On hand were four experts in different areas of revitalization, agriculture and farming.

William Brinton, President of Woods End Research Laboratory, talked about the safety and use of different types of compost. Rick Kersbergen spoke about improving hayfield productivity using natural means.

David Wilkinson, a soil specialist from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, discussed how to get the best use out of the soil.

Rounding out the workshop was Lee Straw from the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association on Maine's growing organic dairy industry.

Tim Nason, chairman of the Dresden Conservation Commission, welcomed the crowd and introduced the speakers.

This workshop, he said, was put together by the commission with help from Susan Watson of the Time & Tide RC&D, the Farm Service Agency, and a Harvest Fund grant from the Maine Initiatives Foundation.

The purpose of the workshop, he said, was to preserve the town's rural character, maximize the town's resources and preserve open spaces as part of the comprehensive plan.

Another purpose was to discuss organic dairy farming and the part the town's fields could have on the developing market for organic feeds such as hay and grass. "Isn't it more likely that the rural character of the town is preserved and maintained to the greatest extent by the owners of open fields, at no small expense, simply because it is the right thing to do?" Nason asked. Composts, Industrial Wastes

Brinton said it is important for homeowners to test the materials in their compost to ensure there are no contaminates. Grass clippings, for example, may have been treated with insecticides or other chemicals.

He also stressed the importance of third party testing for industrial wastes such as biometals.

"The industry's estimates can be high or low; we need testing to find out the truth," said Brinton. He showed slides of some of the areas he and Woods End has worked with to create compost with seemingly unusable materials.

In one area in the Caribbean he worked to compost pineapple waste, which had become so toxic that it had killed animals who ventured into the pile. In this instance factories were discarding fluorescent light bulbs into the waste, so he had to teach the workers that light bulbs are a resource, not a waste.

Several decades ago his team combined chicken manure with very acidic cranberry waste to create usable compost.

One big problem of large scale composting is odor, which may or may not be toxic. Most people also have a low tolerance for such smells, especially during windy weather.

A Rockland composting plant had to be shut down due to public protest. Ironically enough, there was a rock crushing operation behind that site, but people did not like this different smell, Brinton said.

"It is always going to smell bad initially," he said. As compost mixes it heats up to 160 degrees, releasing steam and a distinct smell.

He said his company makes every effort to reduce the smells, including a technique of air filtering the steam through wood chips.

It is also important, he said, that residents know these composts which have been treated by Woods End and other laboratories, have been tested and are safe.

He said the best compost should be between 30 to 60 percent organic matter. Compost should be composed of between one half and two percent, and an acidity, or ph level in the neutral range between six and one half and seven and one half.

Other factors in quality compost include a medium level of carbonate, and low levels of salt. Hayfield Productivity

In talking about types of foliage and hayfield productivity, Kersbergen said the higher the quality of the fields their animals forage, the less farmers have to spend on commercial feed.

Hay and grass should be harvested when the grass is between six and eight inches tall. There are several ways to grow quality feed: adding nitrogen, adding nitrogen and potassium or, the most cost effective solution, adding liquid manure, which contains those materials.

He suggested applying between 4,000 and 8,000 gallons of manure to the field before and after the harvest.

Another part of growing desirable forage is choosing what species to plant. The species should be able to stand up to a Maine winter, drain well and have a proper balance of acidity.

Problem weeds which spring up must be eliminated, either by an organic herbicide, such as Roundup or lime, using animals such as goats to eat the weeds down to the root, mowing the weeds, tilling the ground with a tractor or another method.

Some methods have drawbacks that should be considered. Some herbicides only kill the tops of the weeds and a no till drill is needed to replant. Lime is ineffective against some type of weeds such as bedstraw.

Animals need a warm shelter during the off season and need to be fenced, watered and cared for. Tilling with a tractor removes some nutrients and also picks up rocks that must be removed. Soil

Wilkinson said there are five factors that determine the make up of all soil: the climate, the organization of microorganisms, the topography, also known as the surface features of the soil, the time the soil has existed and how the soil formed.

He showed slides showing photos of different soil structures, some of which are made of sands, clay, silts and other materials. Dairy Farming

Straw, owner of Straw Farms, cares for 30 cows, 300 sheep and manages 300 acres statewide to feed his animals.

"One year ago there were 45 dairy farms. By the end of this year we should have 90," he said.

He said the farms range from between 200 cows to as few as 25. Organic farmers, who use chemical free food such as hay and grass, need a cheap source of food to graze their animals. Straw grazes his animals over the 300 acres he manages, supplementing some of their diet with a small amount of grain.

He said the biggest problem he encounters is revitalizing the fields, which involves moving his compost, a mixture of manure and crab waste, around by truck. He must turn the mixture with a bucket tractor to ensure air gets into the mixture.

He said organic farming is more profitable and the initial costs are worth the investment.

Nason said he is grateful for the large turnout, which is a sign of the importance of this talk. He expressed hope that the workshop is only the beginning of the discussion.

"Hopefully, with this work we've started a dialog on supporting farming and ways of preserving open space."