"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. 

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. 

 Tanya Doka Spanhla approached MCA back in 2014 to find land through our Land Link Program to grow some of the crops from Zimbabwe, her homeland. The following year she enrolled in the county's New Farmer Program - run by Montgomery County in partnership with MCA and the County's Ag Extension office. She started Passion to Seed farm on leased land in Germantown and aquired the expertise of the community through MCA's producers listserve when geese were ravaging her produce. She grows items that fellow immigrants have had trouble finding here (see her harvesting pumpkin leaves in this clip from MPTs Farm and Harvest show). 

For those who have never run across it - the most factinating of her crops is the Kiwano- or horned melon. Looking like a heavily defended cucumber with deep emerald coloring and dull spikes, Kiwano has excelent health benefits and a fresh, cucmber-like taste. If you'd like to try it now's your chance, MCA has connected Tanya with Rockville's Dawson's Market and they now stock it. Eat it raw out of the spiky rind or wow friends and family this holiday with the fancy cocktails below. 

Tanya's story is a perfect example of how we at MCA build support around a farm to help it not just survive, but thrive. Connecting farmers with farm land is the beginning - followed by fostering strong community and connection with fellow producers and consumers that help the farmer set down roots and prosper.  

It takes a lot for a farmer to grow a farm (I mean, geese? Who saw that coming?) but you have to grow farmers first- and have farmland available.
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Across Maryland, we lose an average of 20,000 acres of  farmland per year.  We will continue to build the resources that farmers need to thrive but we count on your suport to make it happen. Please make MCA part of of your end-of-year giving plan with your tax eductible donation. 

  Sunset over Sugarloaf at Shepherd's Hey Farm

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

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!

Immense Thanks to our Royce Hanson Award Event Sponsors:

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.

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

"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.