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July 2016
"Why do farmers farm, given their economic adversities on top of the many frustrations and difficulties normal to farming? And always the answer is: "Love. They must do it for love." Farmers farm for the love of farming. They love to watch and nurture the growth of plants. They love to live in the presence of animals. They love to work outdoors. They love the weather, maybe even when it is making them miserable. They love to live where they work and to work where they live. If the scale of their farming is small enough, they like to work in the company of their children and with the help of their children. They love the measure of independence that farm life can still provide. I have an idea that a lot of farmers have gone to a lot of trouble merely to be self-employed to live at least a part of their lives without a boss."
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FRESH.
Take the Buy Local Challenge & We Will Feature the Photo of Your Local Product, Farmers Market or Farmer Next Month!
July 23-31 marks the annual Buy Local Challenge. Pledge to eat one thing from a local farm every day. Your local farmers market is a great way to be in touch with your local farmers if you don't belong to a CSA! Check out our
Fresh. Local. Fun. website for the updated directory of markets in gorgeous Prince Georges.
Be sure to load pics of your favorite local products and meals on social media with the #buylocalchallenge hashtag! If you are on Facebook, post to
@UMEPGC and we'll repost. If you are a Twitter user, mention
@pgagmarketing for a re-tweet. We'll feature your pics in next month's newsletter if they include a product from a farm or farmers market in Prince George's County. Be sure to include the name of the market or farm!
Cheverly Market Participates in Nutrition Benefits Matching Program
 In 2016, the Market will continue to participate in Maryland Market Money (MMA), a dollar-for-dollar SNAP, WIC-FVC, or FMNP-Senior/WIC benefits matching program of the
Maryland Farmers Market Association. MMA provides up to $5 in matching dollars to program participants and the Market raises funds to increase the total match to $10 for shoppers to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables. We would not have been able to continue this program without your support!
In addition, we are thrilled to announce our official designation as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization! As a nonprofit, the Market will continue to serve as a gathering place, connecting local producers and fresh food to you and the wider community.
Visit us e
very other Saturday,
8am to Noon
at the Cheverly Community Center (6401 Forest Road). Dates are as follows:
July 2
,
July 16
,
July 30
,
Aug. 13
,
Aug. 27
,
Sep. 10
,
Sep. 24
,
Oct. 8 and Oct. 22
. Holiday Markets:
Nov. 19 and Dec. 10
.
Port Towns Farmers Mercado
 Don't forget to stop by Port Towns Farmers Mercado at the Three Brothers Plaza (4521 Kenilworth Avenue, Bladensburg) from
11 a.m.
to
3 p.m. on Saturday.
Meet local farmers, support local food businesses, get your fresh, local produce and tasty foods, hear live music, and fun for kids.
Enjoy everything from pupusas and hibiscus teas to handmade Columbian jewelry.
Customers with SNAP and WIC can double their dollars at the Port Towns Farmers Mercado!
Yoga at Hyattsville Farmers Market
The Hyattsville Farmers Market runs every Tuesday through
September 27th, 2016
3-7pm
at 3799 East West Highway in Hyattsville, at the parking lot of Redeemer Lutheran Church.
This is their 25th anniversary and they have several events lined up:
- Peach Festival: July 26
- National Farmers Market Week and Chef Demo by Jonathan Bardzick: August 9
- "A Toast to 25" 25th Anniversary Celebration: August 23
- Yoga at the Market: Every third Thursday (6/21, 7/19, 8/16, & 9/20)
Check out their
article in the
Hyattsville Life and Times.
Ecosystem Farm Joins the Moyaone Market this Summer
On the first Saturday of every month, the Ecosystem Farm will bring fresh,  sustainably-grown produce to the Moyaone Market. The next market will be Saturday, July 2. Fresh from the farm this July will be eggs,
chard, carrots, herbs, mints and various plants for your garden. The Moyaone Market is located at the Moyaone Community Center, 2311 Bryan Point Road, Accokeek. Visit the market's Facebook page for details.
Find the full list of county farmers markets here.
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Proposed Bill Will Expand Urban Agriculture in the County
 Great news!
CB-25-2016 passed out of the Planning, Zoning, and Economic Development Committee yesterday with unanimous support.
This bill would allow urban farms to locate in residential zones in PGC and bring locally grown produce directly to where residents live, pray, and play. Many thanks to Council Members
Mary Lehman
,
Dannielle Glaros
,and
Todd M. Turner
for sponsoring this bill and to the Food Equity Council, Soil Conservation District, University of Maryland Extension, Eco City Farms and other community partners and residents for their help in this effort. This bill is scheduled to go to public hearing sometime this month.
Check Out Romano Vineyard & Winery's New Hours!
Join them for tastings at the following times:
Fridays: 1pm - 6pm
Saturdays: 12pm - 6pm (staying open an hour later)
Plan to celebrate the Fourth of July with the Romanos, 1pm - 6pm.
July 8, 6:30-9pm: Music in the Vineyard with GrooveSpan & L'il Mack's BBQ
July 9, 6 - 9pm:
Wine and Canvas Paint Night - doors open at 6pm, painting 6:30-9pm
July 18, 8am - 12pm:
Cheverly Community Market
July 30, 10:30 - 11:30am:
Yoga in the Vineyard
Rental info - Looking for a place to host a party?
Our tasting room is a great location for a bridal or baby shower,
rehearsal dinner, birthday party, corporate retreat and any other type of party you can think of!
Contact us
for information on event pricing and availability at [email protected].
For more information, visit their
website
and Facebook
page.
Looking for a Place to Farm in Prince George's County?
 House and land available for lease in Brandywine in Prince George's county! The two bedroom house available starting in July. Land is available now. Property is located on a working farm currently in livestock and hay. The tenants moving out have two acres of the property already worked for vegetable production and Certified Naturally Grown. Irrigation is in place for both drip and pond use, as are additional fields for growing, and a post-harvest and pack area. The landowner is looking for someone who may also be interested to learn and grow his business tending to livestock. More land may be available on property. Rent is $800/month. If you are interested, contact Yates at 240-417-1523.
Cold Brews for a Great Cause!!
Team up with Calvert Brewing Company as we honor our Veterans! Saturday,
 July 2nd from 12-9PM, Calvert Brewing Company is hosting our Red, White and Brew event, where 10% of all proceeds will be donated to Operation Homefront. We will raffle off our awesome Red, White and Brew Giveaway (winning ticket number announced on
Facebook the following week, you do not need to be present to win), have LIVE music by Timmie Metz, and Smokin' Jarhead will be in the parking lot crankin' out delicious BBQ!
Operation Homefront assists military families during difficult financial times by providing food assistance, auto and home repair, vision care, travel and transportation, moving assistance, essential home items, and financial assistance.
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.
The Prince George's County Fair Needs YOU!
 The 2016
Prince George's County Fair is a great opportunity to give back to our community!
The 4-H Youth Development Program has volunteer opportunities for both youth (ages 12 and up) and adults. This is a great opportunity to earn student service learning hours towards graduation and adult volunteers can make a huge impact in the lives of local youth. We are also in need of judges for the youth project exhibit and the 4-H contests.
The county fair is scheduled from September 8th -11th, 2016 at The Show Place Arena-Equestrian, 14900 Pennsylvania Ave in Upper Marlboro, MD. We need volunteers for all days who can assist with tasks such as, setup, unloading, registration, 4-H indoor exhibits, entries hanging, 4-H special events, and breakdown.
Please view the schedule below; it provides the dates, times, events and how many volunteers will be needed throughout the scheduled fair week.
Volunteer Judges are required to have a level expertise in a various project and contests areas such as fashion, music, theater, Horticulture, Nutrition, Health, dance, sewing, engineering, and baking (other areas are available).
Volunteers are crucially needed on the following dates and times:
| Monday, September 5th |
Fair Set-Up |
8:00 am - 2:00 pm |
| Tuesday, September 6th |
Project Night |
3:00 pm - 7:00 pm |
| Saturday, September 10th |
4-H Contests/Activities |
11:00 am-5:00 pm |
| Sunday, September 11th |
Fair Break-Down |
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm |
Please review the volunteer and judge slots needed and sign-up here:
Going To Market: Urban Farm Brings Fresh Produce from Farm to Fork
 BY LINDSAY MYERS - At the end of Crittenden Street in Edmonston sits a tiny 1.25 acre urban farm. Small tract houses with minivans and ten-year-old SUVs in the driveways neighbor the property, and a white fire hydrant with a green top stands like a sentinel outside of the swinging iron gate. Inside the tall chain link fence marking the perimeter of the farm are several large white "hoop houses," semi-circular plastic tunnels used to protect crops from the elements. ECO City Farms is not is not your typical farmstead. Yet, this small patch of earth supplies thousands of Prince George's county residents with produce and is working hard to ensure that all those who want to eat fresh and local, can. Read the rest of this Hyattsville Life & Times article here.
Southern Maryland Agriculture Development Commission Releases Food Hubs Report
In September 2015, Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC) published their second Existing and Emerging Food Hubs in Maryland Report. The SMADC report was intended to recognize local efforts undertaken within the state to connect consumers with local food, inform elected officials of these efforts, and to identify additional areas of need. The SMADC report recognized four operating and six emerging food hub efforts throughout the state, as well as four auctions and support organizations.
Check out their latest report
here.
Proposals Being Sought for Regional Slaughterhouse
Solomons, MD -- A Request for Proposals (RFP) is expected to be released
 shortly for a public/private partnership to create a meat processing and distribution center in Southern Maryland. The location of the facility, which will include a slaughterhouse, will depend on which proposal is accepted by the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland, which has legislative authority to pursue the project.
The project will be funded by state monies from the Tobacco Restitution Fund. The monies are in the Fiscal Year 2017 budget of the Southern Maryland Agriculture Development Commission (SMADC) which reports to the council. The Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland is made up of elected officials in the region plus citizens appointed by the county commissioners of each county.
Read the rest of this BayNet.com article here.
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New Green History Exhibit!
H2oooh! American Water Use Revealed
Accokeek Foundation
Deciding what to have for lunch based on its impact on the environment? One hidden factor most people don't consider is a food's "water footprint." Explore the secret life of water in our eye-opening exhibit "H2oooh!" and then travel back in time to take a look at how the colonials lived with 20 times less of this precious resource. Don't be surprised if the residents of the National Colonial Farm engage you in a friendly discussion about their water habits or enlist you to help them cook or tend to the garden. Weekends at the National Colonial Farm, 3400 Bryan Point Road, Accokeek, MD 20607.
Exhibit hours: Saturdays: 10 am - 4 pm; Sundays: 12 - 4 pm.
FREE
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Feast for Farms & Families
MD Farmers Market Association
The Maryland Farmers Market Association is excited to announce our first annual Feast for Farms and Families fundraiser to support Maryland Market Money, our statewide program that matches purchases made at participating farmers markets using federal food assistance. Restaurants throughout the state are generously donating a portion of their proceeds to MDFMA on July 14th.
Check out the
website
or
Facebook event
to determine when they will be supporting Maryland Market Money and plan to grab a bite during those times! Thank you for your support in helping us feed more than 17,000 hungry Marylanders this farmers market season.
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Introduction to Permaculture Design Workshop - Happy Hour
Accokeek Foundation
Join instructor Patricia Ceglia and the Accokeek Foundation for a glass of wine and light refreshment. Learn how to meet your own basic daily needs for food, water, and energy, by creating a functional landscape. Specific characteristics, unique to a site, provide opportunities and constraints. This workshop will demonstrate how design can maximize the productivity of a site, while protecting and enhancing nature. Contact Patricia Ceglia to register: [email protected].
Fee: $25 | $20 for AF members
Location: 3400 Bryan Point Road, Accokeek, MD 20607
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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.
Come out to the farm this weekend and pickup all your grilling meat for your July 4th weekend cookouts! Heritage Beef burgers, hot dogs, sausage grillers, kielbasa ~ Berkshire Pork sausage grillers, Bratwurst or BBQ ~ Petite Lamb for Lamb Burgers. They are open Friday & Saturday 10-2 this weekend.
Location:
18235 Clagett Landing Road,
Upper Marlboro
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SAVE THE DATE!
UMES Small Farms Bus Tour
August 8 & 9
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore Small Farm Program will host a small farm bus tour allowing participants to "Explore New Farm Income Opportunities", on Monday, August 8 and Tuesday, August 9, 2016. For more information contact Candy Hefel, Farm Management Agent, at: [email protected] or 443-944-5254.
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SAVE THE DATE!
Taste Prince Georges
August 13, 12pm
Six Flags
The Fourth Annual Festival is a Celebration of Restaurants, Indie Chefs, Foodies & Food Stars, Local Wine, Mixologist's & The Best Local Businesses Ever! Two Stages All Day, The Family & Fun Stage & The Food & Wine Stage!
Visit their website for more information.
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SAVE THE DATE!
Prince George's County Fair
September 5 - 11
Equestrian Center
The Prince George's County Fair began in 1842 as a friendly gathering for local farmers to showcase their produce and livestock and have a little fun. We have the distinction of being the oldest running Fair in Maryland!
Though it started out as mostly livestock and field crops, eventually it came to include women's arts as well, with competitions for the best jams, jellies, canned goods, pies, breads, cookies, clothing, quilts, and handicrafts. It was (and is) quite an honor to be deemed the best in the County!
Did you know we still hold competitions in all these areas, plus photography, fine-arts, woodworking, basket making, flower arranging, and more?
This year we will be having a carnival with many rides and more games for both younger and older Fair goers. For an idea of what you can expect to see at the Fair, check out our website.
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SAVE THE DATE!
Burgers & Brews for the Bay
Clagett Farm
September 25
Stay tuned to the website for more information and updates!
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SAVE THE DATE!
The Crop Hop
October 22
The 2016 Crop Hop cycling tour, co-hosted by St. May's County Division of Tourism, is set for Saturday, October 22nd in
St. Mary's County!
As always, early registration comes with a local lunch, snacks and a commemorative t-shirt. We'll have routes and farms listed by late spring, and registration will be open soon. Watch our
Facebook page and
website for updates and announcements.
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MDA's Produce Seasonality Charts
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 Contact Us!
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,
Looking to start a farmers market or farm? Visit our Ag Marketing
page for resources.
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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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