on the premises of a community garden for the sale of flowers, vegetables, herbs or fruit produced on the premises; provided that the stand is no more than two hundred (200) square feet in floor area, and that sales are limited to two days per week between the hours of 9:00 am and 6:00 pm during the growing season from June 15 through October 15…”

and an article about G & R DiMillo’s new Great Bite Hope challenge meal which consists of 2 1-lb meatballs and 2 pounds of spaghetti.

Those with eyes bigger than their stomachs will face no shortage of embarrassments should they fail to finish the meal. DiMillo said that the restaurant will feature a wall of shame with photos of the gastro-poseurs, who along with the shame of it all have to pay the $22.95 bill.

Under Construction: District Grille

| Posted in Under Construction

District Grille, the restaurant that’s long been under construction at 45 Danforth Street, has applied for their liquor license. As part of the filing they’ve included a draft menu (see page 57) and indicated that they hope to open in October. One of the partners, Anthony Mastropasqua, may be familiar to some of you as the owner of Tropa Wine Company which had operated in the West End until earlier this year.

Trader Joe's Now Hiring

| Posted in Under Construction

According to a report in today’s Press Herald, Trader Joe’s is now hiring for their store in Portland. (see the job posting on the Trader Joe’s website)

Work to transform the store was in full swing Thursday, with contractors installing walls and stripping the vestiges of Wild Oats off the exterior.

Spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki said the company plans to open by the end of the year.

The company declined to say how many people it hires for its stores. Mochizuki said the hiring crew in Portland has handed out about 1,000 applications, with four recruiters operating out of a small trailer and working under a pop-up tent in the parking lot.

Trader Joe’s Now Hiring

| Posted in Under Construction

According to a report in today’s Press Herald, Trader Joe’s is now hiring for their store in Portland. (see the job posting on the Trader Joe’s website)

Work to transform the store was in full swing Thursday, with contractors installing walls and stripping the vestiges of Wild Oats off the exterior.

Spokeswoman Alison Mochizuki said the company plans to open by the end of the year.

The company declined to say how many people it hires for its stores. Mochizuki said the hiring crew in Portland has handed out about 1,000 applications, with four recruiters operating out of a small trailer and working under a pop-up tent in the parking lot.

The Deadliest Catches

| Posted in Fisheries

Today’s Press Herald includes a comparison of the rate of fatalities for ground fishing, scalloping and other fishing fleets.

In order to make valid comparisons, the study calculated death rates per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, or FTEs, in each segment of the industry. From 2000 to 2009, the rates were 600 deaths per 100,000 groundfishermen and 425 deaths per 100,000 scallop fishermen in the Atlantic, according to the study. That compares with a rate of 260 deaths per 100,000 in the Alaskan crab fishery.

Interview with Owner of Rising Tide Brewing

| Posted in People, Profiles

Hop Press has published an interview with Nathan Sanborn, owner of Rising Tide Brewing Company.

…When I started brewing again after my son was born I started mulling the idea of opening a brewery. Not in any serious way, but I did a bit of research and was constantly getting pressure from people who tried my beer. Having someone try your beer and say that they like it is one thing; having someone try your beer and ask why you haven’t opened a brewery is a little different. Combining those factors eventually led me to more serious consideration of the possibility of opening a nano-brewery…