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September 22, 2016 NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE Your Community Paper PAID GORHAM, ME PERMIT NO. 10 VOLUME 22 NUMBER 18 SEPTEMBER 22, 2016 SINCE 1995—A FREE, VOLUNTEER-RUN, BIWEEKLY COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER Gorham Gets a A Challenging Growing Season for Fresh Look Local Farms BAILEY O’BRIEN many of the flower and leaf buds or Staff Writer impactedimpacted growthgrowth laterlater inin thethe season.season. “Our blueberry bushes produced lots While meteorologists were happy to of fruit, but certain varieties didn’t have report clear skies and warm days, this any leaves,” said Bibula. spring’s temperature fluctuations and Most damaging has been the spread summer’s minimal rainfall have thrown of fire blight among the apple trees. Maine farmers a big curveball. A relatively new disease to Maine, fire The drought in Maine, most blight is spread by pollinating insects severe in the southern counties, has under warm, humid conditions. been declared a disaster by the US “Usually our apples bloom for five to Department of Agriculture, with the seven days, but this year most bloomed Maine Drought Task Force agreeing that for six weeks. It was incredibly hard to this is one of Maine’s driest summers in manage the beetles, moths, and polli-- Photo credit Roger Marchand over a decade. nating insects that can damage the fruit Gorham’s Findview Farm is one of The Town has installed three new signs Gorham’s Findview Farm is one of during bloom.” A significant number of the many local farms that has felt the along the border of Gorham, replacing the the many local farms that has felt the trees were affected by fire blight. “We repercussions of an exceptionally dry old ones in need of maintenance and add- repercussions of an exceptionally dry Photo credit Bailey O’Brien lostlost aboutabout 90%90% ofof ourour goldengolden russets,”russets,” growing season. Jenn Grant, who runs inging aa secondarysecondary signsign proudlyproudly claimingclaiming toto growing season. Jenn Grant, who runs Bibula said. the farm with her husband Jeff, sells Enterprise apples are almost ready for be the home of the University of Southern the farm with her husband Jeff, sells Bibula’s orchards are irrigated, a fresh vegetables, meat, and hay. picking at Orchard Ridge Farm. Despite the Maine. This comes as part of the Town’s fresh vegetables, meat, and hay. necessity for his dwarf and semi-dwarf “The vegetable crop did pretty well toughtough growinggrowing conditions,conditions, thesethese applesapples initiativeinitiative toto incorporateincorporate USMUSM moremore fullyfully intointo “The vegetable crop did pretty well trees. “These trees must have irrigation. this year considering the conditions, will be quite large and will make excellent thethe town.town. this year considering the conditions, They don’t have a big root system, so but by Labor Day weekend, we were baking apples, according to Orchard Ridge the irrigation keeps them alive. They’re at the end of our season,” said Grant. owner Steven Bibula. not drought tolerant,” said Bibula. “The drought caught up with us. More rain may have helped his trees, Gorham Historical Normally we’re still selling veggies this taken a bigger hit on hay sales than he said, but they are not entirely depen-- time of year.” on vegetables.” dent on it. Society Seeks Her cows and sheep typically graze Another Gorham farm, Orchard Although both farms have endured on the farm’s pastures, earning her Ridge, is facing its own set of challenges revenue losses this season, Grant and Resurgence meat its “grass-fed” title, but since the this season. “Our biggest difficulty has Bibula seem to understand the signifi-- Resurgence pastures have dried up under the sunny been and continues to be the effects of cance of remaining optimistic. Grant’s skies, Grant has already had to break the warm March followed by two big pumpkins, although a smaller crop than KATHY CORBETT intointo theirtheir winterwinter feed.feed. chills in April,” said farm owner Steven usual, are freshly picked, and Bibula’s Staff Writer Worst of all, though, is the impact Bibula. “For us, that dwarfs the drought.” next crop of apples, SnowSweet, will be of the drought on her hay crop. “Our The severe temperature fluctuation ready in just a few days. Seeking to appeal to current second crop of hay is below average luredlured thethe farm’sfarm’s berryberry bushesbushes andand fruitfruit “I don’t remember having a season members, and attract new ones, The by almost 50%,” said Grant. “I’ve had trees to come out of dormancy too this dry before,” said Grant, “but you Gorham Historical Society will hold a to turn people away this year. We’ve soon, and the April chills either killed justjust havehave toto gogo withwith thethe flow.”flow.” re-organization meeting at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, September 26, at the Municipal Center. Until recently, members gathered for monthly meetings, but these had been Preserving Gorham’s Agricultural Land discontinued due to poor attendance and several officer resignations. “In SHERI FABER polines out front for a number of Chappie passed away in the fall addition to electing new officers, we Staff Writer years. Chappie was an environmental of 2009 and Shirley Chapman laterlater hope that many of the nearly 100 mem-- steward, capturing and reusing the moved in with her daughter and son- bers will bring suggestions for future Shirley and Wey “Chappie” rainwater off their roof. They sold in-law,in-law, Carol and Tim Wagner, whose programs and projects,” said Suzanne Chapman owned their 20 acre home-- livelive baitbait theythey stockedstocked inin oneone ofof thethe father owned Wagner Farm. The land-- Phillips, one of the meeting organizers. stead at 140 New Portland Road, ponds. Shirley had beautiful flower scape of Gorham continued to change Although Gorham residents have across the street from Shawn and gardens and also grew flowers and from its more agricultural roots. donated records and artifacts to the Chris Moody, for over 25 years. “They vegetables inin theirtheir greenhouses.greenhouses. SheShe Barrow’s Greenhouses was subse-- society since its founding in 1968, were wonderful people, the best worked at Barrow’s Greenhouses for quently purchased by Paul Allen who Phillips said newer residents may not neighbors you could ever wish for,” many years along with her aunt Carrie ran it for more than 20 years before know the organization exists. The said Shawn Moody. Chick (Shawn Moody’s great aunt) selling the property when he and Historical Society has maintained an The Chapmans had a long history who later donated the Chick property his wife wanted to retire as no fam-- historical archive open to the public of providing recreational and agricul-- to the Town. The property now hous-- ilyily membersmembers werewere interestedinterested inin taktak-- inin aa town-ownedtown-owned buildingbuilding onon SchoolSchool tural benefits to Gorham. They had es the Public Safety Buildings as well inging overover thethe business.business. ThatThat propertyproperty Street which formerly housed munici-- a miniature golf course and tram-- as several playing fields. pal offices. ARTICLE CONTINUED ON PPAGE 1414 The water had been turned off due to leaky pipes, but the Town recently WHAT'S GOING ON replaced them, making the collection of insidetheTimes records and artifacts once again avail-- @ YOUR LIBRARY 14 Blotter 15 Classified 4 Living 8 School ARTICLE ON PPAGE 33 ARTICLE CONTINUED ON PPAGE 1414 15 Calendar 12 Community 5 Municipal 11 Sports NEWS FROM AUGUSTA Policy on News from Augusta: The Gorham Times asked our three state legislators from Senate District 30, House District 26 and House District 27 to provide us with “News from Augusta.” We publish their articles on a rotating basis. The submissions are devoted to updates of legislative and admin- ­­BRINGING THE NEWS TO ALL of GORHAM istrative news, proposed and passed bills and laws, and developments and events that are of interest and have an impact to Gorham residents. The PO Box 401, 77 South Street Gorham Times reserves the right to edit the submissions and it further reserves the right to reject any submission, in its sole discretion. Gorham, Maine 04038 Phone and Fax: (207) 839-8390 [email protected] www.gorhamtimes.com Unintended Consequences of Welfare The Gorham Times is a free volunteer-run community newspaper distributed every other Thursday to more than 100 pick-up sites throughout Gorham. —— Reform in Maine News [email protected] Sports [email protected] REP. LINDA SANBORN price. Regardless of our political views, particular circumstances. That way Features [email protected] most of us believe that government has people can begin to move toward Of Interest [email protected] The past several years have been a responsibility to make sure that chil- sustainable employment the day they Calendar item [email protected] tough on Mainers. A surging drug dren do not go without the basics like start receiving welfare. We must do Advertising gorhamtimesadvertising@ crisis, a declining manufacturing base food, shelter or medicine. a better job of coordinating services gmail.com or 839-8390 School News [email protected] and the lingering effects of the reces- Demonizing welfare recipients does across state agencies and hold govern- —— sion are all taking a toll on our state. nothing to end generational poverty. ment officials accountable when the SUBSCRIPTIONS Nowhere is the struggle more evident Recent so-called welfare “reforms” system isn’t effective. $18/year in Gorham; $23/year elsewhere than in the statistics on childhood pov- have really just been cuts in aid to The reality is most people want to $13/year for college subscription erty and hunger. struggling families instead of changes find good jobs with decent wages, —— General Manager Sue Dunn According to the most recent data that would actually help people get but there are even people working 40 Editor Leslie Dupuis available, approximately 48,000 Maine back on their feet.
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