Category: Event

Farm Stress Management Workshops

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University of Maryland Extension will host a series of Farm Stress Management  Workshops for Agriculture Service Providers. 

This workshop is designed for Agriculture Service Providers to equip them with the skills and  knowledge to support farms and farm families in times of distress. The University of Maryland  Extension Farm Stress Management Team will train service providers to identify signs of  distress, develop skills to communicate with those experiencing stress, and provide resources  both locally and nationally. Financial and regulatory topics will also be discussed as they are  often contributors to stress on the farm. 

Upcoming Trainings (All hosted from 9:30 AM – 2:30 PM): 

  • Southern MD (UMD Extension, Calvert County) : April 5, 2022. 30 Duke Street, #103, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
  • Lower Shore (University of Maryland Eastern Shore) : April 6, 2022. Hensen Center – 11868 Academic Oval, Princess Anne, MD 21853
  • Central MD (UMD Extension, Montgomery County) : April 7, 2022. 18410 Muncaster Rd, Derwood, MD 20855
  • Western MD (UMD Extension, Washington County) : April 13, 2022. 7303 Sharpsburg Pike, Boonsboro, MD 21713
  • MidShore (Chesapeake College) : April 14, 2022. Higher Education Center – 1000 College Circle Wye Mills, MD 21679

For more information contact Shannon Dill, Extension Educator, University of Maryland  Extension (410-822-1244 / sdill@umd.edu). To register visit  

https://fsagservice2022.eventbrite.com. The program is open to all. If you need special  accommodations please contact the organizers two weeks prior to the event. For more  information on the Farm Stress Management Education Project visit  

www.go.umd.edu/farmfamily.  

This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture,  U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and  Education program under sub award number ENE20-160-34268.

Maryland Beginning Farmer Success Course

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urban farm with lettuce and other greens growing

Maryland Beginning Farmer Success Course  

This course is designed for those who are considering or  in the beginning stages of starting a farm as a business.  Topic covered will include: Business planning, marketing, crop production, soil health, pest management, food safety and regulations and certification. Classes will meet virtual Thursday evening from 7pm to 8:30pm, from February 10 through April 2, 2022.  Cost $65.

More information can be found at https://go.umd.edu/bfs2022 

University programs, activities, and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected class.

 

Bringing the Farm to School: A Training for Agricultural Producers

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The Maryland Department of Agriculture in partnership with the University of Maryland Extension (UME) Agriculture and Food Systems (AgFS) and the Maryland State Department of Education will be conducting an USDA Farm to School Producer Training for Maryland producers interested in selling local food to Maryland’s school districts and eligible providers.

The intent of the workshop is to give agricultural producers training and tools to build their capacity to launch or grow efforts to market to schools, therefore increasing sales to schools for farmers while expanding farm to school activities for students in schools and communities across the nation.

We have three upcoming Workshops:
 
Mid-Atlantic Fruit & Vegetable Convention
Date: January 31, 2022
Time: 12:00pm-4:00pm
Register: https://www.mdhortsociety.org/mafvc
Hyatt Regency-Cambridge Workshop
Date: February 25, 2022
Time: 10:00am- 2:30pm
Register: https://f2straining.eventbrite.com/
Virtual Workshop
Date: March 1, 2022
Time: 1:00pm- 4:30pm
Register: https://go.umd.edu/farm2schooltraining

Maryland’s Best Expo 2022

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The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) will host the Maryland’s Best Expo on Wednesday, January 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. Returning for its 18th year, after being cancelled in 2021 due to the COVID-10 pandemic, the Maryland’s Best Expo provides an opportunity for Maryland farmers, seafood producers, and processors to connect with buyers from grocery retailers, restaurants, schools, food distributors, and other venues.

The 2020 Maryland’s Best Expo attracted more than 300 attendees. Participants included farmers, producers, watermen, aquaculturists, processors, grocery store retailers, restaurants, schools, chefs and more.

This year’s event will be held in the “N Room” at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, 550 Taylor Avenue, Annapolis. Registration is required. The deadline to sign up is January 5, 2022. There is a $25 fee for a table display space. There is no fee for buyers, but they must register. For more information on the expo or to register, visit the Maryland’s Best website.

You should attend this event if you are:

  • A Maryland grower, watermen, seafood company, or processor interested in finding new markets for your products;
  • A buyer from a grocery store, restaurant, hospital, school, or other venue looking to purchase Maryland grown or produced products; or
  • A service provider in agriculture or local food (such as a UME county extension agent, food writer, etc.).

The types of local products that buyers will typically find are:

  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Meats (such as poultry, beef, and bison)
  • Dairy products (cow, sheep and goats milk/cheese, ice cream, yogurt, and butter)
  • Seafood (such as crabmeat, oysters, blue catfish and rockfish)
  • Craft Beverages (beer, wine, spirits, juices, kombucha, coffee, etc.)
  • Specialty products (including hemp products, sauces, baked goods, chocolate, soups, flour, etc.)