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March 2017
"Farming is simply gambling with dirt."
- Mark Twain
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FRESH.
The Third Winery in Prince George's County Opens!
 Janemark Winery and Vineyard is located in beautiful Southern Maryland on Bald Eagle School Road in Brandywine. Our vineyards were planted in 2013 with additional vines planted in 2014 and 2015 for a total of 2.1 acres.
We will be open on Saturdays from 12 - 5 PM with additional hours added later in the spring.
Spend your Saturday at Janemark Winery & Vineyard's Open Air Tasting Bar and enjoy a wine tasting with a complimentary JWV wine glass.
Wine tastings will include our very own 100% JWV grown Vidal Blanc, Barbera, Chambourcin, and Sweet Heidi (a dessert wine made from our Vidal Blanc grapes).
Grab a bottle and take in all of the sights of the winery and vineyard with friends and family. What a better way to celebrate
Maryland Wine Month?!
We look forward to greeting you and sharing stories and love for wine!
Kick Off of the 2017 Season of the Farmers Market at MD
The Farmers Market at Maryland operates every Wednesday, April
5th through November 15. The market is located in front of the
Cole Activity Building from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.
The market will feature a weekly cooking demonstration featuring produce and/or products from the farmers market to encourage "Farm to Table" eating.
Hyattsville Market Seeks Intern
The Hyattsville Farmers Market is looking for an intern or contractor to provide onsite management of their Tuesday market. This will be a part-time position with approximately 16 hours per week. The market runs every Tuesday starting
June 6th
and ending
September 26th, 2017
. For more details please contact Ellarose Preston at
301-985-5006
or email
[email protected].
Riverdale Park Farmers Market Wraps-up Its Winter Market This Month
Join Riverdale Park Farmers Market for its Winter Market every Thursday, 3 to 7pm, and enjoy local goodies including greens, apples, meat, some root veggies, some pastry, bread, and coffee. The outdoor market returns to its usual location in April.
For more information on the weekly Winter Market, check Riverdale Park Farmers Market's Facebook page.
Greenbelt Farmers Vendors Offer Winter Drops
Specific Greenbelt Farmers Market vendors will drop locally-grown and raised products in the Greenbelt
parking lot at 25 Crescent Road on the third Sunday of the month. The next drop will take place on Sunday, March 19.
For more information on how to contact the vendors to submit your order, visit the Greenbelt Farmers Market's
website
and Facebook page.
There Is Still Time to Join a CSA
Here is a listing of CSA's in Prince George's County:
Visit www.pgcountyfarmfun.com for a listing of farms and farmers markets you can visit with your friends and family!
Find the full list of county farmers markets here.
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Prince George's County Farmer Named Director of the Southern Maryland Agriculture Development Commission
 The Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC) is pleased to announce new Director,
Shelby Watson-Hampton. Shelby is a Southern Maryland farmer, an Agricultural Marketing Specialist, and an active member of the Maryland farming community. In her previous position at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, she worked in the Marketing Department promoting and marketing Maryland products, farmers, and farmers markets, as well as running the Farmers Market Nutrition Program.
"As an individual with family farms in both Prince George's and Charles Counties, ties to the Southern Maryland farming community across all five counties, and an affinity for promoting an inclusive and cooperative atmosphere, I will strive to continue and to expand the tradition of a strong and prosperous farming community in Southern Maryland."
We welcome Shelby in her new role! See the full press release
here.
Cabin Creek Heritage Farm is going green...MICROGREENS!
 We are busy preparing our greenhouse and sowing seeds to grow hydroponic microgreens for folks to enjoy on their fresh salads, artisan pizzas and burgers and more!
Our microgreens will be available in our on-farm store and at farmers markets, starting this spring.
Our Meat CSA Program is available in 4-month increments, year-round and you can join any month of the year! We offer a variety of pork, beef, lamb shares and sizes that are just right for your family. Our shares are designed to be customizable - you get the sausage flavors and cuts you like. Sign-up online today!
We are partnering with Agriberry Farm & Calvert Farm to bring you fresh fruit and produce each week!
Ask us how.
Home Delivery is now available! CCHF can deliver your order or CSA share right to your door.
Check out our
website for more details on all this and more!
Alpaca Tours Continue in March
 The Alpaca Lane Criations Farm, located at 15430 Mount Calvert Rd in Upper Marlboro, MD, is open every weekend from
9 AM to 5 PM
until the end of March.
Bring your friends and family to the farm for a unique opportunity to pet the alpacas and learn about these wonderful animals.
This past year, six babies (crias) were born, and so the farm is now home to 31 alpacas.
The farm shop offers opportunities to purchase fine alpaca products such as yarn, roving, toys, warm alpaca hats, scarves, gloves, sweaters, jackets, vests, throws, and much more. The tours are free and children are welcome. For more information, contact Susan Kolb at 703.401.1793 or visit their Facebook page.
Wine Infused Cupcakes & Music at Romano Vineyard & Winery
Join the Romanos every Friday,
1-6pm and every
Saturday,
noon to 6pm for a wine tasting! The following events are taking place at the winery this month:
- March 4, 12-5pm: Cupcake Sampling with KA
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- March 11, 2-5pm: Music in the Winery with Jan Knutson
- March 11, 6-9:30pm: Paint Night (registration required)
- March 19, 2pm: Tank Tasting (registration required)
- March 25 12-5pm: Cupcake Sampling with KA
- March 25, 2-5pm: Music in the Winery with Ross Crampton
ECO City Farms Seeks Vendors & Apprentices
The Port Towns Farmers Mercado seeks local farmers, growers and food product vendors for the 2017 season, which runs from
June 3 to September 2
in Bladensburg. The culturally diverse market offers a low flat vendor seasonal fee with rebate for good attendance. They particularly welcome Prince George's farmers, healthy food producers and sustainable growers. For more information visit their website.
ECO is looking for committed people interested in sustainable agriculture to apply for intern and apprenticeship positions for the spring/summer season. You'll get hands-on experience on an urban farm by working alongside farm managers and staff. More info will be announced on our website in mid-February.
Accokeek Foundation Hosts Dialogue on Race, Agriculture & Living History at University of Maryland
Lattes with Lambs
Join the Accokeek Foundation and their new baby lambs on April 1, at 10 am at the National Colonial Farm. Bring your whole family to welcome the farm's newest, most adorable members, while enjoying live music, coffee, donuts, and the beauty of Piscataway Park.
Other activities include sheep shearing, butter making, and felting. Admission will be $10 for adults, and $5 for children, members, and military personnel. Visit our
website for more information about this event.
Udder to Butter: Modern Homesteading Workshop
On April 8, starting at 1 pm, spend the day with the Accokeek Foundation's Livestock Manager, Joe Markley, as he
demonstrates and instructs agricultural tasks such as cow milking, butter churning, and even the making of yogurts and cheeses. Support will also be provided by the experts at
Firefly Farm Creamery, who will share their story, conduct a wine tasting, and demonstrate cheese making miracles. The cost is $30 per person, and $25 for Foundation members. Visit our
website for more information about this unique and exciting event.
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.
Celebrate Agriculture: National Ag Day is March 21
American agriculture is the foundation of our country. It's the backbone of a healthy and prosperous nation that's made possible by the hard work of America's farms and farm families.
The Agriculture Council of America is proud to celebrate the nutritious and plentiful contributions of our country's farms on National Agriculture Day. You're invited to join the celebration. Join us for Ag Day 2017. American agriculture is Food for Life-good for life!
Here is a list of D.C. events. Find out more at
www.agday.org.
Institute for Applied Agriculture: Sustainable Ag Tuesdays
The Sustainable "Ag" Tuesdays series consists of several free lecture events for the University of Maryland and surrounding community. Join us in person in 1123 Jull Hall, or tune in online for live streaming.
March 2017 events include:
SMADC Announces New Scholarship and Sponsorship Application Process
SMADC recognizes the importance of educational and networking opportunities for farmers and for young adults (high school and above) that promote and support agriculture, stimulate interest in careers in agriculture and grow a new generation of farmers. To address this need, SMADC has put in place a new 'user friendly' on-line process to receive and review sponsorship and scholarship applications.
Terp Farm Completes Its Third Growing Season
Terp Farm is the University of Maryland's sustainable farming operations
 dedicated to growing produce for the campus dining program, supporting educational opportunities for students, and providing food to those in need. Started in 2014, Terp Farm recently completed its third growing season.
Check out the newest Terp Farm Annual Report to learn about how Terp Farm has harvested nearly 30,000 pounds of produce for campus and hosted over 2,000 visitors since the program started.
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Permaculture Course with Forested
March through May
In this twelve-day course over the span of nine months, you will plunge deeply into the vision and practice of creating dynamic and resilient edible ecosystems using temperate deciduous forests as models. You will participate in a rigorous design process that requires 8-12 hours of site design homework between classes. The teaching team will offer lectures, site walks, experiential exercises and skills training to help you understand how the structure, functions, and successional processes of natural forests apply in the design of edible ecosystems. We'll also learn about and practice natural building, water harvesting & storage, plant and mushroom care, reading patterns in natural systems, and understanding cultural shifts required to change perspectives and create mindful communities.
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Open House
Institute of Applied Agriculture
March 10, April 14, 9:30 - 12pm
Jump-start your career in the agribusiness, sustainable agriculture, horticulture, landscaping, and turfgrass industries with a two-year certificate from the Institute of Applied Agriculture(IAA). Find out how at an
IAA Open House, on March 10 or April 14.
Don't miss this opportunity to visit Jull Hall, get to know faculty and students, and tour the University of Maryland, College Park campus!
Spaces are limited, and registration is required
. Use the link below to sign up; you will receive a confirmation email with additional details.
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Monthly Meeting & New Member Recruitment
Food Equity Council
March 28, 4:30 - 6:30
The mission of the Prince George's County Food Equity Council is to significantly improve public health and community well-being of all who live, work, study, worship and play in the County.
It will develop and support policies, approaches, procedures, practices and initiatives to create systemic change to the local food system, promoting health, economic opportunity, food security, and well-being, especially among communities that have been negatively impacted by the current food system.
Details regarding the location for the meeting is coming soon! Visit the Food Equity Council's
website for more information.
Apply for a Seat on the Prince George's County Food Equity Council
The Prince George's County Food Equity Council (FEC) is now accepting applications for Council members. FEC members work collaboratively with stakeholders to revitalize the local, regional, and national food systems.
If you are passionate about social justice and food system change, please submit your member application by April 14th, 2017. Contact Sydney Daigle for details.
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MD Farmers Market Conference
March 14, 8am - 4pm
The Annual Maryland Farmers Market Conference at the Maryland Department of Agriculture will be held on March 14th at 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD. The conference is from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm. Lunch will be included in the conference and there will be a $30 cost per person for full day conference attendance. More information and r
egistration details will be available on the Maryland Department of Agriculture's website. Check this press release for details.
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PGC Farm Bureau Annual Dinner Banquet
March 18, 2017
Social Hour: 5:30pm
Dinner, Auction and Dancing: 6:30pm
Prince Geoge's County Farm Bureau Annual Dinner Banquet will be held at the Baden Volunteer Fire Department Hall in Brandywine, MD on Saturday, March 18, 2017. Social hour starts at 5:30, followed by a live and silent auction, lots of food, music and dancing.
Everyone is invited and sponsorships and advertisement space is available.
Prince George's County Young Farmers will run the live and silent auction. They have been an actively growing group in the community in the past year. With a passion for agriculture and preserving the way of life on the farm, our young farmers have worked with each other to have a successful and working group, dedicated to our future endeavors.
Contact Jennifer Cross, PGCFB Secretary at [email protected] or 301.579.6552 for more information.
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Marietta House Museum Events
March & April, 2017
Upcoming Prince George's County Department of Parks and Recreation Programs at Marrietta House Museum include:
March 18 : Baltimore Album Quilts Lecture
April 8: Civil War Quilts Lecture
April 22, 23: Marching Through Time
Enjoy light refreshments. For more information and to register, visit the
website.
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Montpelier Mansion Events
March & April, 2017
Upcoming PGC Parks and Recreation Programs at Montpelier Mansion include:
March 11: Gifts and Spirits Series for a Multicultural Mixer.
We'll enjoy drinks (alcohol optional) featuring flavors of distant lands, and do make-and-take craft projects inspired by our current exhibit, Barriers & Gateways: The Immigrant Experience in Maryland.
March 18: Opening Reception: Rub the Oils and Strew the Powders (exhibit through May)
On display will be copies of illustrations from 17th, 18th and 19th century "herbals," instructional books on identifying and using herbs in medicine and cooking.
The colors in these ancient prints are still vibrant, the lines graceful and elegant, and the shading almost 3-D in its effect. The images are courtesy of the Rare Book Division of the National Agricultural Library.
April 8: The History of Herbal, From Folklore to Pharmaceuticals
The Friends of Montpelier's spring history lecture features John Peter Thompson, Chair of the Prince George's County Historic Preservation Commission, who will speak on the history of herbals from their start as a collection of folk wisdom, to the basis of many of the medical and pharmaceutical sciences of today. He will also speak on the precursors of herbals from Greek and Roman times.
For more information and to register, visit the
website
.
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SAVE THE DATE!
Stewards of Future Harvests
Free Community Seed Swap
& Gardening Expo
Watkins Nature Center
April 15, 10am - 2pm
The world-wide practice of seed saving ensures diversity of edible and ornamental plants for the next generations. As seed savers we are stewards of future harvests and we are responsible for what happens next in the art of seed collection and preservation.
Stewards of Future Harvests is a free community-based event focused on bringing together community, home and school gardeners from across our county to network and share gardening advice and ideas.
The program will feature community, school and home gardening leaders, plant experts and a community gardener's panel. There will be activities for youth and adults, a seed swap, free gardening information, giveaways, door prizes, as well as container and vertical gardening demonstrations. You are not required to bring seeds, but, if you have extras and would like to donate them, please bring them to share with other attendees. We will have a photo exhibit of community, home and school gardens across the county. If you are interested in participating in the photo exhibit, please send an e-mail to the contact e-mail address below for instructions. We hope you can join us!!
Seating is limited and pre-registration is required on Eventbrite.com - Search on keyword "Community Seed Swap."
Community Service Hours Available for Student Volunteers.
Bring the Entire Family!
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SAVE THE DATE!
Black Swamp Creek Trust
Plant Sale & Swap
April 22, 9am - 1pm
Bring labeled plants to swap for other annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetables, shrubs, trees, bulbs, seeds, farm and garden stuff.
Plants for sale too!
Music by The Swampy Bottom Boys!
Free Refreshments!
Location: Restored Tobacco Bart an 19070 Poplar Ridge Rd, Brandywine, MD (2/10th miles north of the intersection of Croom & Brandywine Roads)
For more information, call Joanne at 301.502.3261.
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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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