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Maine Organic Farmers Group Launches Endowment Drive

Irwin Gratz

The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association says it's launching a fund drive aimed at creating a $3 million endowment to support the group's educational programs.

A beneficiary of one of those programs is Daniel Mays, owner and manager of Frith Farm in Scarborough, where today's announcement was made.  Mays says he started out with plenty of energy, and lots of ideas about how to run a farm.

"Everything was new and exciting and the sky was the limit for me in terms of what I could do, at least in my own head," Mays said. "But MOFGA's Journeyperson program focused my enthusiasm through technical assistance, through mentorship with many experienced organic farmers, and through various peer-to-peer learning opportunities."

At Mays' farm today, MOFGA Executive Director Ted Quaday announced a $1 million grant from the Patridge Foundation that will launch the effort to build the endowment.  Quaday also says Partridge will contribute a second $1 million if MOFGA can raise $1 million on its own.