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News

MCA in the Classroom

2/16/2018

 
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Farmer Courtney Buchholtz at Poolesville High School
2018 and our Education Program is off to a great start with "farmer in classroom" sessions underway. This year we have featured several remarkable women farmers, including Courtney Buchholtz and Amanda Cather as we bring farming and land stewardship to students at several County public high schools. Of course, our Education Committee Chair Gene Kingsbury is on hand to help provide the vantage point of a multi-generation farm, Kingsbury's Orchard. The importance of the County's Ag Reserve and how it came to be, is a key part of the lesson. In addition to in class lessons, students come on farm and in field to learn first hand about what it is to farm and how the Reserve serves to protect natural resources. The best part? The insightful and thought provoking questions from the students. Bright minds. Bright future.

We are keen on seeing that these lessons make their way to more schools throughout the County. Stay tuned!

Previous posts:

http://www.mocoalliance.org/news/mcas-education-program

http://www.mocoalliance.org/news/oh-the-places-they-will-go-and-learn-right-here

http://www.mocoalliance.org/news/update-mobile-ag-lab-is-delivering-great-sciencefood-lessons-for-many-thousands-of-kids-in-moco
Poolesville High School Field Trips to Black HIll Regional Park
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How we grow farms and farmers, the case for Land Link

1/29/2018

 

Since 2011, MCA has matched new and expanding farmers with long term leases on over 400 acres of land. Pull up a chair and hear the stories of how Land Link builds new farm ventures a few acres at a time.... 

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The Revolving Barn Door She listed her few acres of land, got a farmer who wanted to start small and build his skills- he did and moved to bigger acreage. Now she's taking on a new farmer to start again. That's two new farms grown on two acres. 

The Institutional Farmer Asbury Methodist Village is committed to vital living for its senior residents - going so far as to seek a resident farmer for their new campus farm. Farmer Gigi is planning her first season of crops and engaging the residents in growing food close to home. 

The Taste of Home Land Link was able to match Farmer Tanya with acreage to grow crops from her native Zimbabwe - including Kiwano, or horned Melon. 

Read More

4 Reasons To Support MCA

12/8/2017

 
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Recall that whatever lofty things you might accomplish today, you will do them only because you first ate something that grew out of the dirt. ~Barbara Kingsolver

​As the year draws to a close, we at Montgomery Countryside Alliance give heartfelt thanks to our members and supporters. No question- we could not do it without you. A quick note to share the top 4 reasons to support MCA before the end of the year:
 
1. Education – creating the next generation of farm stewards: In a county where 1/3 of its land is preserved for agriculture, Montgomery County has no formal agricultural curriculum. MCA is helping to fill the gap. Over the next 5 years, every single MCPS elementary student is getting hands-on, curriculum enhancing Ag activities aboard a mobile Ag Science Lab – with funding secured through a partnership between MCA and the MoCo Farm Bureau.  Now entering its 4th year, our high school program now reaches 4 schools with farmer visits and field trips to local farms. Farming touches on all subjects – it’s a career day, civics lesson and master class in entrepreneurship all in one.
 
2. Growing Farms = Growing Economy: The success of local farming is the success of the Reserve. That’s why we have matched more than 20 new and expanding farmers with long term leases on more than 400 acres through our Land Link Montgomery program. Land is one hurdle but training and access to markets is another. With additional resources we will advance the New Farmer Program aimed toward growing the County’s next generation farmers. We are also serving on the Montgomery County Planning Department’s agritourism working group focused on increasing farm profitability.
 
3. Connecting people to place
“Wait, what is the Ag Reserve?” We hear that a lot.  It’s a problem. So, we’ve created a number of annual events (Field and Fiddle, the Royce Hanson Award Celebration, Ride for the Reserve, screenings of our “Growing Legacy” film) bringing in a record number of residents out to explore the Reserve and understand its purpose, along with a revised Ag Guide and online interactive map to help them find the best local food, history and recreation opportunities.
 
4. Protecting Land and Water
A shocking fact for those who rely on water – the DC regional comprehensive water plan expired over a decade ago. MCA is on the front lines with partner groups to push for a new plan for our most precious resource as the climate changes and higher demands are put on current systems. We are also partnering with allies across the river to once again battle back plans for a Potomac Bridge crossing and outer beltway that would bisect the Reserve.  This time around the interests behind this boondoggle are even better funded and more influential– but it’s an objective fact – there are far better transportation solutions that address congestion while preserving quality of life and tax payer dollars.  

​We are pleased to share that the American Planning Association awarded the 2017 Planning Landmark Award for Montgomery County’s courageous commitment to agriculture in founding the Reserve almost 40 years ago. And with your support MCA will continue to tenaciously meet the challenges, build a greater base of consumer and advocacy support and grow our local farm economy.  Your gift works through all seasons to protect farms, water and open space right here in Montgomery County.
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Update: Mobile Ag Lab is Delivering Great Science/Food Lessons for Many Thousands of Kids in MoCo

9/27/2017

 

3 years in - 31,500 Pre-k-5th Grade Students Served So Far, 51 MoCo Schools Visited

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Back in 2015 MCA was proud to partner with the Montgomery County Farm Bureau on a passion dear to both organizations - connecting the next generation with education about the importance of farms and farm products.  The plans for this collaboration came out of our Farming at Metro's Edge Conference in 2013.  The education took the form of a big mobile laboratory, provided by Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation (MAEF), stuffed with hands-on exhibits and activities about the role of agriculture in the everyday lives of students, and a trained educator to walk kids through it.  
To date, the mobile labs have visited 51 Elementary Schools in Montgomery County and 31,500 students have walked through its doors. The lab will visit every Elementary School in Montgomery County by the end of 2019. For a hands-on science field trip - you can't beat one that brings the experience to the school property.
The lab experience is getting rave reviews from teachers and students: 
"First of all our kids loved it, the teachers said the lessons were hands-on and supported age appropriate science curriculum."
"Thank your for organizing an incredibly awesome experience that I didn't know existed. "
"The 5th graders extracted DNA from a banana and were really excited about it."
To read more and see where the lab will visit next, see the full report.
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ABOUT US
What We Do
A Brief History
Board & AC
Staff & Volunteers
Contact
​​Buy MCA Gear
ABOUT Ag RESERVE
History of the Ag
Benefits of the Ag
Farm Facts
Threats to the Ag
​A Place with Purpose
NEWS
EVENTS
Local Events
Growing Legacy
Royce Hanson Award
SUPPORT LOCAL
Ag Guide
Local Food Connection
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​Artists of the Reserve
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
​Land Link
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Montgomery Countryside Alliance
P.O Box 24, Poolesville, MD  20837
301-461-9831  •  ​info@mocoalliance.org
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MCA is proud to announce that we have been recognized for a third time as one of the best small charities in the D.C. region by Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington. A panel of 110 expert reviewers from area foundations, corporate giving programs, and peer non-profit organizations evaluated 270 applications.

​MCA is known as an effective and innovative non-profit whose efforts to preserve and promote Montgomery County’s nationally recognized 93,000 acre Ag Reserve have brought increased public and governmental support of local food production and farmland and open space preservation. Most importantly, MCA’s efforts are putting more farmers on the ground and keeping them there.
COPYRIGHT © MONTGOMERY COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE 2008