Field and Film: Babe on a Barn

10/14/2019

Join Us for a Family Movie Night in the Ag Reserve!
October 19,2019

We had to postpone this event after excessive heat in July (we will honor all tickets from that date) but October 19 will be Field and Film - a family movie night done Ag Reserve style. Join us on the historic White-Carlin Farm in Boyds for the the classic movie 'Babe' shown on a barn. We will have snacks and of course popcorn. Kids 12 and under are free! Tickets are limited!

Get Tickets

Two paws and two hooves up! (Shepherd's Hey Farm)

Funding the Farm: A discussion for active and aspiring farmers

5/17/2019

June 25 7pm
Poolesville - Museum/Historic Bank Building
19933 Fisher Avenue, Poolesville, MD 20837
Funding Your Farm Business
Please join us for a free farmer to farmer discussion about funding for projects, conservation, and equipment.

-How do I fund fencing?
-Can I get a low/no -interest loan for farmland?

We’ll talk about the different programs and different options.
Presenters: Keith Ohlinger, owner/operator Heritage Hill Farm and
Charlotte Brewster, Howard and Montgomery County NRCS District Conservationist

Taking on Climate Change: Regenerative Ag and Hemp Conference

2/12/2019

Thanks to all that were able to join us for the this session: see the wrap up here.

Meet our Speakers

Sophia Maravell grew up on a seed saving organic farm in Montgomery County, MD. She wrote her undergrad thesis on female farmers and ranchers, and started working on sustainable farms in Colorado, Maryland and abroad. She attended the Farm School's Practical Farm Training Program in Athol, MA and shortly thereafter co-founded Brickyard Educational Farm in Potomac, Maryland. She has her Permaculture Design Certificate from Forested and earned a Master's in Education from Goddard College in Community Education focusing land-based farming and craft communities. She worked as a farm-based educator and co-manager at Hawthorne Valley Farm's Place-based Learning Center. Currently she works at Potomac Vegetable Farms as a community educator and farmer. Sophia is committed to healing through our connection to land. She is committed remembering 'culture' back into 'agriculture' by cultivating beautiful food and community.

Nick Maravell has been farming organically for more than 40 years. Concerned about the soil, environment, energy conservation, and fresh, local, and healthy nutrient dense food, he began by selling vegetables to restaurants, local food and farmer co-ops and health food chains, and at farmers markets. Now the farm produces mainly row crops and livestock. The farm is located on 175 fertile acres in the Frederick Valley in Maryland. Nick’s Organic Farm uses a diversified grass based organic farming system with rotational grazing, cover crops, and an 8-12 year crop rotation to constantly build the soil. Nick served a five-year term on National Organic Standards Board and is involved in the newly formed Real Organic Project (ROP) which advocates for organic standards that adhere to the basic principles of an ecological soil and pasture.

Pete Walton is a farmer and entrepreneur from Northern Virginia, with a passion for soil, trees, and livestock. He has worked on projects ranging from small urban farms, to large scale regenerative grazing systems, and cannabis production on the west coast.

MCA Events- Celebrate, Bike and Save

5/4/2018

"Wait what is the Ag Reserve?" - We hear this a whole lot, even from people who live close by. We do a lot of outreach to show the importance of protecting farms on Metro's edge but the most fun way to raise awareness is through events that connect people to the wonder of this place.

First up this year is the 4th Annual Field and Fiddle Festival with all the best local musical acts, food trucks, beer and wine and family fun. Plan to join us June 23rd at Madison Fields in Dickerson for this great time for a great cause.

Learn More

But Wait! Attending Field and Fiddle makes you an MCA member - members get discounts on.....

Save the Date! This will be the 11th year that cyclists from all over the region have saddled up to bike the Rustic Roads of the Ag Reserve. There are routes of varying lengths for the hard core or the sunday biker - including a 10mi family loop. All routes culminate in a sumptuous picnic lunch and your registration protects the Reserve as a haven for farms, open space and of course, biking. All current MCA members get the member rate on registration.

Learn More

Sunset Over Sugarloaf Photo Walk

9/28/2016

Sunset over Sugarloaf at Shepherd's Hey Farm

Food - Wine - Photography Walk
Saturday, October 29
4-8pm

Join us for the 3rd in our series of seasonal photo safaris with professional photographers Martin Radigan and Robert H. Clark. In addition to unparalleled access to this stunning farm and individualized instruction from 2 great photographers, there will be delicious wine from Rocklands Farm & Winery and locally sourced food. We'll cover how to make a successful landscape photograph through composition, length of exposure, light, scouting, and more.

MCA members: $75 Non-members: $100*

*includes 1 year membership

RSVP
Consider arriving a little early to stop by Comus Market just down the street for Winter Squash and Pumpkins, Cider, Preserves, Apples and more!

Also- for those committed shutterbugs- Martin is hosting a West Virginia Photo workshop to capture fall leaves. October 6-9

2016 Royce Hanson Award: We Celebrate Anne and Jay Cinque

9/6/2016

Join us October 23 at Black Hill Regional Park in Boyds to honor Anne and Jay! RSVP

Each year MCA presents the Royce Hanson Award in recognition of outstanding commitment toward the protection of Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve. The award is named after its first recipient, Dr. Royce Hanson, former Chair of the Montgomery County Planning Commission and original architect of the Ag Reserve.

This year we are pleased to honor Anne and Jay Cinque who have been active on issues in their own area of Boyds and lead Reserve residents in protecting local resources as part of Sugarloaf Citizens Association and Sugarloaf Land Conservancy. More about Anne and Jay here.

Please plan on joining us on Sunday October 23 at Black Hill Regional Park for food, music by The 19th Street Band (voted best local band by Bethesda Magazine), and a celebration of the Cinques and the Ag Reserve they cherish.

This event is free- but please consider becoming a member or renewing your MCA membership when you RSVP below- Thanks!

R.S.V.P

Immense Thanks to our Royce Hanson Award Event Sponsors:

Field and Fiddle 2016 Wrap-Up

8/30/2016

Thanks to Rosa Gwinn on Facebook for the sweet photo!
WHEW- it was a hot one- three cheers to the crowd that made it out to the Second Annual Field and Fiddle Fest! Here is the crowd enjoying music by Justin Trawick and the Common Good, along with Poolesville’s own Smoke n’ Mangos. Thanks to Diana and Billy Conway for sponsoring our musical guests and immense gratitude to the hardest working sound guys ever Van Mertz and his crew ( Bill Taylor, Dwain Winters and Tony Premo) for making a barn sound like an opera house.

The Schedule for Field and Fiddle

8/20/2016

Field and Fiddle is this weekend – July 23! Here’s how the night will go down:Linden Farm- 20900 Martinsburg Rd – Dickerson MD
6-7 Smoke n’ Mangos / Games / FOOD! / Silent Auction Open
7- 8 Justin Trawick & The Common Good
8 – Auction Ends/Raffle Winner Announced
8 – 9 Justin Trawick and the Common Good Cont’d
9:15 ”The Call of the Land” Film Screening Learn More Here

Silent Auction Items at Field and Fiddle

8/1/2016

Field and Fiddle is almost here! Take a look at the delectable baskets we’ve gathered for the silent auction.

#1: Wonders from the Wooly Queen! Heirloom Organic Cotton Baby blanket, sweet soaps and lovely sachets.

Field and Fiddle July 23 - It's Baack!

7/1/2016

July 23 - 6pm - 1st day Montgomery County Farm Tour Weekend

After touring local farms and the Reserve - bring a blanket, an appetite and an ear to beautiful Linden Farm (thanks, Sugarloaf Citizen's Association!)

2016 Ag Reserve Bike Tour

6/20/2016

by Kristina Bostick

The Common Ground Market Second Sundays in Beallsville

6/8/2016

"The Common Ground Market" opened on June 12. Market Wrap-Up Here. A great time was had by all, hoping you can come back again every Second Sunday through October. The market is looking for more vendors- apply here.

The Press Release announcing the market debut is here.

Montgomery County Park's has kindly agreed to host the market at Owen's Park in Beallsville. The new market represents the joyful fact that the number of small, diversified and sustainable family farms are growing in the Reserve. A number of the farms are owned/operated by women who have come to the Reserve to employ their craft. And now they are coming together to share their work with you and in the Reserve so that consumers can shop and experience this remarkable place. Licensed food trucks will be there too as well as some cute critters for kids to enjoy!

Website: thecommongroundmarket.com

Supporting local farms and local food is the core of MCA's mission. Support Montgomery's Ag Reserve Donate Here.

News

Field and Film: Babe on a Barn

Join Us for a Family Movie Night in the Ag Reserve!
October 19,2019

Funding the Farm: A discussion for active and aspiring farmers

Please RSVP

Taking on Climate Change: Regenerative Ag and Hemp Conference

MCA Events- Celebrate, Bike and Save

Sunset Over Sugarloaf Photo Walk

2016 Royce Hanson Award: We Celebrate Anne and Jay Cinque

Field and Fiddle 2016 Wrap-Up

The Schedule for Field and Fiddle

Silent Auction Items at Field and Fiddle

Field and Fiddle July 23 - It's Baack!

July 23 - 6pm - 1st day Montgomery County Farm Tour Weekend

2016 Ag Reserve Bike Tour

The Common Ground Market Second Sundays in Beallsville

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News

Join Us for a Family Movie Night in the Ag Reserve!​October 19,2019

Please RSVP

July 23 - 6pm - 1st day Montgomery County Farm Tour Weekend

Categories

Archives

Join Us for a Family Movie Night in the Ag Reserve!
October 19,2019