It may not look like the future - it may look like a field of radishes, clover and annual rye. It is that - but also so much more. This sea of green in Dickerson is a part of a 90 acre project to sequester carbon and increase crop yields - namely regenerative agriculture.
This field is a partnership between our friends at Sugarloaf Citizens Association who have offered up part of their historic Linden Farm property and seasoned sustainable farmer Greg Glenn of Rocklands Farm. Greg has long been instituting regenerative techniques on his own farm and winery but when SCA offered this acreage up through our Land Link program for a regenerative experiment, he took on the challenge.
This field is a partnership between our friends at Sugarloaf Citizens Association who have offered up part of their historic Linden Farm property and seasoned sustainable farmer Greg Glenn of Rocklands Farm. Greg has long been instituting regenerative techniques on his own farm and winery but when SCA offered this acreage up through our Land Link program for a regenerative experiment, he took on the challenge.
While the average acreage sought on the Land Link program is around 5 acres. This 90 acre project represents an investment in the new-old way of growing food and improving soil health at the same time. Maryland is promoting regenerative agriculture with the newly launched Million Acre Challenge, run by Montgomery County's own Amanda Cather of Plow and Stars Farm.
Much more on the benefits of Regenerative Ag can be found here and the intersection of Black History and Regenerative Ag is a story that needs telling. The basic idea is that intensive cover crops serve as forage for livestock that add their manure to the soil, building up the microorganisms and porosity (or ability to filter water) of the soil. This makes for land that is teeming with rich nutrients and soil life but also allows more water to pass through - a benefit for erosion control and water quality. With the Linden Farm project, neighboring farmers have already commented that they are seeing reduced runoff as a result of the cover crop.
As soil is built, carbon is locked away. These farm practices are a carbon sequestration strategy and - as Maryland and points north will soon take on more of the food producing burden as southern areas become too hot, good soil will be necessary to making that shift.
Stay tuned as this project takes root!
As soil is built, carbon is locked away. These farm practices are a carbon sequestration strategy and - as Maryland and points north will soon take on more of the food producing burden as southern areas become too hot, good soil will be necessary to making that shift.
Stay tuned as this project takes root!
