Last week, I returned to our office in Savannah, Georgia, from producing upcoming segments for our next season on public television. Among them is a story on Tide Mill Farm, near Edmunds, ME.

Tide Mill is a spectacular 1600-acre farm with 6 miles of coastline that has been in the Bell family for nine generations. Robert Bell emigrated there from Scotland in 1765. Led by the local Passamaquoddy tribe to a site on the easternmost Maine coast, he built a grist-mill powered by the powerful flow of the area’s 28-foot tidal waters. Today, Robert is buried in one of two family cemeteries that overlook the farm and its surrounding tidal lakes.

Almost two-hundred and fifty years later, several Bell families spanning four generations now operate the farm.

The original Bell farmhouse still stands and is today operated as a B&B. We had the great fortune to stay there during our production and to eat wonderful meals made from the bounty of the farm. Each morning at six a.m., I drank milk from one of the Bell’s cows, as I watched Aaron from the kitchen window milking his herd.

For more on Tide Mill Farm, and to meet the Bells, look for the upcoming segment in our weekly show on public television. (This segement will appear some time after January). Here are some of the things you’ll see:

• The restored family farmhouse — once destroyed by fire, and rebuilt in part from the timbers of a three-masted schooner beached at the old Tide Mill wharf.
• The giant stones of a partially still-standing dam — built by hand and without mortar in the early 1800s, the dam controlled the flow of water, making it possible to operate a sawmill.
• The timbers of the old wharf and the old sawmill – deep below the frigid waters, their algae-covered outlines are revealed twice a day by the retreating tide.
• A millstone from Robert’s grist-mill – lying in the grass between the farmhouse and the site of the mill. The children of the 9^th-generation played on it as we shot an interview.

In the meantime, the Bells invite you to visit the Tide Mill website @ http://www.tidemillorganicfarm.com/

By, Michael Jarema, Producer for Farmers’ Almanac TV

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by Farmers Almanac Staff
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After much anticipation, the Giant Pumpkin Regatta is finally here.

I joined the Farmers’ Almanac TV film crew for an early breakfast at the Clockmaker Inn. We then headed off to the Dill “Punkin” patch to catch the last bit of preparation for the giant pumpkins (and when I say giant, I mean pumpkins in the range of 800 pounds or more).

The pumpkins were all loaded up and then transported for a local parade, celebrating the race. There were floats, bands and over forty decorated giant pumpkins. The crowd for this small town (of Windsor, Nova Scotia) was unbelievable. Everyone was so excited.

The launching of the pumpkins (into the lake) was amazing and done very quickly. Many folks who were trying out their pumpkins for the first time, took a spill in the water. After a while of warmups, (or a better way to put it, a little breathing time, for those who went for a swim), the first heat started with the motorized ( YES MOTORS ) heat. Only two of the four pumpkins made it across, although the crowd was ecstatic.

Next came the big event: Forty paddlers make it across the lake in their makeshift boats, giant pumkins. We watched the heated competition between Peter Geiger in the Farmers’ Almanac pumpkin and Shellie of the Weather Network of Canada in her pumpkin. Both were great sports, and first-timers to boot.

They have a challenge for next year and I think I am going to throw my name in the hat - it looks like too much fun to pass up.

I have met a lot of very nice folks at the Giant Pumpkin Regatta in Windsor, NS - and it proves to me (again) that this world is full of great people who can have fun making lemons out of lemonade, or more precisely, turning giant pumpkins into floating fruits.

These are the stories that we at Farmers’ Almanac TV are excited to bring to television.

Unfortunately this great weekend has come to an end but I would like to thank everyone up here for the great time.

I strongly urge folks to put this event on their calendar for next year. It’s a great family event. Until then, you can see video about the Regatta on our television show, Farmers’ Almanac TV. This segment will appear sometime after January. Just check our map to find out when our show is playing on a public television station near you.

By Bill Chisholm, CEO/Chairman of Farmers’ Almanac TV and head Farmhand.

Technorati tags: Giant Pumpkin Regatta, Big Pumpkins Howard Dill

by Farmers Almanac Staff
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I made it to Windsor after traveling for over 18 hours. While it was a very long day, the ride with the film crew through Maine and New Brunswick was breathtaking. The leaves were changing - and I was enchanted by the colors.

I am staying at the Clockmaker’s Inn and I highly recommend it. Our host at the inn is the Dunham family. Please visit the inn’s web site www.theclockmakersinn.com .

Today, I spent some time learning about giant pumpkins from the man that started it all –Howard Dill . We arrived at the Dill farm, and were met with beautiful fall colors, cool air and huge pumpkins everywhere. The Dill family couldn’t have been more welcoming.

I ventured into the garden to see 1200 lbs. squash and 1100 lbs. pumpkins. Incredible! (I also learned the correct pronunciation of pumpkin — “pun-kin”).

The real drama of the day began when the racers came to pick up their pumpkins. Each crew has a great story about why they chose a certain pumpkin for the Giant Pumpkin Regatta. One crew was putting a number of pumpkins together with a 9-horse power motor on the back for the motor division.

Peter Geiger, the philom of Farmers’ Almanac, arrived with the real challenger pumpkin, which weighed over 600 lbs. A heated competition appears to be developing between the Farmers’ Almanac
and The Weather Network of Canada. Wow, this should be great fun.

Well it is time to get back to the show. I will report on the Regatta tomorrow (footage from this Giant Pumpkin Regatta will be included in our next season, which begins in January.) What fun and what great folks you can meet .

By Bill Chisholm, CEO/Chairman of Farmers’ Almanac TV and head Farmhand.

Technorati tags: Pumpkin Regatta, Big Pumpkins Howard Dill

by Farmers Almanac Staff
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I am on the road, heading off to meet our Farmers’ AlmanacTV film crew. They are on location, getting ready to capture the Giant Pumpkin Regatta in Windsor, Nova Scotia for our television show. It’s a fascinating race: two dozen racers, sitting in their own huge pumpkin, paddle like mad towards the finish line.

The winner covers the ½ mile course in just over 10 minutes. The race started in 1999, and was the brainchild of Danny Dill, son of pumpkin grower Howard Dill, one of the masters of massive pumpkins. (Howard also will be included in our footage for the television show).

I’m ready for the action. But it’s going to be a lot of traveling before I get to see any racing. My day began at 4: 30 am in Savannah, GA, where Farmers’ Almanac TV is located. I’m about to board my second flight of the day, heading up to Bangor. After that, it’s a much anticipated 7-hour drive to Nova Scotia.

I keep on thinking about how much fun Saturday and Sunday will be seeing all the giant
pumpkins and watching Peter Geiger, the philom of Farmers’ Almanac, paddle a giant pumpkin. (The size of these pumpkins average 800lbs). Well, off to the great race. I will keep in touch as I make this road trip.

By Bill Chisholm, Chairman/CEO of Farmers’ Almanac TV, as well as head Farmhand.

Technorati tags: Pumpkin Regatta, Big Pumpkins Howard Dill

by Farmers Almanac Staff
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Over the past month or so, I have been pulling together pumpkin stories for a special pumpkin section for FarmersAlmanacTV.com (scheduled to run Oct. 16-Oct. 31).

And, while I’m no expert on pumpkins, I now have a thorough appreciation for this fruit, which I learned is actually a squash, whose name originated from the Greek word “pepon”, or large melon.

I’m also amazed at pumpkins’ nutritional value: Just one cup of cooked, boiled pumpkin has 2 grams of protein, 1.4 mg of iron and 21 mg of folate, for all of 49 calories.

And, I’m appreciative of all the great food pumpkins create, from pies, to pancakes, to soups and more.

But what tickles me the most is how large pumpkins can grow: the record is over 1400 pounds!

In fact, we are featuring a video in our public television show, as well as our special pumpkin section on the web, about what it takes to grow one of these big ones. It’s a lot more than hard work, according to Al Berard, who is featured in the video.

Anyway, what I’m leading to is that pumpkins are pretty amazing. I’m fascinated by them. And, when Cinderella turned a pumpkin into a coach, she made a mistake. She should have walked to the castle, and cooked pumpkin pies, pancakes and soup for the prince. That would have not only won his heart, but provided many nutritious meals, and plenty of great topics of conversation.
By Jennifer Dlugozima, VP of Marketing, Farmers’ Almanac TV

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by Farmers Almanac Staff
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On Oct. 25-27, the FFA is hosting it’s 79th annual convention in Indanapolis. Farmers’ Almanac TV will be there. Before we go, here is a primer about the organization and event.
What is the FFA?
The National FFA Organization was organized as the “Future Farmers of America” in 1928 in Kansas City, Mo. In 1988, the official organization name was changed to The National FFA Organization to reflect the broadening field of agriculture, which today encompasses more than 300 careers in everything from agriscience to biotechnology to turf grass management.

Convention:
The FFA convention is expected to draw more than 51,000 attendees. Events include:

Student workshops including:

Solving the Agricultural Puzzle - become a better advocate for agriculture.

Think Again About Agriscience - discover opportunities in Agriscience
Would You Like Fries with that - learn how to be a smarter eater

Learning to Lead - learn leadership skills

Career Success Tours:

Students can visit area farms, agriscience companies, horse parks, veterinary clinics and other places to get insight about future careers.

Plus there is a lot more scheduled, including a keynote address from Terry Bradshaw, co-host and analyst on FOX NFL Sunday.

Farmers’ Almanac TV will blog from the event. In the meantime, feel free to post your thoughts about the event.
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by Farmers Almanac Staff
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Here are some clips from Farmers’ Almanac TV from the last two FFA conventions and more!

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by Farmers Almanac Staff
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The concert is over. One crew went home, the other went on its way to Maine and Nova Scotia. We’re all busy with our next shoot, but I keep replaying snippets of conversation or bits of music over and over in my head. I am so incredibly moved by everything I saw and heard. Everyone we met at the concert sincerely cared about the land they harvested and the family farm.

Most compelling were the farmers themselves. There was Walker Claridge and Kimberly Griffen who told us, “We don’t make much money, but we work hard. We get to be with each other and our son everyday and we get to grow good food.” There was Roger Allison, a man so tall I had to crane my neck and stand on tiptoe to look into his face. This big, burly farmer had nothing but grief written in eyes when he spoke of the loss of his family farm.

At the press conference Willie Nelson said, “We started out to save the family farm – now it looks like the family farm will save us.” I’ve thought a lot about that statement. We have met so many people while working on our show: farmers who just want to grow good food or create clean power; others who are just trying to make a difference in some small way. I think all those efforts are starting to add up in an enormous way. And, as all of us reach toward the land, it will be the farmer, who is there, staunchly pointing the way.

Thank You.

By Renee Bishop, Executive Producer of the Farmers’ Almanac TV show

by Farmers Almanac Staff
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