Author: Andrew Mooers

Sometimes Something Smaller Can Be Pretty Big.

The Bottle Used To Sprinkle Water Ironing To Rid Those Clothes Of Wrinkles.

When you settle a Maine estate and have to go through the house hold items of a loved one passed away, the small things are the most valuable.

The items you remember as a kid that in a garage sale would be pretty valueless. Passed over or not fetching much of a price.

I remember my Mom using this bottle pictured above. To sprinkle water on clothes being ironed to help remove wrinkles. Before steam irons, before permapress clothing. I can see her like it was today when all triggered by this particular bottle. Because it was the one she used. Not one like it, not one from the same era. This very one.

To anyone else, it is just an old Pepsi bottle with a stopper on it.

One vivid time I remember it in use back in November of 1963.

I grew up on a Maine farm. The home has a long driveway and after being dropped off by the yellow bus late one November afternoon I walked in to the house hearing the television news announcer loud and clear. The President had been shot, assassinated he informed us. The news anchor visibly shaken, removing his glasses and I knew this was serious. As the words sunk in on what he was telling us. My Mom ironing, looking up and watching a black and white telecast with Walter Cronkhite providing the tragic news from Dallas Texas.

Grisly details about President John Kennedy’s death. What happened in the back seat of the convertible 1963 Lincoln Continental and subsequent events. I would be eight years the next month. Sensed from a kid’s perspective my Mom was upset. Concerned like the rest of the nation, the world as I reflect back now to how the news must have hit, affected other adults back in 1963.

So now my parents are gone. The household things divided up among my three older brothers and myself. And life goes on. I have moved up a notch in the family hierarchy.

And the older I get, the more it is the little items I cherish the most.

Because of the person that used them.

Mom’s love of flowers continues. I look forward to spring at the farm when so many flower beds bloom because she started them years ago. Appearing right on time, like clockwork.

Also have a Santa decoration too who is holding a Christmas light. Smiling broadly that always appeared like magic in the farm house kitchen. Like the Pepsi bottle ironing sprinkler, that too has the same priceless value to me.

To anyone else, they see a cracked, well worn plastic red and white dime a dozen decoration. With lots of miles on it from years of holiday visits to the Houlton Maine farm home. That Santa was there during fun, family Christmas holiday celebrations as a kid with my brothers, Mom and Dad. He is still here, and part of distant memories. Bring alive, providing some of the holiday magic as I remember viewing hime through a kid’s eyes.

Maine, families are close, working side by side on farms, other local businesses and active in their small vibrant communities.

Maine, a place where the people, families matter most.

We are all connected and make the state up here in the right hand corner so special. To add to the pure and simple four season’s natural beauty.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker207.532.6573info@mooersrealty.com

April 6, 2011
What’s A Maine Soil Bank, CRP Program?

Maine land is very fertile but putting it in a CRP soil bank may be needed.
Maine Soil Is Rich, Fertile But Some Placed In CRP Program, The Soil Bank.
That’s where Uncle Sam’s USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) comes in.

The soil bank means for ten years, you sign on with the USDA’s Farm Services Agency to seed the land to put in to the CRP program with special conservation grass mix.

Special blends of grasses designed to hold the soil in place, to regenerate with minerals and nutrients the land set aside, put in the CRP soil bank. There is a penalty if you take it out early. But you can enjoy an annual check from the USDA to help off set the property taxes. And get a good feeling knowing the land is resting, recharging and kept a farm.

If Maine farms continue to be broken up or merged in to fewer but industrial sized operations, the small entry level farmer is going to have a more and more difficult time taking to the plow. Manning the seeder, cultivators and hoes and eventual harvest operation on Maine farms.

Here is more information on the CRP conservation Reserve Program. The whole “give the land a rest, keep the farm intact” objective is rooted in legislation of the Soil Bank Act of 1956.

Taking care of the soil that produces the food we grow, raise on it is critical in a country that never ever wants to become dependent on another world power to provide what we put on our family tables.

The USDA CRP Soil Conservation Resource Program addresses that concern. It also helps farmers when operations are stalled from economic or health set backs to put the land on lay away, stand by receiving a smaller compensation. Until it returns to production with that farmer or rental to another one down the road looking for more ground to plant.

How much is paid for CRP compensation is worked out between the Maine land owner and USDA. And extra points are awarded for a variety of criteria to arrive at that level of annual payment. Existing CRP land can be kept in the program after the ten years but it may mean checking to make sure the conservation grasses on the land are all the right kind, with no species or variety missing in the vegetation. Or that what was planted ten years ago, is still in the mix of what is growing on the land for a ground cover.

If there is something lacking or that did not take in the original planting, the USDA office has a no-soil tilling grass seed sower for rent at $10 an acre. The Maine land owner can buy his grass seed, do the planting and keep the ground in the soil bank with positive returns for when it does return to active cultivation.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

April 5, 2011
Riding Horses, Raising Cows, Crops On A Maine Farm.

It Is No Secret Maine Farm Land Is Ideally Suited For Crops, Raising Horses, Cows, Smaller Animals.

Hay burners, large four legged critters like horses, cows dot many Maine farm fields.

But the thought of raising them when eight of out ten people live in an urban, surburban real estate market never comes to mind. Oh sure, there are some riding arenas, places to board horses outside the city where you live and work. But cows crossing the Bronx Expressway or in Central Park, around Dupont Circle and grazing around national monuments like the Liberty Bell, I don’t think so.

In Maine one acre will support three large critters, horses, cows. More small animals. Farming in Maine is not just blueberries, potatoes, dry beans and brocolli. It is dairy farming, pleasure horses, raising beef too. Out west it takes three not so fertile, so lush acres to support that one animal. That’s the difference. And no irrigation usually needed in Maine although for better control of the crop, Maine potato farmers are leaning toward the process.

I grew up on a Maine farm and am lucky enough to own that 300 acres, all those buildings now. I rent the land to an area Maine potato farmer. Use the big barns for storage of people’s RV’s, boats, antique cars to help pay the property taxes.

Some of the land in the CRP program, the conservation resource program to seed it down with conservation mix grass seed and put it in the “soil bank” for ten years.

The Maine house is rented if we find the right situation. Usually to someone related to the US Border Patrol, Customs, Immigration wave that hit Houlton Maine due to 911. And because the strenghening, tightening up our US – Canadian happened.

Maple syrup operations in Maine are underway now. And folks in the city are becoming more and more concerned about the price of food, where it comes from, what if it runs out and they have no way to feed themselves.

If you think air and water are addictive, food trumps them all because without it, the other two don’t matter one hill of beans, so to speak.

Maine farms, Maine farmers markets are catching on as a lifestyle choice for many that have not had much room around them that a large property, land can provide. Here are few Maine farm videos. Or a selection of Maine farms in all price ranges if that is you cup of tea might be worth a perusal.

The Maine Farm Bureau supports horses, farming and offers many resources. Excellent resources for horse owners, Maine horse related businesses. And rumor has it, that Maine cows are not having sex any more, don’t have to to create new beef calves and milk replacement hiefers. If you are thinking about investing in a Maine farm, buying land to create a different, healthier lifestyle than the one you lead now, I would love to talk with you. Our name like what cows do to communicate, what they are. MOO-ers. Call, email, text, send smoke signals or come visit. Maine is one place your heart and your head are in absolute agreement. You won’t need a second option, a plan “B” back up plan because Maine is always your best case scenario.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

April 3, 2011
ME Little Leaguers Fund Raising Means Maine Spring Is Near.

Maine Little Leaguers Work Their Hearts Out, All For The Fun, Maybe Pizza, Ice Cream.

The seasons change in Maine bring new activities in our many small communities, villages and handful of cities.

Little leaguers parked on a post office steps, outside a popular diner or grocery store in uniforms. Full of hope for a shot at the season town title.

Some returning from a winter off.

Others brand new and worried about striking out, getting hit by a bean ball pitcher.

Or their parents are. Most players are just glad to have made the team. Buttoned up that team uniform this morning before getting the tags to hand out to sport booster donators. The tags to show contribution made. They have already “paid” so they are not swarmed at another Saturday morning stop while running errands around a Maine town.

The matching color uniformed individuals on the team laughing, working the crowd, fielding the donations. Occassionally getting a large contribution stuffed in the can.

Like hitting the cycle because that older gentlemen who has to struggle to get in to his rusted Ford pick up was a coach.

He remembers those inside the park home runs, game winners. Giving the kid who whacked it the game ball to wake up to on his night stand or clothes bureau every day for the rest of his childhood.

Back when his grown son or daughter wasn’t so tall, lived at home. Those days with racing to games, getting kids to practice if you ddidn’t live close enough for them to ride their bikes are the best years of a family’s life.

Laughter in the home, excitement in the back yard as if it was Fenway Park.

It is. Kinda, sorta. On a slightly much smaller scale without the hot dog and beer vendors. Or high paid celebrity salaries and larger than life egos.

I have sponsored a local team since 1983. Am some kind of proud of the Maine little league players, their coaches, the fans, parents, famliy. They have an expense account at the local dairy bar, win or lose. Just try your best, make sure to have fun, and work hard to improve. To come from behind working as a team to win a close one in extra innings. The game you went in to with the other team, a little part of yourself thinking this is going to be a blood bath, shellacking. And it is not. That’s little league when every kid contributes. Not just the star pitcher in this week’s rotation. Or the coach’s kid who started learing the game being talked to while in the womb.

Sometimes the game is played in the stands too. Hooting, hollering, proud of the team you came to cheer on, root for. Spring is coming, dig deep in to put money in the can to keep the program a live, running strong. It is an America tradition on the most intimate, personal scale with local little league stars you know. Live down the street from.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, Broker
Own some Maine Real Estate, why not?
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

April 2, 2011
Maine, The News Should Be Different Than Other Places.

When I worked at a local Maine radio station, the news we read usually was from a wire service.

The Country Has Four Main State Messed Up With FSSR, ME Not One Of Them.
The Associated Press, United Press International the two chocolate and vanilla choices. Pretty much it. And the smaller the Maine radio station, the more rip and read happened.

But writers can ramble on in blogs, on the news, the extra pages in books. So taking the six line Maine news story and condensing down the wordiness, tightening it up can free up more time in the broadcast for extra news stories. Hopefully local ones. Or the rewrite of the AP and UPI wire service, especially on weekends when the quality of writing took a dive, a dip, also allowed the local addition of news possible. An extra line to tie in something happening in the the station’s broadcast area, out in the backyard.

Big national stories could have a tie in with what is happening here.

Sometimes, often the city news is not the same dynamic or application as here in rural Maine.

Or news from a larger Maine area four hours away from a small couple hundred person town is not the carbon copy, one size, fits all either. Further refining and adjustment to reflect the local zip code and appetite of the local ears listening to the broadcast taken in to consideration. To make it home grown.

That is why nothing upsets me more than hearing the news of four states with an upside down real estate market. With high levels of FSSR (foreclosure, short sale, repossession related real estate sales). And the national media and even Maine real estate agents, brokers, REALTORS buying in to the gloom and doom. Maine is 46th lowest in the nation for FSSR. Hello? Does not apply here.

What is happening in California, Florida, Michigan and Nevada real estate market especially is not the norm here. It does not apply to us but the media with a one size fits all approach and news desk far far from lower population Maine hammers away at the sky is falling.

Which serves to make the public scared, misinformed.

And to pull back, wait, sit, worry.

I joke to our outside of Maine real estate buyers that we take money right out of the equation. Properties are always low cost, cheap. We live like we are always ready for a recession. Careful spending, getting value before we do or we wait. So the national helter skelter red alert warnings and news coverage can further the keep your hands in your pockets. Not out where we can see them at all times.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, Brokers
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com

April 1, 2011
The Maine Lake, How Deep, What Kind Of Fish Questions.

Maine, Fish Like Deep, Clean, Cold Oxygen Rich Water.

You’re toying with buying property on a Maine lake and wonder what is in that waterbody for fish and how deep is it?

The deeper the Maine lake, the more oxygen for the fish that can not survive in a warmer, shallower water habitat. Here is a helpful link for Maine lake depths, maps. More information broken down by Maine counties on lakes, ponds for access and other waterfront information.

Maine lake survey maps and other licensing for fishing the many lakes, ponds, rivers in Vacationland are good topics to research from ME Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

Maine has 2348 lakes, ponds, reservoirs, and other fishing bodies of water to choose from, enjoy, explore.

Study the Maine lake directory. And lobstering in Maine, there is a story that goes along with that. A tough old life with overhead, financial struggles. But over fishing has not happened due to conservation measures. Maine lobsters thrown back unless they pass the many test.

Put more Maine fish in your diet. For that matter make sure to have just more Maine in your day to day.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com.

March 30, 2011