It has been a long road to getting the Sugarloaf region of Frederick County the protection it needs. The Treasured Sugarloaf Management Plan has been through several false starts spanning years. 
The plan is now back in front of the County Council for another round of public hearings and a final vote. 

The plan needs support to clear this hurdle. 
Emails can be sent to [email protected]

Here are some talking points: 
- We support the Overlay’s I-270 boundary from Montgomery County to the Monocacy. Cutouts will degrade the strength of the plan. The Overlay and the Plan’s preservation goals are important including: 
​- “To address the scale and visual impact of land uses and developments that can degrade rural qualities, excessively burden the transportation network, and overwhelm the scenic and rural nature of the Sugarloaf Planning area
-  “To minimize adverse impacts of land development activities on forestlands and natural habitats
-  “To regulate the amount of impervious surfaces to control the volume of stormwater runoff and stream bank erosion, maintain levels of groundwater infiltration, and retain as many of the functions provided by natural land as possible


Some background on how we got here (a deeper dive can be found with Sugarloaf Alliance)
 
- Carve outs of the plan to allow farmland to become an industrial use along 270 were proposed to accommodate backroom deals with Amazon- only uncovered thanks to public information act requests. "More Public Records reveal details of Amazon's failed data center plans". 
 -Civic groups, partilarly Sugarloaf Alliance were instrumental in getting the plan boundary restored to 270 to the East and the Monocacy Battlefield in the west - common sense coverage for the plan.
-Stronghold, the nonprofit that stewards Sugarloaf Mountain threatened to close the Mountain if the plan went through as proposed, one of a number of Sugarloaf country residents considering the plan overreach - when in fact no current uses would be prohibited under the plan. 
-The Council passed the plan but not the overlay - the part of the plan with the teeth of zoning to keep land in farming and protect standing forests. That part was remanded back to the Planning Commission. 
-Fast forward to October 2023 when having reviewed the overlay from scratch, the Planning Commission sent a mostly unchanged overlay back to the Council Council with a strong recommendation to approve it.

Halloween kicks off a season where holiday traditions center around farm products. A pumpkin on every stoop, a turkey in every pot, harried travelers trying to get sweet potato pie leftovers (why are there leftovers?) through security. 

Year Round Markets: 
Whether you are making an old favorite or finding new side dishes to try - they will be better with local ingredients grown right here in MoCo. A Farmers Market the week before Thanksgiving is a truly joyful place. Find your market here. 
Other On-Farm Markets: 
Deere Valley Farm: Dickerson, selling beef, pork, chicken, lamb and baked goods.
​RB Savage and Sons Farm - Dickerson. Selling beef, chicken, eggs and preserves 
Savage Acres Farm - Dickerson, Selling farm fresh beef and pork year round and raw milk cheese from their own cows. Read up on their grass-fed beef operation
Kingsbury Orchard - Dickerson. Cider, Apples, Asian Pears
Lewis Orchards - Dickerson. Lots of locally grown produce and preserves in stock - taking pre-orders for pies.
East Rivendell Farm - Damascus - on farm vegetable market with chicken, turkeys, bath+ body and more. Online ordering available. 
Butlers Orchard - On farm market and pre orders for turkey and pie. Check on you pick apple availability. 
​Doc Water's Cidery - Some pick your own apples remain plus farm pressed cider for both kiddos and adults. 

Pre-Ordering Pre-Made Items and Farm Fresh Ingredients:

• Though Fox Hollow Farm Market's turkeys are all sold out by this time this year - they provide fully baked or 3/4 baked breads and deserts for your table.  Check them out in Gaithersburg/Laytonsville.
• Common Root Farm of Derwood has online ordering a and sells both their own sustainably grown produce and also soups, grains and spices from other local businesses.  

Wine and Beer:
Rocklands Farm Winery
​Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard
Windridge Vineyard
Waredaca Brewing Co. 
​Brookeville Beer Farm

Ideas for Next Year
No turkeys you say? Yes, the small farms of the Reserve mostly operate on tighter margins than larger livestock farms and customers need to pre-order their birds early to be sure there are homes for each bird that is raised - usually ordering by mid October or earlier. Some places to secure your bird next year:

• Nick's Organic Farm  (small chance you could get a "reserve" bird this year, contact them.)
• Fox Hollow Farm Market
• RB Savage and Sons 

There are a number of CSAs (Community Supported Ag) farms in MoCo as well where you buy in to get great produce from spring to fall - strawberries and peas to tomatoes through to sweet potatoes and butternut squash. Is a CSA for you? Take our quiz and find your farmer here.

We are grateful to have so much incredible food close by - and for farmers that make it happen. 

MCA was humbled to be honored by Montgomery Preservation with the Montgomery Award  for more than 20 years of educating the public and creating programs in the Agricultural Reserve that defend and maintain the Reserve as an agricultural area and that preserve the historic rural landscapes of Montgomery County. Other Upcounty projects included the Local's Farm Market and a Scout project at Boyds School. Learn more here.