Rate My Professor Caragh Fitzgerald

Caragh Fitzgerald serves as Associate Extension Professor in Agriculture at University of Maine Cooperative Extension, based at 125 State Street, Augusta, ME 04330. She earned her M.S. in Plant, Soil, and Environmental Sciences from the University of Maine in 1998 and her B.A. in Chemistry from Bowdoin College in 1990. As an Extension Educator for Agriculture, she focuses primarily on Kennebec and Oxford Counties, addressing vegetable production, corn silage, other forages, PFAS education, soil health, and tractor safety. Fitzgerald is a Certified Crop Advisor, Certified Pesticide Applicator (commercial), and Certified Nutrient Management Planner. She teaches and manages the Master Gardener Volunteers program and the Harvest for Hunger produce donation program, facilitating community produce donations and advanced training for volunteers.

Fitzgerald has held leadership roles in several agricultural projects, including Project Director for the Maine AgrAbility project assisting farmers with disabilities and co-Principal Investigator for the Cooperative Extension Agriculture Equipment Calibration project. She led SARE grants such as ENE17-146 on calibrating pesticide and nutrient application equipment and contributed to FNE16-856 on farm management practices. Her publications include co-authoring 'Adding a High Tunnel to Your Maine Farm' (2013) with Mark Hutton, Bulletin #2584 'Hawkweed in Maine Lawns,' and providing photography and contributions to Bulletins #1054 'Why High Tunnel Growing in Maine Might Be a Suitable Enterprise for You' and #1055 'Checklist of Steps for A Prospective High Tunnel Grower.' She presents at conferences and webinars, including soil fertility topics at the 2025 Maine Forage Conference, weed management in greenhouse ornamentals (2026), and tractor safety on the Maine Farmcast podcast. Through these research-based extension activities, Fitzgerald enhances agricultural practices, sustainability, and education across Maine's farming community.