It is with heavy heart that we share that our dear friend Peg Coleman has died. A long time Reserve resident, advocate and MCA Advisory Committee member - Peg was a warm, quiet but powerful force in the Ag Reserve- serving as a historian, author, strategist, community connector, innkeeper, wife and mother.
In 1980, Peg and her husband, Jim, bought a farm on Barnesville Road, which included an abandoned 1768 log cabin. They lovingly restored the cabin, and it is now a National Historic Register site, and the Pleasant Springs Farm Bed and Breakfast.
Peg's books include "Mama Wears Two Aprons" and "Around Germantown" - both illuminating the history of Montgomery County. Besides swinging the hammer on her own cabin- Peg spearheaded preservation efforts of the Boyds Negro School and many others as the first president of Montgomery Preservation Inc. She has also been active in Sugarloaf Regional Trails. For all her efforts, in 2008 we honored her with the Royce Hanson Award.
At MCA, we appreciated her for her efforts both big and small. Nary an action alert would reach her inbox without her writing in to support the Reserve. She always took the time to write us to congratulate us on victories.
In 2012, Peg brought many different stakeholders around her kitchen table in an effort to have a conference similar to the one organized in 1976 that began to coalesce support for the Ag Reserve to come into being. There were differences of opinion in the planning but Peg persisted- and baked amazing treats for all of us- and much like Nelson Mandela said, with Peg's quiet persistence, it was impossible until it was done. The result was the Farming at Metro's Edge Conference- an event that highlighted all the Reserve has become and the shared interested all stakeholders have in its protection. And of course Peg wrote the introduction the report.
We were all glad to know her, the Reserve is better for her. We will miss you, Peg.
The service for Peg will be Saturday, October 29th at 11:00 AM held at the Boyd's Presbyterian Church.