By Bill Pluecker The state of Maine has been at the forefront of cleaning up the toxic mess created by PFAS chemicals. The legislature has passed a ban on consumer products that are created using PFAS; banned the land application of sludge (which is contaminated by PFAS in 99% of the cases); and banned the
An Interview with Marina Schauffler Contamination of Maine farmland by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) garnered mainstream media attention in 2019 when the Stone family publicly shared the tragic story of chemical contamination of their dairy farm. Contamination of additional farms, including several certified organic operations, came to light following the release of a map, by
Interview by Holli Cederholm Introduction Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or forever chemicals as they’re often referred to, are not new. And neither is the contamination of land, water, food and even human bodies by these persistent chemicals. PFAS, distinguished by incredibly strong carbon-fluorine bonds that do not easily degrade in the environment, were invented
The chemicals known as per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) continue to come to light as contaminants in agriculture. Maine farms, conventional and organic, are increasingly testing water, soil and crops to determine if PFAS contamination exists. As we wrote in a previous blog post, these forever chemicals persist in the environment decades after they were
The chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been widely used since the 1950s in products ranging from food packaging to fire fighting foam. PFAS have recently been recognized as contaminants in agriculture and are believed to largely be entering soil through the application of biosolids, industrial sludges and ashes, which may contain
The chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been widely used since the 1950s in products ranging from food packaging to fire fighting foam. PFAS have recently been recognized as contaminants in agriculture and are believed to largely be entering soil through the application of biosolids, industrial sludges and ashes, which may contain
Wood from white oak (shown here), black locust, cedar and honey locust can be used as an organic alternative to pressure-treated wood. English photo. By Eric Sideman, Ph.D. I have worked for MOFGA for nearly 20 years as the “answer man,” and questions about treated lumber have come in every spring when gardeners and farmers
Noted author and biologist Sandra Steingraber talked about economic and ecological collapse – and about rescuing a farm – at a teach-in at the Common Ground Country Fair. English photo. By Sharon Tisher What if we paid as much attention to our global ecological crisis as we do to our global financial crisis? With this
By Gail Faith Edwards Copyright ©2006 by the author On the night of December 3, 1984, 40 tons of deadly methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas, black green in color, according to those who saw it, leaked from the Union Carbide India Limited Factory and swept through most of Old Bhopal, India, within a few hours. The
Teach-In at the 2005 Common Ground Country Fair By Jean English Copyright ©2006 by the author “Home is where the harm is,” said Mike Belliveau at a Public Policy Teach-In about healthy homes at the 2005 Common Ground Country Fair. The executive director of the Environmental Health Strategy Center and organizer of the Alliance for
Landsmith Farm in Waldoboro, Maine, organically grows a wide variety of high-quality, tasty vegetables, herbs, willow, and cut flowers using practices that prioritize the health of the land and its stewards. Their products are sold wholesale and direct-to-consumer through a variety of channels, including a farm stand, pick-your-own garden, and a future CSA (community supported agriculture) program. Landsmith Farm is owned and operated by Erin Espinosa, whose identities as a queer latina woman farmer ground the farm in values of reciprocity, community, and perseverance.
Visit Ladsmith Farm on Instagram @landsmithfarm and on their Website.
