Bill Seeks to Limit Overzealous Tree Pruning by Utility Companies

11/24/2020

The Travillah Oak

Delegate Al Carr has introduced bill MC 10-21 that would roll back in Montgomery County, a provision that was enacted in 2013 preventing local governments from regulating tree trimming (over the objections of 6 out of 8 Montgomery County Senators).

There were discussions at the time about reliability and the utilities wanted an unfettered ability to trim trees. Over time it has become apparent that Pepco's tree trimming is sometimes excessive and unnecessary. The District of Columbia has done a better job of striking a balance between reliability and preserving the tree canopy. Here is a document with background information about the bill.

The virtual bill hearing will take place on the evening of December 8th before a joint meeting of the Montgomery County House of Delegates and State Senate Delegations. MCA will be testifying in favor of this legislation.

Those wishing to testify must sign up by 4:00 p.m. on the day before the hearing by registering on the Delegation’s website or e-mailing [email protected]. Those registering later than that may be taken on a "virtual walk-in" basis the day of the hearing at the discretion of the Chair.

Deer Management in the Ag Reserve - work group backs away from allowing rifles in final recommendations

11/24/2020

Update (11/24/20): After work group sessions earlier this year (in which MCA was included) , the recommendations of the work group have been released. Thanks again to all that took action to help find a balanced way to handle deer in the Ag Reserve.

Read on for the history of this deer management proposal which included the use of high powered rifles in Montgomery County.

Jan 2020 Update: Delegate Luedtke has suggested 2 amendments to this bill (not yet posted). Without the text of these amendments we can only say that one limits the days rifles can be used and the other changes the kinds of cartridges that can be fired. The bill still allows high powered rifles in Montgomery County and provides no training. As the testimony of a trained markswoman and 21 year employee of the NRA says about these amendments - rifles are still simply inappropriate for Montgomery County. There needs to be a task force of stakeholders discussing how to balance crop damage with public safety.

Two minutes are all it takes to share your concerns with our leaders in Annapolis.

After hearing concerns from many of our members and conducting research, our position was released on State legislation introduced by MC Delegate Eric Luedtke that would open the Reserve to deer culling with rifles (hunting with bow, shot gun and black powder is currently allowed):

The graphic above shows the distance rifle shot can travel.

What parts of the county does this proposed law impact? Click to see the map here. (Ag Reserve Lands are in light green)

MCA POSITION ON DEER MANAGEMENT
IN AGRICULTURAL RESERVE
MCA is aware of the significant crop damage by deer in the Agricultural Reserve (Reserve) and supports our farmers in the need to cull the deer herds. However, we are concerned about the safety implications for various stakeholders (diversified producers, equestrians, cyclists, tourists, hikers, rural residents, anglers, hunters, birders etc.) by allowing rifle hunting 365 days a year with Deer Management Permits in the Reserve. We would ask what other possible solutions have been considered. An option would be to employ teams of trained sharpshooters to hunt in designated areas at limited, designated times, as is done successfully now in the Montgomery County parks. Another approach would be to encourage natural systems where predators such as coyotes would help reduce the deer population.
We cannot support the rifle hunting legislation as written.
Read excellent testimony from a markswoman and former 21 year employee of the NRA - "Allowing High Power Rifles in Montgomery County is Irresponsible"

Be heard - take two minutes to send your concerns to your elected officials

Opt Outside and Shop Small - The Reserve Brings Meaning to a Different Holiday Season

11/23/2020

Everyone has heard of Black Friday. But there is a far more thoughtful way to kick off the holiday season. On Black Friday, many are choosing to skip the stores and instead "Opt Outside" - a campaign started in 2015 when outdoor retailer REI closed its stores, website and fulfillment center on the busiest shopping day of the year and paid its employees to go recreate with their families. Another successful campaign, "Small Business Saturday" invited shoppers to keep their dollar in the local economy and shop the small local stores that make a community thrive.

This year - local is the new normal, outside is the new inside and resilience is the new way- the Ag Reserve has offered resilience to our region in this crisis and this will continue into the colder months with unique gifts and recreation close by. And speaking of supporting local, may we humbly suggest your support your local farmland protection nonprofit? Giving Tuesday is December 1.

Find a park or trail or ride to opt outside to with your family here.

How to recreate safely in the pandemic.

Shop Small, Green and Local

Markets: Staying with the theme of outdoors - many year round markets operate in MoCo and have not just the best local food around but artisans making unique gifts - find a full list of farmers markets here.

Countryside Artisans Studio Tour: Holidays and each fall the artists of rural Montgomery County have open studio hours and a map for a self guided driving tour. Pottery, glasswear, fiber arts,

MoCo Made: Many prepared foods and spirts are created all over MoCo. Of note, a low carb bread company owned by one of our Land Linked farmers.

Spotlight on a Few Local Farmers and Artisans:

Tiewyan Textiles is a small business inspired by beautiful fleeces from sheep raised on our farm in the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve. About 15 years ago I began to develop the skills of the ancient art of felting with wool. There is a rare beauty and elegant satisfaction in the process of creating from the materials at hand: from the flock to the art. My work in wool reflects, is inspired by and celebrates the textures and forms of the natural world around me. I create art to wear and for the home and table. Questions? Call Bev Thoms at 301-461-1287 or [email protected] My studio is open for the Countryside Artisans Holiday Gallery Tour: December 4, 5 & 6 10AM - 5PM and otherwise open by appointment.

Savage Acres Farm is a multi-generational family farm located in Dickerson, Md. We offer grassfed beef by the cut, as well as pork and whole chicken. We also have freshly milled on-the-farm Indian corn flour. [email protected]

Re's Bees & Happy Hens I sell raw honey, creamed honey and honey bars, as well as skin salve (one almost exclusively from MoCo ingredients because I use Lavender essence from at Soleado Lavender!), lip balms and bee wraps. You can find them at the Poolesville Farmers market by following on Facebook.

HoneyEffects Apiaries is a beekeeping & honey business located wholly within Montgomery County, Maryland's Agricultural Reserve. We offer delicious, pure local honey at $12 for a 1lb. glass jar of honey, along with squeezable 12oz. PETE squeezable honeybears at $12. We also have our own wax wraps at $15 per set of 3, which are a high-count cotton of wax impregnated cloths with Jojoba oil and Pine resin. The wraps are an alternative to plastic wraps, and are highly antimicrobial. We use them to wrap cheese, fruits, and vegetables. Also, honey flights, my signature, "Black & Tan" honey sets will be available soon. The flights and sets show the amazing diversity and bounty of the Agricultural Reserve. Contact [email protected]

Cozzi Family Farm - From Eggs, to Soap to Community Market

11/22/2020

This is a guest post from our friends at Cozzi Family Farm and the Cozzi Family Farm Co-op Market each weekend in Poolesville. Seek them out for baked goods, pastured eggs and sustainably produced body care products of all sorts along with many other vendors selling produce, facemasks, pastries and more. The Cozzi Family Family farm found acreage in Poolesville through our Land Link Program.

Local, organic, and sustainable are all key words for our health and the health of our planet, as well as our local economies. Researchers now estimate that poor food and nutrition are responsible for more than half of all health problems today. After decades of research, science is finally recognizing that a balanced diet of whole, natural foods is crucial, and that artificial, highly processed, (packaged) foods are the problem with diet today. It’s so bad, in fact, that a recent study concluded that poor diet and health has become a “national security” concern.

We need nutritious, natural, whole foods that are safe from artificial added ingredients. The biannual USDA national farm study found that older mid-size family farms (hundreds or thousands of acres) continue to be bought up and added to large, industrial scale agriculture, relying on artificial chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and artificial GMO foods.

But the good news is that small farms (40 acres or less) continued to grow from 4% to 10% of agricultural lands during the recent decade. These kinds of holdings represent the local, organic farmers and producers, who are also younger. The Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve has long been an example and a haven to include this kind of clean, sustainable farming for the future.

In 1980, Montgomery County made one of the most significant land-use decisions in county history by creating the Agricultural Reserve. Heralded as one of the best examples of land conservation policies in the country, the Agricultural Reserve encompasses 93,000 acres – almost a third of the county’s land resources – along the county’s northern, western, and eastern borders. The Agricultural Reserve and its accompanying planning and zoning elements were designed to protect local farmland and agriculture. This foresightedness stands in stark contrast to what can be observed directly across the Potomac River, in our neighboring state, at almost all points along the boundaries of the Preserve.

When Cozzi Family Farm went into business, we started with organic, cage-free eggs, laid by healthy hens. Our poultry are fed an organic, GMO-free, corn and soy free diet, along with whatever deliciousness they find while free ranging and foraging on clean land. In terms of sustainability and food security, eggs are nature’s perfect food. Outdated concerns about the effects of eggs for health are finally being replaced by nutritional science. Eggs are high in essential fatty acids (like the omega-3s we always hear about), vitamins, and protein.

Research shows eggs from chickens that are pasture-raised rather than confined to cages, have twice as much vitamin E, nearly twice as much vitamin A, and contain a whopping 2.5 times more omega-3s.
Another study found that free-range chickens produce eggs with three to four times more vitamin D compared to eggs from caged counterparts. Then there is the question of ethics and treatment of animals.

Including eggs in your balanced diet is a perfect way to boost your immune system, brain function, energy and muscle mass. Scientific studies show that the essential nutrients in eggs help protect you from diabetes, heart disease, macular degeneration (of the eyes), obesity and osteoporosis.

A 90 Acre Regenerative Ag Project Takes Root in Dickerson

11/20/2020

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.

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!

Young Farmers Have Asks For the Biden- Harris Administration

11/11/2020

A new farm begins in Barnesville - our Land Link program matches aspiring or expanding farmers with long term leases. This lets new farmers (of any age) get started on acreage close to local food demand.

The National Young Farmers Coalition has released an open memo to the Biden-Harris transition team posted below. We heartily agree with the challenges they have identified. MCA is similarly working to:

-Increase land access and and equity through our Land Link program - connecting aspiring farmers to local landowners offering long term leases. This is a pathway toward broadening land access and increasing the supply of culturally appropriate food to MoCo's diverse population.

-Take climate action through our Re-Leaf the Reserve program and promotion of regenerative agriculture - along with a 90-acre pilot project in Dickerson.

Our coalition of young farmer leaders have innovative solutions to heal division, promote sustainability, feed our communities, and fight for equity for those marginalized and exploited.
We’re excited to see the Biden-Harris transition commit to a unifying vision for rebuilding our country and we urge the new administration to invest in our nation’s young farmers. This week we will share this transition memo with the Biden team and outline specific measures the administration can take to ensure that we build a bright and just future for agriculture:

Work for Equitable Land Access: As nearly 100 million acres of farmland are set to change hands over the next five years, we cannot miss this opportunity to revitalize rural economies and build a pathway for millions of young people to participate in rebuilding our communities. We need a national effort to transition our nation’s farmland from retiring farmers to young farmers and farmers of color.
Center Racial Equity in Agriculture: We applaud the Biden-Harris transition for prioritizing the need to “address longstanding inequities in agriculture,” and we urge the new administration to put racial equity at the center of agricultural policy and program decisions. We also strongly support recognizing the essential work provided by farm workers by providing legal status based on prior agricultural work history, ensuring paid sick time, and requiring that labor and safety rules are strictly enforced.
Take Bold Climate Action: In our rapidly changing climate, we need to support the next generation of farmers who have an uncompromising dedication to climate action. We see the Biden-Harris administration's commitment to “ensuring that environmental justice is a key consideration in where, how, and with whom we build,” and urge them to prioritize young and BIPOC farmers and ranchers as we create a climate-resilient food system.
Increase USDA Accessibility and Accountability: Young farmers and farmers of color are both adopting innovative practices and carrying forward traditional farming methods as they build their businesses. USDA must evolve to meet the needs of new and diverse farmers through programs that are equitably accessible for the next generation of agriculture. And USDA must recommit to transparent science- and data-based decision making that identifies which farmer populations are being served.
Forgive Student Loan Debt: Getting an education shouldn't prevent aspiring farmers and ranchers from entering the agricultural workforce, or compromise their ability to take out a farm loan and build a small business. By addressing the burden of student loan debt, the Biden-Harris administration can unlock the potential of a generation of young people.

Implementing these strategies will improve the quality of life for everyone in our country, regardless of political affiliation. We look forward to working with the Biden-Harris administration to make progress toward a food and farm system, and a future, that better serves all of us.

Cardboard, Leafgro and Manure - a Land Link Farm Grows in Barnesville

11/10/2020

Thrilled to announce that we have connected another farmer to land through our Land Link program! A small paddock in Barnesville will now grow table crops, mostly to benefit Manna Food. This past weekend was perfect weather to lay down cardboard, locally produced leafgrow compost and some manure from the landowner to start forming beds for planting. This classic "Lasagna" method kills the grass underneath the cardboard to become a carbon source and the manure and compost provide a seedbed for seeds so they can be started right away. This is a quick way to start new beds.
A new farmer matched with land is always thrilled to get started but achieving a Land Link match is a moment for landowners too. This landowner says, "Thank you for making dreams possible!"

Recap: Ag Reserve Solar ZTA Town Hall (11/5)

11/8/2020

On November 5, Council President Sidney Katz and Councilmember Hans Riemer convened what was to billed as a "Town Hall" for those with opposing view points on ZTA 20-01 (CM Riemers's proposal to allow 3 square miles of industrial solar in the Ag Reserve with scant protections for productive soils, forests, water quality, etc) to get together and work toward a more balanced compromise. While this is an important aim, the meeting's design seemed to hinder that goal.

What was billed as an interactive Town Hall to hear from stakeholders was in fact a webinar where only a number of hand picked panelists could speak or even be seen. In the words of one participant in the Q+A chat box "I don't think I can be seen or heard by others in the meeting - is that how this meeting is supposed to go?" And the response from county staff - "Yes."

The full video can be seen here.

Additionally, it seems that it was only after the first few speakers, almost entirely in support of the ZTA, that the meeting's conveners realized that it would be necessary to keep the following speakers to a three minute time limit.

Other than the fractured communication brought on by the structure of the meeting, there were a few important takeaways.

Facts must rule. A number of ZTA proponents said things that are not entirely accurate about this proposal or require a more nuanced understanding. For instance - that the power generated by these arrays will go to MoCo residents (about 4% of it will) and that the ZTA is exclusively community solar ( it is not.) Please read our fact sheet here.
This proposal is exclusively about the Ag Reserve, and is unanimously opposed by Reserve farmers. A better understanding of the Ag Reserve's central purpose in the master plan is important before acting. For example, comments were made that this is actually a win for struggling farmers (this proposal, even without passage is in fact already ending leases, the lifeblood of Reserve farming and keeping new farmers from getting started). Another commenter said this ZTA has already been amended to protect productive soils (not at all). Optimistically, those holding an inaccurate view of the Reserve and the County’s rural communities might come to know and understand more before issuing edicts as to their future.
We need to get a standard understanding of community solar. The point was made a number of times that opponents of this ZTA are not anti-solar. MCA and our many partner groups with deep concerns about this ZTA want to see solar done right - and equitably. A number of industry representatives on the call talked up the benefits of the State's community solar program in which low income residents lock in consistent low energy prices by buying a membership to a solar array nearby. We are in agreement, this program is a great thing- however there is no requirement in this ZTA that the energy generated goes to a the state community solar program. Instead it is required to be net-metered and can then be bought by one of the distributors under investigation for predatory pricing that harms the same low income neighbors that proper community solar would help.

More stakeholder input on this ZTA is very necessary and we look forward to more opportunities to hear from not just those that have been expressing their concerns from the beginning but also farmers who would be directly impacted by this proposal, and for whom the lack of broadband makes civic engagement challenging during the pandemic.

Click "Read More" below to see the previous post about this "Town Hall."

The Thrive 2050 Plan: Let's Get it Right

11/4/2020

Common Root Farm, Derwood

11/20 Update: MCA's testimony on the plan here. Our testimony sought to push back on an adversarial tone that has seemed to come from the planning commission. Charting our path forward relies on a strong working relationship. Click here to see MCA's testimony.
We have signed on to a memo to the planning commission with our civic partners to ask for more public participation in this process. Particularly, the input of certain groups has so far been lacking - high school and college students, Black and Latinx organizations, Historic Freeman communities, and organizations representing our low-income, elderly and disabled neighbors. We can all thrive together if the process to chart our future includes everyone. Weigh in on the plan here before December 10.

Montgomery County is undertaking an update/revision to its General Plan, the revision is being called Thrive 2050 This plan provides the framework for future land use and associated infrastructure decisions. It matters. Getting it right in order to promote our County’s resilience and ensure equity for residents is critical. It is worth your time to check in, read up, and weigh in.

Update (11/20)- From the Thrive 2050 staff - an opportunity weigh in on the draft and attend a public hearing on November 19.

"As you may know, the Planning Board review phase of the Thrive Montgomery 2050 is now underway. On October 1, 2020, the Planning Board unanimously voted to make the Public Hearing Draft Plan available to the public and to hold a public hearing about it on November 19, 2020. I am writing to invite you to comment on the key concepts and proposed recommendations in the draft Plan, and share your thoughts with the Planning Board.

The Planning Board will hold the public hearing at their virtual meeting on Thursday, November 19. You can testify online, over the phone, or submit written testimony. To testify online or by phone, you must sign up to testify by 12 p.m. on November 18, 2020. Written testimony must be submitted by email to [email protected] by 12 p.m. on November 18 for it to be reviewed before the public hearing. The public record will stay open until December 10, 2020, to allow more time for those who may not be able to submit testimony by November 19. All public comments, including those submitted after November 18, 2020, will be reviewed by the Planning Board during their work sessions on the draft Plan starting on or after December 17, 2020.

View the Thrive Montgomery 2050 Public Hearing Draft Plan. If you do not have the time to review the whole document, the “Trends and Challenges” and “A Plan to Thrive” sections will give you the key concepts and recommendations of the draft Plan or check out our two-page explainer. Also, goals, policies and actions specific to Agriculture and the Agricultural Reserve are located within Chapter 7, Diverse and Adaptable Growth. Additional information about Thrive Montgomery 2050 can be viewed at www.thrivemontgomery.com.

If you’re willing, we would also greatly appreciate it if you could notify other members of your communities of the Public Hearing Draft and the upcoming public hearing.

Thanks again for your continued collaboration in shaping the future of Montgomery County. Please do not hesitant to contact us if you have any questions!

Montgomery County is undertaking an update/revision to its General Plan, the revision is being called Thrive 2050 This plan provides the framework for future land use and associated infrastructure decisions. It matters. Getting it right in order to promote our County’s resilience and ensure equity for residents is critical. It is worth your time to check in, read up, and weigh in. The draft plan can be found here.

Our submitted comments with Sugarloaf Citizens' Association support
and expanded comments from 8/2020 here.
(Thanks to colleague Diane Cameron for her invaluable help in developing comments!)
Among our comments:
-Adding the provision for broadband being more available in the Ag Reserve under the Connectedness section. Currently internet issues make all aspects of modern life harder, including civic participation during the pandemic.

-Under the water and sewer section, with the entire Ag Reserve outside the water/sewer envelope, more emphasis on helping businesses and residents manage their wells and septic systems to promote long term viability is key - particularly above the federally designated sole source aquifer. Well and septic resources can be found here.
-In the Climate Change section - MCA has provided edits to reflect the importance of strengthening our natural systems to provide for gains in air purification and water quality. We are planting acres of new forests along stream buffers through our Re-Leaf program to do just that.

General Plan schedule (accelerated):
The Planning Board is off till September 10. The agenda for the Board meetings is posted two weeks in advance.

The next step in Thrive Montgomery 2050 is publishing the Working Draft Plan. The schedule with dates will be posted later this week but here is a preview:

Thursday, 9/24: Publish Working Draft Plan

Thursday, 10/1: Planning Board to review the Working Draft Plan and approve it (with any changes/edits) as the Public Hearing Draft Plan and set the public hearing date for 11/19/20

Thursday, 11/19: Planning Board to hold the public hearing on Thrive Montgomery 2050 Public Hearing Draft Plan

December 2020 through March 2021: Planning Board work sessions to address public comments and review/finalize the draft plan.

MCA is the lean, tenacious and award winning organization born of and for Montgomery County's Ag Reserve. Since 2001 we have been the boots on the ground focused on the protection of the small farms in the Ag Reserve, local food production and the protection of our shared water supply. We would be honored by your financial support.

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