Despite collective effort - We were unsuccessful. The loss was and remains painful. ​

​Since that decision, we have ramped up efforts to educate decision makers and the public on the plan and purpose of the Reserve and to grow our farm economy. As we toured the Planning Chair in 2014 she acknowledged the error of the board's decision... too late for this magnificent farm but nonetheless, progress. Our petition for reconsideration

Being a non-profit charged with protecting this special place - we press on. In this giving season, we are grateful for your support. 

Warm Regards,
Caroline Taylor
​Executive Director, MCA

​MCA is partnering with Sierra Club and other partner groups to host a panel discussion addressing water preservation and planning in Montgomery County on December 3, 3-5pm in the MC Executive Office Building Auditorium/Cafeteria in Rockville. 


The panel will:

• Begin a conversation about the impacts of development and stormwater runoff on the public water supply;
• Address how we can make growth smart enough to protect the public water supply;
• Consider proactive strategies to protect and restore watersheds upstream from area water intakes that are within the purview of Montgomery County; and
• Discuss implications for costs of water treatment and future water rates.

Scott Fosler (MCA Board member) is the keynote speaker – Scott is the current mayor of Chevy Chase and, among other achievements, is a past member and president of the County Council, when he was instrumental in the plan for the Little Seneca Reservoir as part of a two-reservoir emergency backup water supply for the National Capital Region. The plan, which was developed in response to a major drought that occurred in the 1960s, and as an alternative to a plan by the US Army Corps of Engineers for 16 reservoirs, resulted in the 1982 Water Supply Coordination Agreement among area utilities and the ICPRB, which remains in effect. The panel will be moderated by Caroline Taylor, executive director of Montgomery Countryside Alliance. We are also inviting representatives from WSSC and the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin to join us on the panel.

Candidates for Montgomery County Council have been invited to provide comment on their plan for meeting the challenge of water resource protection.

Read up on our coverage of water resources "Protecting Regional Water Resources, Now more than Ever"

Having finished a schedule thick with wonderful events in September and October including Farm to Fork, Ride for the Reserve, and the 2017 Royce Hanson Award​, we thought we might have a little down time for some administrivia. No such thing! 

Land Use Planning – Transportation: A forward thinking resolution
 
We added our voice and effort in support of a sound County Council Resolution ensuring that upcounty land use planning maintains balance with current and approved transportation infrastructure. First rule: When in a hole, stop digging.  Happy to report that the resolution passed 7-2. ​Hats off to the TAME Coalition and County Councilmembers for getting this done.

Greg and Anna Glenn
Rocklands Farm Winery & Market
14525 Montevideo Road
Poolesville, Maryland  20842
  
 
No time to travel to Napa Valley?…No worries!!
 
The next time your palate craves the taste of a new fine wine, just jump in your car and head to the Ag Reserve!  In fact, when you visit Rocklands Farm on Montevideo Road – just outside of Poolesville – you can treat your taste buds to some excellent wines and, at the same time, enjoy a drive through one of the more scenic parts of Montgomery County.  You can also shop at their on-farm market for grass-fed beef and lamb, pasture-raised pork, chicken and eggs, along with a variety of other farm products. 
 
When you arrive at the farm, there’s a good chance you will meet the business owners – Greg and Anna Glenn.  Greg and Anna are two of the most innovative farmers you will ever meet.  Greg, who started farming in the Ag Reserve in 2010, has transformed the business into a diversified agricultural operation with a strong focus on environmentally sound approaches to working the land.  They currently manage almost 100 acres, including 34 acres on their home farm along with other rented property.  They produce their own wines on the farm from grapes grown in their 6.5-acre vineyard. 
 
Greg, who studied Agriculture and Applied Economics at Virginia Tech University, is certainly putting his education to good use.  Anna holds a degree in Education from California Polytechnic University, so it’s easy to understand why she and Greg share a passion for reaching out to our younger generation through several educational programs focused on agriculture.  Greg said that he chose a career in farming because he “was inspired to know, and then provide to others, a connection with who, how and where food comes from.”  Greg and Anna have three young sons – Fritz, Simeon and Charlie – who will, no doubt, receive plenty of on-the-job training in agriculture in the coming years.