Department News

First Lady Karen Baldacci To Host "Focus on the Farm" Series at the Blaine House

July 1, 2004

Contact:

Contacts: Deanne Herman, Marketing Manager, Maine Department of Agriculture 207-287-7561 or deanne.herman@maine.gov

John Rooks, Rooks Communications 207-829-5350 or jrooks@rookscom.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

AUGUSTA – First Lady, Karen Baldacci hosted the first in a series of media events to help promote Maine’s diverse agricultural bounty. The series, was held at the Blaine House, and included a Blaine House favorite recipe, food preparation, and dialogue with the First Lady, the Blaine House chef, and local growers and producers of Maine food products.

On Wednesday, June 30, the First Lady hosted this first event focusing on recipes, preparation tips and nutritional benefits of fresh strawberries grown and harvested in Maine. Also at the event was local grower Ford Stevenson of Stevenson's Strawberry Farm. With lots of fresh strawberry varieties on hand, Mr. Stevenson discussed why Maine berries are better than imported strawberries, offered tips for consumers on how to buy strawberries at their peak, freezing and jam making advice, and talk about what is involved in growing strawberries in Maine.

Maine’s Strawberry season typically begins the last few weeks of June and extends through July.

The “Focus on the Farm” Series will feature fresh products grown or produced here in Maine, or topics relevant to Maine’s agricultural heritage. Upcoming events will include Maine cheeses, tomatoes, Agri-tourism, apples, cranberries, meats, and other delicious topics.

The events are open to the press.

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Department News

First Lady Karen Baldacci To Host "Focus on the Farm" Series at the Blaine House