Urban Ag Extension

It is a tradition in Extension to bring farmers together in the winter to learn about the latest research, earn continuing education units for their certifications, and socialize with their peers. This year, we are offering our annual winter farmer meetings online: https://extension.umd.edu/agriculture/winter-crop-production-meetings-2020-2021 

The winter professional development meeting for urban farmers will be offered split over two dates: the afternoon of Monday, January 25 and the afternoon of Sunday, January 31.  Educational sessions will be 30 minutes, followed by networking time. Participants will be able to attend whichever sessions interest them. 

A special thank you to Farm Alliance of Baltimore for partnering with Extension to plan and co-host previous years’ Urban Farmer Winter Meetings, and for advising on farmer priorities for the 2021 meeting. 
 

Schedule:

Day 1, Monday, January 25:

• 1 pm: Value-added product case study: connecting rural cocoa growers with urban chocolate entrepreneurs
  Anna Glenn, Agriculture Department Chair at Liberia Internatoinal Christian College and Joshua Zemah, Owner of Redimere Chocolate

• 2 pm: How Do Soil Conservation Districts Help Urban Farmers Conserve Natural Resources?
  Kim Rush Lynch and Steve Darcey, Prince George's Soil Conservation District

• 3 pm: Disease and pest issues for hydroponic greenhouse growers

• 4pm: Mushroom production
  Kwesi Asante, EcoCity Farms

Day 2, Sunday, January 31:

• 1pm: Food safety for production of dried herbs
  Dr. Angela Ferelli, University of Maryland, Plant Science Department, Food Safety Group

• 2pm: African heritage specialty crop research
  Dr. Nadine Burton, University of Maryland Eastern Shore

• 3pm: How to accept SNAP payments for farm produce
  Lynn Rubin Traversa, UMD Extension SNAP-Ed program

• 4pm: To be announced

The Maryland Beginning Farmer Success Course is a ten-week introduction to the foundational topics an aspiring farmer in Maryland should know. Topics covered will include business planning, marketing, crop production, livestock husbandry, soil health, pest management, food safety, and regulations and certifications. Additional elective resources will cover more specialized topics, such as organic production, urban agriculture, and direct marketing to local customers.
 

The course will be offered virtually, in a blended at-your-own-pace and live (asynchronous and synchronous) format. At-your-own-pace lessons will be completed on the course page at eXtension.org Campus. Live Q&As with Extension educators, farmers, and agricultural service providers will be available to participants who complete the week’s homework.
 

The deadline to register for the course is Monday, February 5, 2021.
 

Live sessions will be weekly on Thursday nights, from 6:30 to 7:30 pm, starting with an orientation to the course on Thursday, February 4. The last session will be Thursday, April 8.

Registration for the course is $40, plus eventbrite fees: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/maryland-beginning-farmer-success-course-tickets-132594276049

I often get questions from urban farmers and gardeners, asking where to look to hire someone to do work like tilling a field, spreading compost, or building a high tunnel. The good news is that UMD Extension collects data annually on what we call “custom rate” work. We then use that data to create “custom rate sheets” telling farmers what the going rate is in their location for different services. The bad news is that we don’t yet have data on “custom rate” work for urban farms.

You can help us fill this gap in knowledge by filling out the survey below. 

~ Neith Little

Dear Custom Rate Operator:

We need your assistance in securing up-to-date information about farm custom work rates, machinery rental rates and hired labor costs in Maryland. This information is being updated and published by the University of Maryland Extension. It is widely used by farmers across the state, so we need the best information available.
 

Please respond even if you know only a few rates. We want information on actual rates, either what you paid to hire work or what you charged if you perform custom work. Custom Rates should include all ownership costs of implement & tractor (if needed), operator labor, fuel and lube.

Reported rates will be summarized in the Custom Rate Survey to show a range and averages for the state. NO individual names or rates will be published in the Custom Rate Survey. 

You can complete this survey online at: https://go.umd.edu/customrate2021. Or by completing the enclosed form, return it in the self-addressed, stamped envelope provided to 28577 Mary’s Court Suite 1, Easton MD 21601 or by email to sdill@umd.edu. Please return by: December 31, 2020. We hope these publications will be beneficial to you as a custom farm operator.

The results will be available online at www.extension.umd.edu/grainmarketing. We hope this publication will be beneficial to you as a custom farm operator and thank you for your cooperation with this effort.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the survey please contact Shannon Dill at 410-822-1244 or sdill@umd.edu. 

A common request from direct market growers is recipes they can hand out with their produce, to encourage their customers to try something new. 

I recently stumbled on University of Tennesee Extension’s “Seasonal Eating Recipe Archive,” and it looks like exactly what many of you have been asking for. 

They have a wealth of easy-to-print recipes, organized alphabetically by the name of different fruits and vegetables. I think I’m going to try their kale and cannellini bean soup myself.

Browse the recipe archive here.

The Farm Alliance of Baltimore's annual membership drive is open! Individuals and gardens can join year round. Farm applications are due Dec 31. More info here: https://farmalliancebaltimore.org/get-involved/membership/

The Sustainable Horticulture Program at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) is offering 5 full scholarships for students to earn a Basic Horticulture Technician Certificate for the Spring 2021 semester. Course details here: basic-horticulture-technician-certificate
Contact Martha Pindale with questions, 410-688-5115 or email mpindale@ccbcmd.edu