This season’s lecture series feature 11 lectures on Zoom. When you select this series, you can join as many of the lectures as you please on both Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Click below to see information on each lecture.

Tuesday, March 16  •  1:00 PM

WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH SOLAR ENERGY IN MAINE?

With significant solar policy developments in 2019, Maine is beginning to see expansive development of the technology across the state. This lecture could focus on the changes that took place, the type of projects that have resulted, and what this means for individuals who are considering solar for themselves or wanting to understand how this development fits into the long-term energy picture for Maine and its ratepayers.

​Presenter: Vaughn Woodruff

Vaughn Woodruff is the founder and CEO of Insource Renewables, a renewable energy contracting firm and worker cooperative based in Pittsfield, ME. Under Woodruff’s leadership, Insource became the first solar installation company in Maine – and just the tenth in North America – to achieve NABCEP PV Installation Company Accreditation. Insource also was recognized as a “Best for the World” honoree in 2019 for being among the top 10% of all B Corps globally in its policies related to workers. Woodruff is a seventh generation Mainer and lives in his hometown of Pittsfield with his wife and two young sons. 

Thursday, March 18  •  3:00 PM

APPLE TREE CARE AND MAINTENANCE

This short lecture will cover the basics of apple tree care and maintenance, including such topics as varietal selection, holistic pest management, and the fascinating natural history of Malus domestica.

​Presenter: Ryan Martin

Ryan Martin is Executive Director of Viles Arboretum, a 224 acre botanical garden and environmental education center in Augusta, Maine. Ryan has an extensive background in environmental education, serving as classroom life science teacher in grades 6-12 for 7 years, adjunct professor of sustainable agriculture at Kennebec County Community College, and as a consultant for a variety of educational endeavors in Maine and beyond. Ryan holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and a master’s degree in sustainable food systems.

Tuesday, March 23 •  1:00 PM

THE LONG SUMMER OF 1862: THE WAR IN MINNESOTA

In the midst of fighting a war to reunite his country, Abraham Lincoln found himself fighting a war on a second front. An uprising amongst native peoples in Minnesota would bring horror, death, and destruction to settlers and natives alike. Lincoln’s final act in this fascinating story still causes controversy to this day.

Presenter: Mike Bell

Mike Bell loves American history! With a master’s degree in both history and teaching, and an undergrad degree in political science, he has enjoyed a varied career in teaching and historical interpretation. Mike appeared on a History Channel special about PT 109 and for over 20 years has portrayed many historical figures, including Butch Cassidy and Sam Houston.

Tuesday, March 30 •  1:00 PM

COSTA RICA: A COUNTRY WITHOUT AN ARMY

This beautiful Central American country is a peaceful place with amazing wildlife. It is neither poor nor unstable. You will visit schools and factories, ride horses and rafts, and be invited into homes to meet the friendly Ticos.

​Presenter: Elizabeth Reinsborough

Elizabeth Reinsborough was born in Northern Ireland. She has a Bachelor of science degree from Queens University, Belfast, a Masters of science from London University and teaching credentials from the University of Maine. She has worked in a plant breeding program in Tanzania and taught biology in Maine for 20 years. Elizabeth has traveled extensively both in this country and abroad. She enjoys hiking and for 20 years was a maintainer on the Appalachian Trail in the 100 mile wilderness. She teaches the National Park course for Senior College and often contributes to the lecture series.

Tuesday, April 6 •  1:00 PM

U.S. FLEET SUBMARINE IN WWII

The U.S. Navy used 288 diesel submarines in WWII.  Most were stationed in the Pacific theater to fight back the advances of the Japanese.  Approximately 16,000 American men served on these ships and suffered the highest fatality rate of any U.S. naval unit. Despite numerous problems with engines and weapons, Fleet Submarines accounted for 55 percent of Japanese merchant and naval ship losses.  This is a brief history of the U.S. Navy’s diesel submarine with a focus on the Pacific theater in WWII.

​Presenter: Dave Hobbins

Dave Hobbins is a retired professor of forestry and environmental studies from the University of Maine at Fort Kent.  He lives in Fort Kent with his wife of 30 years and pursues his interest in hiking, history, backyard astronomy, native bees, and working his woodlot.

Tuesday, April 13  •  1:00 PM

UNDERSTAND YOUR ELECTRIC BILL

High profile issues with CMP’s billing system and high costs of competitive energy suppliers have created significant uncertainty across the state as homeowners try to navigate the complexities of utility billing and to verify whether they are actually being charged for what they owe. This lecture will focus on how the utilities bill customers and how to interpret a utility bill. The role of competitive energy suppliers and measures that can be taken to minimize one’s energy obligations will also be discussed.

​Presenter: Vaughn Woodruff

Vaughn Woodruff is the founder and CEO of Insource Renewables, a renewable energy contracting firm and worker cooperative based in Pittsfield, ME. Under Woodruff’s leadership, Insource became the first solar installation company in Maine – and just the tenth in North America – to achieve NABCEP PV Installation Company Accreditation. Insource also was recognized as a “Best for the World” honoree in 2019 for being among the top 10% of all B Corps globally in its policies related to workers. Woodruff is a seventh generation Mainer and lives in his hometown of Pittsfield with his wife and two young sons. 

Tuesday, April 20 •  1:00 PM

THESE ARE THE FUNGI IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

What is a fungus?  Are they helpful or harmful? What role do they play in nature?  Andrea will share images of the fungi she has encountered on her daily walk around the neighborhood.

Presenter: Andrea Ostrofsky

Andrea Ostrofsky lived in New Jersey, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Nebraska, and in Maine for 38 years.  Her background is in the biological sciences.  She has worked in laboratories studying wood decay fungi for the USDA Forest Service and for the University of Maine.  After moving to Augusta in 2006, Andrea began volunteer work at the Maine State Museum and worked in the library at Cony High School for 9 years before retiring. Currently she is enjoying UMA Senior College.

Tuesday, April 27 •  1:00 PM

VIRTUAL TOUR: VAUGHAN HOMESTEAD, 1794-Present

Vaughan Homestead curator and docent Jeff Wainoris will give a virtual tour of the 1794 Vaughan Homestead of Hallowell.

Built in 1794, the Vaughan Homestead was first resided in by Benjamin and Sarah Vaughan. Benjamin Vaughan was a British physician, Member of Parliament, and political thinker who was involved in the peace negotiations during the American Revolution. The Homestead has been continuously inhabited by six generations of Benjamin and Sarah Vaughan’s descendants and houses a significant collection of historic documents and artifacts spanning four centuries.

At the turn of the 20th century, the family established a wilderness park called Vaughan Woods adjacent to the house, and in 1991 they donated a conservation easement on the park to The Kennebec Land Trust, ensuring public access for generations to come. In 2002, a non-profit organization, now known as Vaughan Woods & Historic Homestead, was established to oversee both the Homestead and the Woods. In 2015, a preservation easement held by the Maine Historic Preservation Commission was placed on the house and immediate grounds. Today, in addition to housing the staff offices for VWHH, the house and grounds are made use of for educational programs and tours, and are widely utilized by the community for meetings and gatherings, thus fulfilling the organization’s mission.

Presenter: Jeff Wainoris

Jeff Wainoris came to the Homestead following a 22-year career as an educator at the Maine State Museum. He lives in Hallowell with his partner where they have operated a successful antiques business for many years. Jeff first joined the Homestead as a volunteer docent in 2014 and has since become a part-time curator.

Tuesday, May 4 •  1:00 PM

TICKS IN MAINE

Pathogens transmitted by ticks are becoming an increasingly important concern for those of us spending time outdoors. This presentation provides information on the basic biology, life cycle, and distribution of ticks in Maine and offers management and personal protection strategies for avoiding these potential health threats.

Presenter: Griffin Dill

Griffin Dill coordinates the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Tick Surveillance Program and manages UMaine Extension’s Tick Lab. The Tick Lab offers tick identification and pathogen testing for the people of Maine and uses the information from this program to track the distribution of ticks and tick-borne diseases throughout the state.

Thursday, May 6 •  3:00 PM

THE LIFE OF LAKES IN MAINE

The Life of Lakes in Maine starts with the formation of lakes and follows their physical, biological, and chemical evolution until their demise. The evidence for this time-dependent evolution is seen in the modern snapshot of Maine’s 5,000 lakes and their modern characteristics, coupled with the sediment archives (veritable film strips) continuously deposited through time in various lake basins!

​Presenter: Steve Norton

Steve Norton retired from the University of Maine in 2008 after forty years of teaching introductory geology and graduate courses in aqueous geochemistry. Now he is professor emeritus in the School of Earth and Climate Sciences. In his research, he spent ten years with the U. S. Geological Survey and the Maine Geological Survey, unraveling the history of crustal rocks in Western Massachusetts and Central Maine. In about 1972, he switched his research focus to environmental aquatic chemistry of watersheds, groundwater and surface water, and paleolimnology. His “work” took him to many places, including close to the North and South Poles, Europe (with two years in Norway), and to our neighbors – Canada and Mexico. His current research is investigating the chemical interaction among water, soil, bedrock, and humans; it includes the biogeochemistry of mercury and phosphorus, the interaction of aluminum and rare earth elements in lakes, and lead isotope evolution in lake sediments.

Tuesday, May 11 •  1:00 PM

VEGETABLE GARDENING IN CONTAINERS

Short on space, but wishing you could still grow some of your own food?  Join us to learn about growing vegetables in containers.  This versatile technique can be used in small yards/no yards, areas with poor soil, and locations with limited full sun.  There are some tricks to a successful container garden, though!  Learn about choosing containers, using the proper medium to fill them, watering, spacing, and plant varieties.

Presenter: Caragh Fitzgerald

Caragh Fitzgerald is an Extension Educator for Agriculture with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.  Caragh has over 25 years’ extension experience, working with commercial farmers and home gardeners in Maine and Maryland.