Curtis Memorial Library is pleased to present our programs funded by  Cornerstones of Science, a Maine-based organization dedicated to connecting communities with science and scientific thinking.  Through this collaboration, we have programs that will encourage curiosity, critical thinking, and exploration of science-based topics. These programs will provide engaging opportunities for community members to learn about science and its impact on everyday life.  Additionally, all these programs are presented with the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) .

Upcoming Programs:

March 12 : 5-7pm : Science for Self-Reliance: Foraging for Edible Mushrooms- Starting with a Foolproof Few for your Area

Please join CML and MOFGA for another program in our Science for Self-Reliance Series. Collecting and eating wild mushrooms is an intimidating prospect for the beginner. There are so many different mushrooms and some of them are devilishly difficult to tell apart. And some of them are poisonous, a few dangerously toxic. But there are a number of common mushrooms that are great edibles, easily identified and without toxic look a-likes. These Foolproof mushrooms may provide you with all the mushrooms you ever want! Join mushrooming author and teacher Greg Marley for a talk devoted to some common “foolproof” mushrooms found in the Northeastern US. This talk will be especially valuable for someone who is just starting out or wants to learn mushrooming.  Greg Marley has been studying, growing, collecting and cooking wild mushrooms for more than 45 years. He teaches mushroom identification and ecology to hundreds of new foragers as well as consulting in cases of mushroom poisoning. Greg is the author of Mushrooms for Health; Medicinal Secrets of Northeastern Fungi (2009) and Chanterelle Dreams, Amanita Nightmares, The Love Lore and Mystique of Mushrooms (2010). Marley lives and mushrooms along the coast of Maine. When not mushrooming he works as a mental health trainer and consultant in suicide prevention and response after a loss.

March 18: 5-7pm: Science for Self-Reliance: Let’s Make Cheese

Learn the art of cheese making from Jean Koons, from Kennebec Cheesery https://kennebeccheesery.com/ in this evening workshop!

Join us for a delicious, scientific, hands-on adventure into the science of cheese making! Participants will explore how chemistry transforms milk into curds and whey, discovering the roles of acids, enzymes, and bacteria in this age-old process. Working together, we’ll heat, mix, and strain to create a simple, fresh cheese you can taste and take home. Along the way, you’ll learn about fermentation, food safety, and the fascinating microbiology behind dairy products. Perfect for curious food lovers, budding scientists, and anyone who enjoys learning (and snacking!) in good company.  Attendees participate in making both goat and cow milk ricotta and queso rexo (buttermilk cheese) and be able to create this process with tools they can later  borrow from our Library of Things.  This program is also made possible by Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association MOFGA https://www.mofga.org/.

Thursday, March 26: 5-6:30pm Science for Self-Reliance: Greenhouse and Garden Watering

Join CML and MOFGA to learn from  Ankit Singh, Assistant Extension Professor and Maine Sustainable Agriculture and Ornamental Horticulture Educator to discover how sensors, flow control, and smart systems can make greenhouses and gardens more efficient! In this lecture participants will learn the basics of soil moisture, evapotranspiration, and simple electronics used to automate irrigation. Learn how to design a  watering system that would work in your garden or greenhouse. and  take home practical knowledge and inspiration for creating sustainable, water-wise, growing environments.

Dr. Ankit K. Singh is an Assistant Extension Professor with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, specializing in sustainable agriculture, greenhouse production, and controlled environment systems. His work focuses on improving water, energy, and nutrient efficiency in gardens and greenhouses through practical, low-cost technologies.

Thursday, April 9: 5-630pm : Science for Self-Reliance: Integrating Medicinal Mushrooms into your Life

Join MOFGA and CML for a special talk on mushrooms. In an age of increasing stress and increasing health care costs, people seek healthy self-care practices in order to achieve and maintain optimum health. complement mainstream medicine for improved health maintenance or during those times when our health is compromised by illness, stress or disease. We benefit from generations of traditional healers around the world who have walked before us and utilized mushrooms and plants for their healing potential. Now western science is confirming the value of mushrooms as healing agents. Integrating medicinal mushrooms into our normal diet or as dietary supplements can help us all maintain good health. Join mycologist and author Greg Marley for a medicinal mushroom talk focused on the common Northeastern wild and cultivated mushrooms providing health benefits in our lives and available in the woods or foraged in a good market.

Thursday, April 16: 5-630pm: Science for Self-Reliance: Gardening with Responsible Pest Management & Beneficial Habitat

Join MOFGA’s Crop Specialist, Caleb Goossen, for a discussion on organic management of common pests in the vegetable garden. Caleb will start by sharing strategies used to minimize the presence of pests from the outset using cultural practices such as promoting the presence of “beneficials”. But sometimes pests show up anyway, despite our best efforts or during particularly challenging growing seasons. So, Caleb will also discuss what can be done when pests emerge.
Caleb has a bachelor’s degree in plant biology and sustainable agriculture from Hampshire College and he recently completed his PhD from the University of Vermont, where he studied the fatty acid content of storage crops. He farmed organic vegetables in Vermont for nine years before graduate school. He also has experience with organic heirloom seed production and organic orchard maintenance on farms in New Zealand.

Wednesday, April 29 6-7:30pm Science for Self-Reliance: Forestry at Home…Grow your own forest ecosystem- even in small spaces!

Join MOFGA and CML for a special talk on Forestry at Home. Learn to grow your own forest ecosystem—even in small spaces! Explore how trees interact with soil, water, air, and each other to form resilient systems. Participants will learn about root architecture, leaf morphology, and tree carbon sequestration while designing a mini food forest or habitat garden. Discuss species selection for urban and suburban settings. Leave with a planting plan and the science-backed skills to foster backyard biodiversity.

Maddie Eberly is a consulting forester with Silver Maple Forestry. They studied forestry and botany at the University of Maine, graduating in 2021. Since university, Maddie worked as an invasive plant biologist with the Maine Natural Areas Program, forest science communicator with the Forest Stewards Guild, and educator and forest manager for the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. Originally from Pennsylvania, they are now the proud steward of seven forested acres in the northern Midcoast region.

Cornerstones of Science works with libraries, scientists, and communities creating experiences of science that spark curiosity and foster a deeper connection to the world around us.