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May 2016
"Shipping is a terrible thing to do to vegetables. They probably get jet-lagged, just like people."
~Elizabeth Berry
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FRESH.
More Farmers Markets Opening in May
The Maryland Department of Agriculture Farmer Market Directory is now
available on-line
! Prince George's County Farmers Markets approved for inclusion in the MDA directory can be found on page 24. Also, be sure to check out our full list of Prince George's County Farmers Markets
here
.
Many markets and/or their vendors accept SNAP and other food assistance benefits!
Th
e following markets are OPEN!
Bowie Farmers Market (Sundays, 8am - 12pm - Opens May 15)
College Park Farmers Market (Saturdays, 7am - 12pm)
Downtown College Park Farmers Market (Sundays, 10am - 2pm)
Hollywood Farmers Market (Saturdays, 9am - 1pm)
Glenn Dale Farmers Market (Saturdays, 9:30am - 1:30pm)
Greenbelt Farmers Market (Sundays, 10am - 2pm)
Old Town Bowie (Wednesdays, 3pm - 7pm)
Riverdale Park Farmers Market (Thursdays, 3pm - 7pm)
The Farmers Market at Maryland (Wednesdays, 11am - 3pm)
USDA Beltsville Farmers Market
(Thursdays, 10am - 2pm)
See below for important announcements from a few of our markets!
Port Towns Farmers Mercado
 On June 4, the Port Towns Farmers Mercado will be opening up at its new location at Three Brothers Plaza, 4521 Kenilworth Avenue, Bladensburg from
11 a.m.
to
3 p.m.
Meet local farmers, support local food businesses, get your fresh, local produce and tasty foods, hear live music, and fun for kids. Cooking demonstrations are also planned.
Customers with SNAP and WIC can double their dollars at the Port Towns Farmers Mercado!
The Farmers Market at Maryland is Now Open
 Farmers Market at Maryland
will be open from 11:00 to 3:00 pm in front of the Cole Activity Building on Campus Drive.
The Green Tiding Food Truck will be present with local farm to t
able entrees. Weekly Cooking Demonstrations at Noon using
ingredients from the market vendors.
Visit their website or Facebook page for more information.
Greenbelt Farmers Market Opens Mother's Day
Sunday May 8, Mothers' Day, sees the opening of the Greenbelt Farmers Market located next to the Roosevelt Center in old town Greenbelt. With 27 vendors, they are a producer market drawing from a 100-mile radius and all Maryland with fruit and vegetables, fish, cheese, eggs, meat, wine, baked goods, crepes, Indonesian fare and desserts. The market is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday except Labor Day weekend, through the Sunday before Thanksgiving. This volunteer-run market is entering its ninth season and features acoustic music from classical to folk, Morris Dancers and booths for local organizations. For more information, visit their website and Facebook page.
Old Town Bowie Farmers Market Opens in May
The Old Town Bowie Unification Association would like to cordially invite you to join them every Wednesday starting May 11, 2016, 3 to 7pm, for a producer only farmers market. Their mid-week market will feature artisan breads, baked goods, fresh fruit, veggies, 100% grass fed beef, pasture-raised pork, chicken, eggs, honey, jams, ice cream, fresh cut flowers, and crafters.
Location: Town Green Park in Old Town Bowie, along
Lanham- Severn Road (Rt.564) and Railroad Avenue.
Visit their website or Facebook page for more information.
Riverdale Park Farmers Market is Open
Join the Riverdale Park Farmers Market each Thursday, 3 to 7p
m. Enjoy local music, kids activities, great farmers market vendors and other artisans. The indoor market is located at 4650 Queensbury Rd, Riverdale Park, Maryland 20737. For more information, visit their Facebook page.
Hyattsville Farmers Market is Opening in June
The Hyattsville Farmers Market Opening Day is
June 7th, 2016
,
3-7pm (Tuesdays 3-7pm, June 7 - September 27, 2016).
They are having a Strawberry Soiree on opening day. Join them as they celebrate everything Strawberry and their 25th season!
Located at 3799 East-West Highway, Hyattsville, MD 20782 in the parking lot of Redeemer Lutheran Church.
Shop with Miller Farms at Several Locations this Summer! Please note that they accept SNAP/EBT and WIC.
College Park Farmers Market
5211 Paint Branch Pkwy.
College Park, MD 20740
Saturdays 7am-12pm
Downtown College Park Farmers Market
4500 Knox Rd.
College Park, MD 20740
Sunday's 9am-2pm
National Harbor Farmers Market
150 American Way
Oxon Hill, MD 20745
Saturdays & Sundays, 10am-5pm
CHoP Farmers Market
13th St. & Pennsylvania. Ave NW
Woodrow Wilson Plaza
Ronald Regan Building and International Trade Center
Washington, DC 20004
Friday 11am-3pm
Miller Farms will have Pick-Your-Own strawberries starting the 1st weekend in May, weather permitting. Visit their website for more information.
Cheverly Community Market will open on June 4th for the season (alternate Saturdays)! Stay tuned to their Facebook page for details.
Survey Says Maryland Farmers' Markets Boost Local Economy
 The Maryland Department of Agriculture and the Maryland Farmers Market Association estimate that local farmers' markets generated $51 million dollars in sales, with more than 2.3 million consumers visiting farmers' markets in 2015. This data is based on a survey completed by 29 percent of the 141 farmers' markets in the state. This confidential survey is the first of its kind completed in Maryland. Read more.
Find the full list of county markets here. You are also welcome to print out our downloadable directory! The 2016 printable directory will be available next month.
Please note that the most updated version is on the website.
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Join Romano Vineyard & Winery for Their Spring Vendor Fair!
 Join the Romanos every Saturday, noon to 5pm, for tastings. Also be sure to check out the following upcoming events:
May 6: 2nd Annual Spring Vendor Fair
5:30 - 9pm
May 5: Riverdale Farmers Market
3-7pm
May 13: WINERY OPEN f
or tasting & wine club pickup (4-8pm). Food available for purchase from L'il Mack's BBQ. The'll also kick off their "Music in the Vineyard" concert series with Ross Crampton (
6-8pm)
May 14: Calvert Arts & Crafts Festival
11am - 6pm
May 14: Marietta Wine Festival
1 - 7pm
May 21: Wine Tasting @ Apple Basket in Mechanicsville, Maryland
10am - 5pm
May 22: Greenbelt Farmers Market
10am - 2pm
May 27: WINERY OPEN f
or wine tasting & food available for purchase from Myra's New Orleans Cuisine (4-8pm). Kick off Memorial Day weekend with a "Music in the Vineyard" concert with the Peterson Brothers (
6-8pm).
For more information, visit their
website
and Facebook
page.
ECO City Farms CSA Shares & Volunteer Opportunities
Sign up in progress for spring/ summer season of the
ECO Farm Share
! Large, small and egg shares now available to everyone, including those outside Prince George's County! If we have 5 or more from the same location, we will deliver! 
In addition, ECO invites you to join one of their classes to learn more about the ancient and contemporary art and science of herbalism.
Pre-registration is required. Please contact
[email protected]
or
443-447-0313
to register or with any questions.
Cost: Each class cost $ 25 (includes $5 for materials, healthy drinks and snacks). Registration is non-refundable but is transferable. Please note: No one will be turned away for lack of funds. They offer a sliding fee scale discount, if needed.
Discounts: Students will receive a 10% OFF on your next purchase of Marble Arch Gardens Products.
Growing, Harvesting & Preserving Herbs for Home
: During this workshop we will introduce you to basic gardening techniques and the tools to create and care for your herbal garden. Topics include
: what herbs to u
se, how to g
row healthy pr
oductive plants, natural techniques for watering and fertilizing; when to harvest and how to preserve optimal flavor. Additionally, we will discuss key equipment and supplies, and basic medicinal uses. All students will be provided with select herb seed packets and two starter herbs/seedlings.
Date: Saturday, June 11
Time: 1:30 to 3:30pm
Class Location: ECO Bladensburg - 6100 Emerson St. Bladensburg, MD 20710
School Tours & Family Fun with Montpelier Farms
Drink Up with Calvert Brewing Company
 Cans for Cans (May 14). Official release of our line of cans, including Calvert Cream Ale, Wye Rye, Good Company Pale Ale, and Route 4 IPA. Bring in a non-perishable canned food item and you'll receive a discount on our newly canned beers. All donations will go to local charity. More details to come.
American Craft Beer Week (May 16 - 22). To celebrate, their
social media followers get their first pint of flight at the tap room for just $2.
They'll also be releasing their Summer Seasonal, Crazy Daisy Hefeweizen. This slightly hoppy, citrusy hefeweizen is brewed with mandarin Bavarian hops, orange peel and coriander.
For more information on this Upper Marlboro Brewery, visit their
website.
Want to Volunteer with Your Local Food Bank?
Trinity Episcopal Church at 14515 Church St. in Upper Marlboro is looking for volunteers to help them with the Marlboro Food Bank project, a program that gives foods to our neighbors in Prince George's County. Volunteers are needed for the three days of activities to help with this project. Thursday, May 12, foods will be sorted at 7 p.m. Friday, May 13, these foods will be put into bags at 8 a.m. And the final process for the Marlboro Food Bank will be the distribution of foods on Saturday, May 14, 7-9 a.m. The church parish office phone number is 301-627-2636 if you need more information about this project or about the services at this church. The Rev. Martha Bonwitt is the church's rector.
Visit the calendar on the Prince George's County 'Fresh. Local. Fun.' website for information about more local farm and food events!
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FUN.
Prince George's County Farms Featured in the News!
Two Prince George's County Farms, Miller Farms and Robin Hill Farm & Vineyard are featured in
Lancaster Farming. See the following articles by correspondent, Jeffery B. Roth, about your Prince George's County farms.
In Urban Prince George's, a Thriving Farm Oasis
 CLINTON, Md. - Conventional wisdom says urban or suburban residential development threatens family owned farms.
But when it comes to Miller Farms, located in a highly developed area of Prince George's County, Md., a mere 14 miles from The White House, conventional wisdom couldn't be more wrong, according to Phil Miller, fifth-generation farmer.
Founded in 1840, the farm now supports a sixth gene
ration of the extended Miller clan.
Read more
.
Robin Hill Farm Continues Long Road of Transition
BRANDYWINE, Md. - While Robin Hill Farm and Vineyards in Croom, Md., began as a tobacco farm, the rolling hills and well-drained soils of southern Prince George's County have made it easier for the Watson family to transition to wine grapes.
The farm is about 11 miles south of Route 301 in an area of the county called the "rural tier" by planning officials.
In 1954, Russel and Shirley Watson purchased the family farm. They married in 1955, according to Susan Watson Hardy. She is one of the couple's four children - two boys and two girls - who were raised on the farm.
Read more.
Grand Re-opening of the East Capitol Urban Farm!
2016 Spring Library Garden Lectures
Plenty of great workshops still going on at the Spring Library Garden Series sponsored by the Prince George's County Master Gardeners and Prince George's County Memorial Library System. There are a variety of workshops for both adults and youth. Food gardening workshop topics include vegetable container gardening, starting a vegetable garden, and growing greens!
Check out the line-up here!
Marietta Food & Wine Festival Features Romano Winery
 Please join us for our
"Marietta Food & Wine Festival"
on the grounds of historic Marietta House Museum,
Saturday, May 14
th
, 1pm. - 7pm. General admission: $10/person, additional $15/person for wine sampling glass. Must be 21 or older to purchase wine sampling glass. ID required.
Join us as we celebrate Prince George's County and local area wineries, including our own Prince George's County winery, Romano's! Sample wine and food from local wineries and restaurants, visit craft vendors, learn about wines in our wine education discussions, enjoy jazz from "AJQ Plus 1" and "Straight No Chaser". For a full list of wineries, please call 301-464-5291.
Bring a blanket or lawn chair and enjoy a beautiful setting among the champion trees on the grounds of Marietta. Tours of the historic house are offered throughout the day.
Relax, listen, and enjoy.
Marietta is located at
5626 Bell Station Road, Glenn Dale, MD 20769 and is
a property of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.
Calling All Prince George's County Chefs & Farmers!
Governor Hogan Invites Chefs to Submit Recipes
Finalists will Prepare Dishes Featuring Local Products at Government House to Celebrate Buy Local Challenge Week 
Governor Larry Hogan invites chefs using local Maryland ingredients to submit original recipes for the Governor's Buy Local Cookout, which will be held at Government House in Annapolis on July 21. Recipes must be submitted by May 11, and include products from at least one Maryland farmer, waterman, or other producer. Chefs are encouraged to submit simple but creative recipes that showcase ways the average Maryland family can prepare delicious, nutritious meals with locally produced food at home. Read more.
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Spring Farm Festival
May 7, 2016, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Join us for a day in the country for the entire family! Each spring we open our gates to the public for our annual Spring Farm Festival. Come enjoy the music, the view, the natural areas, and the lively barnyard that is a "living laboratory" for thousands of children each year.
Live Music!
Plant Sale: veggies, herbs, perennials, annuals, native plants, and more!
Art & Craft Displays by local artisans
Hay Wagon Rides to the Potomac River
Barnyard Adventures: Cow milking, butter churning, blacksmithing
Kids' Activities at the Log Cabin
Food and refreshments will be for sale from Bear Creek BBQ and Bob's Ice Cream. Enjoy lunch on top of the hill overlooking the Potomac River and Mount Vernon.
Admission: $5/car
Alice Ferguson Foundation
2001 Bryan Point Road
Accokeek, MD
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The Food Equity Council (FEC) will hold its May Meeting at Busboys and Poets in Hyattsville from
3:30-5:30
on
Thursday, May 12th
. Come meet our members and learn about the Council's current policy priorities. This month, FEC will host representatives from the University of Maryland and University of the District of Columbia to learn about their campuses' sustainable procurement, agriculture, and waste management programs. Join us and our speakers for an open discussion on food system innovation in higher education.
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The Science of Soil
Accokeek Foundation
at Piscataway Park
Ever wonder what it would be like to be able to shrink yourself to the size of a mole and travel beneath the soil to explore a magical world beneath your feet? Accokeek Foundation presents "Underspace! The Science of Soil," an interactive, (and free!) family-friendly experience that connects the current-day importance of healthy soil to our colonial past.
You are invited into an immersive, glow-in-the dark exhibit which reveals what most people take for granted -- the intricate web of life that resides in healthy soil.
Our resident "Soil Explorer" will then introduce you to environmentally friendly ways to feed the soil, so that you may zoom back to the year 1770 just in the nick of time to pass the knowledge along to the Bolton Family. If you're brave, grab a hoe and get your hands dirty in order to save the farm!
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Introduction to Permaculture Design
Accokeek Foundation
Ecosystem Farm
Become a PRODUCER as well as a CONSUMER!
Learn how to meet your own basic daily needs for food, water, and energy, by acquiring an in-depth understanding of your property.
By "reading the landscape," we can tap our local natural resources (sun, wind, water, soil, flora and fauna) to create site-specific design for an ecological human habitat. By mitigating harsh elements and enhancing microclimate we provide optimal conditions for growing food. Rain water can be harvested in multiple ways to irrigate our plants passively, while recharging the water table. Our homes can be retrofitted for passive heating and cooling. Wastes can be cycled for fertilizer. In so doing, we reduce fossil fuel consumption,
help repair the health of all life forms, and improve local economies.
BRING: an 8 1/2" x 11" site plan/rough sketch of a property you'd like to design, if you have one.
INSTRUCTOR: Patricia Ceglia
This workshop is a preview to the upcoming fall PERMACULTURE DESIGN CERTIFICATE COURSE
COST: $20, Accokeek Foundation members
$25, non members
RSVP: [email protected]
ECOSYSTEM FARM at Accokeek Foundation: A free guided tour will be offered afterward.
COLONIAL FARM & HERITAGE LIVESTOCK at Accokeek Foundation: Take a free self-guided tour before/after.
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Forest Garden Tour
Forested
Enjoy a tour of the forest garden, see productive and ecologically functional plants working together, and taste some seasonal fruits and herbs.
This tour will include 1 to 2 hours of walking. Bring comfortable clothes for being outside and a water bottle.
Location: If this will be your first time coming to Forested, please be sure to
check the
directions so you can easily find your way into the forest garden.
Cost: $15 suggested donation
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Community Wellness Programs
Eco City Farms
The science and art of using plants and foods for building and maintaining good health and for healing reaches back to the very beginning of recorded history. The practice of growing, harvesting, and making of herbal products to achieve wellness connects us to Traditional Chinese, Ayurveda, Native American and Western medicinal practices. ECO has recently significantly increased the variety and amounts of herbs and spices grown at our farms to better serve the needs and palates of our community. We invite you to join one of our classes to learn more about the ancient and contemporary art and science of herbalism.
Pre-registration is required. For more information, visit their website
.
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SAVE THE DATE!
Mother's Day Tea
Montpelier Mansion
Treat your mom, grandma, or other important woman in your life to afternoon tea in Montpelier's elegant east wing. You'll dine on fine finger sandwiches, scrumptious cakes and pastries, buttery scones, and your choice of two quality loose leaf teas. Reservations and advance payment required. Price includes self-guided tour of the house and gratuity.
$29/person; $25/Friends of Montpelier
Visit their website for more information.
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Farm Open House
Cabin Creek Heritage Farm
Cabin Creek is a local, pasture-based, sustainable family farm. They offer woodland-raised Berkshire pork, pulled Berkshire pork BBQ, pastured rabbit, Coturnix quail and quail eggs.
Also plan to check out their pastured chicken and eggs (pastured, corn/soy-free). Store hours are on Saturdays and by appointment.
Location:
18235 Clagett Landing Road,
Upper Marlboro
Visit their
website for Open House hours and details.
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SAVE THE DATE!
Grassroots Herbal
Apprenticeship Program
Centro Ashé Farm in Bryans Road, MD
July - October, 2016
Centro Ashé is excited to offer our Grassroots Herbal and Holistic Wellness Program, a community based herbal program - we're dedicated to putting herbal medicine in the hands of the people! This program offers our community a chance to explore folk herbalism from various traditions, and to understand natures ability to support our health, strength, and vitality. The series is an introduction and includes herbal fundamentals, North American and Mid-Atlantic medicinal plants (and others), practical and therapeutic applications of herbs, herbal preparations and medicine making, harvesting and wild crafting plants, permaculture and herbal gardening, herbal energetics and more. A strong sense of social, racial, healthy, economic and environmental justice is integral to our program. Our focus at Centro Ashé is to provide an inclusive learning environment that celebrates the voices and contributions of people of color, indigenous, LGBTQ, women and more. All are welcome in our program with an open heart and dedication to a safe and respectful collective space. You will receive instruction from the abundance of local, expert knowledge.
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MDA's Produce Seasonality Charts
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Do you have an interesting idea or event that you would like to share in the newsletter or even an interest in contributing an article?
Have you enjoyed a tasty, locally-made dish or treat in Prince George's County?
Did you have a phenomenal experience at one of our County's farm destinations or farmers markets?
If you answered yes to any of these, we'd love to hear from you! Send us an email or call us at 301.868.8780.
Warmly,
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_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Prince George's County Farms & Food Newsletter and pgcountyfarmfun.com are both published by the Agriculture Marketing Consultant of the University of Maryland, Prince George's County. University of Maryland Extension is a statewide educational organization funded by federal, state, and local governments. Our mission is to support Maryland's agricultural industry; protect its valuable natural resources; enhance the well-being of families and individuals, both young and old; and foster the development of strong, stable communities. University of Maryland Extension programs are open to all citizens without regard to race, color, gender, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, or national origin.
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