Sam Schipani

Raising Angora rabbits for wool is a lucrative, easy way to generate high-quality fiber. Certain kinds of Angora rabbits -- the ones that generate the most and best fiber, of course -- require regular shearing rather than going through a…
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My community garden bed in all its glory this spring. | Photo by Sam Schipani When I moved to Bangor last winter, I had no idea where I was going to garden in the spring. My second-floor apartment on the outskirts of Little City was…
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A calf comes out from under some trees on a small farm in Levant, Maine. | Photo by Linda Coan O'Kresik Maine has a long history of homesteading. The state was once home to famous homesteaders Scott and Helen Nearing, who moved to Maine…
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Photo by Aislinn Sarnacki Angora rabbit wool is prized for its silkiness and warmth. Raising your own Angora rabbits for wool can not only elevate your personal spinning and knitting projects, but it can also be fairly lucrative. “…
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Photo by Gabor Degre Temperatures are dropping, once-hearty stems are shriveling and the first frost is fast-approaching. Another growing season has come and gone, and it is time to prepare your garden for winter. Garden winter prep is…
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Here are my favorite fall activities: shopping for kitschy sweaters at the thrift store, crafting punny Halloween costumes and experimenting with every type of squash at the farmers market. Corn mazes generally don’t rank very high on my…
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Photo by Gabor Degre In the United States, many consider the level of student debt for higher education to be a national crisis. Increasingly, legislators and political figures seek solutions to student loan debt. Young farmers,…
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Basket of produce. | Photo by Pixabay Whenever you bring fruits and vegetables home, whether they are from the farmers market or your garden, you have to find a place for them in your refrigerator, pantry, cabinet or countertop. If you…
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Photo by Gabor Degre When the gardening season comes to an end, it is easy to get distracted from the pre-frost clean-up. Learning how to prepare a raised garden bed for winter, though, is essential to prepare for the season to come,…
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I have more experience with plant-based milks than your average non-vegan consumer. During my six-month fellowship at the California-based “Sierra Magazine” before I moved to Maine, I spent one sunny afternoon sampling an array of…
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BDN File Photo Corn mazes are a staple of autumnal agritourism. It can be a vast undertaking, though, to lay down the intricate trails through fields of corn, sometimes forming charming pictures when viewed from the sky. Even for…
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Image by congerdesign from Pixabay The growing season is winding down, and soon, it will be time to put your garden beds to rest. If you are trying to save money on gardening supplies, you may already be thinking of ways to cut costs…
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