In the spring, check out our eight greenhouses spilling out with annuals, perennials, vegetable plants, floor pots, hanging baskets, shrubs, tropicals and more!
Our farm market specializes in local and high quality produce, local eggs, and a large selection of delicious, local apples. We also carry local honey, McCutcheon’s products, colorful pots, planting supplies and home decor items.
In the fall, we carry a huge selection of local pumpkins, gourds, mums, pansies, cornstalks, and Halloween decorations. And finally, to close out the season, we sell Christmas trees, greenery, candy, nuts, holiday decor and beautiful wreaths! Hope to see you this year at Frank’s Produce & Greenhouses!
Calvin Ball, Howard County Executive • cball@howardcountymd.gov
Dear Friends,
Howard County’s robust agricultural industry boosts more than 330 farms and remains the fifth largest economic driver in Howard County. Local agriculture not only supplies nutritious fresh food for our residents and protects our natural resources, but our farmers create jobs, enhance our economy, and contribute significantly to our health and well-being.
Thankfully, our precious farms are supported by many initiatives and investments. Through our efforts to expand our Agriculture Grant for Innovation and Expansion and launch of a new Enhanced Agricultural Grant pilot program of $250,000 awarded this year, we are ensuring that our local producers across the industry can innovate and thrive for future generations.
By further investing in the Roving Radish program, we expand the successful markets available to farmers while offering healthy, quality food to our community. A new Roving Radish Mobile Market now services 12 county locations of greatest need six days a week to improve access to fresh, local produce and proteins right in their neighborhood.
Soon we will have an Office of Agriculture located in the Western end of the county where many of our farmers live and work. This office will streamline conducting county business in one location and save our farmers valuable time that can be dedicated to their fields, livestock, and families.
Please join us in this effort to champion our local farms. I encourage you to shop at our local farmers markets; support our award-winning Roving Radish meals program and marketplaces; and experience our destination farms through tours, events, and entertainment that many offer. Please visit HoCoFarms.com for more information or find a farm on HoCo Farm Connect.
Bringing together our agricultural partners, we make it a priority to support our agricultural leaders and innovators of tomorrow so they can provide the food, goods, jobs and more that we depend on in our community.
Sincerely,
Calvin Ball
Howard County Executive
Brendel Farms is located on Union Chapel Road in Woodbine and is a labor of love for brothers Zack and Justin, plus their father, Bruce. The home farm has more than 200 acres and they additionally lease land for the operation that consists of growing corn, soybeans and wheat, with a little barley thrown in to be sold to local brewers. Brendel Farms is also known for its beef. Customers “say it has a totally different taste,” Zack says, and much better than what they find in most grocery stores.
Zack Brindel grew up on the farm that has been in his family for four generations. “I enjoy being on a tractor. I enjoy the lifestyle and maybe passing it on down” to the next generation. He says his favorite job on the farm is planting corn, a time when he can enjoy the air-conditioned comfort of the tractor cab—a luxury he didn’t have growing up. He also enjoys interacting with customers who buy the farm’s beef, saying with a chuckle that he sometimes has to correct people who say they want the meat to be cut entirely into steaks. “You don’t get all steaks,” he says.
As a youngster, Zach Brindel recalls, “I was only one of a few kids in my school who grew up on a farm.” He’s hopeful that the next generation, including his children and those of his brother, Justin, will continue the agriculture tradition. “Our kids like it,” he says, with them being happily involved in various 4-H projects.
12,600 Farm Operations
Average size of 159 acres
440,000 Acres Planted in corn and grain
Agriculture in Maryland & Howard County
Maryland is a diverse state with bustling cities and rural landscapes that provide not only scenic beauty but also produce the food for our tables. Maryland’s agriculture industry is the state’s largest commercial endeavor.
470,000 Acres Planted in soybeans
340,000 Acres Planted in wheat
The majority of Maryland’s farmland is in the north central part of the state and the upper Eastern Shore, but more than 20 urban farms are located in Baltimore City. The state’s leading products are broiler chickens, dairy goods, corn and soybeans.
Here is a look at farming in the state with statistics released in January.
45,000 Cattle & Cows
350,000 People employed in farming $8B Contributed annually to state economy 2M Acres in agriculture or 40% of
$1.2B Provided through chicken broiler production
The following is a snapshot of farms in Howard County, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
How many farms are there?
Number of farms: 321
Average size of farms: 101 acres
Land in farms: 32,436 acres
How do sales from the farm break down? Crops
2,335 Beekeepers
18,592 Bee colonies
41.08M Pounds of mushrooms Produced in 2022
43 Bison On 5 Maryland farms
66
40%
10.5 Horses Per square
HOWARD COUNTY
Farmers Markets
FILL PLATES
In the search to find food that hasn’t traveled thousands of miles, Howard County residents are fortunate to have weekly markets where they can talk with growers and producers and perhaps learn about a new vegetable or get advice on different ways to prepare an old favorite. The following are resources for fresh-from-thefarm-to-the-table offerings:
FARMERS MARKET
12230 Clarksville Pike, Clarksville
Saturdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. May 18–Nov. 23
OAKLAND MILLS
FARMERS MARKET
5851 Robert Oliver Place, Columbia
Sunday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. May 12–Nov. 3
SAVAGE FARMERS MARKET
9035 Baltimore St., Savage
Wednesdays, 3:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. May 29–Aug. 28
ELLICOTT CITY FARMERS MARKET
Miller Branch Library 9421 Frederick Road, Ellicott City
Wednesdays, 2 p.m.-6 p.m. May 8–Nov. 20
By Rebecca Chaney
— Frank’s Produce and Greenhouse boasts a variety of annuals, perennials, shrubs, hanging baskets, locallyraised protein, gifts and more. What began as a single wagon with a cigar box and an honor system now involves the third generation of the family and is one of Howard County’s favorite open-air markets.
Frank Rhodes Sr. and his wife, Arlene, were physical education teachers, starting the market in a wagon in the 1960s as a sideline. His son, Frank Rhodes Jr., can remember helping his father in the fields at an early age.
A decade later, the market moved to Md. 175 in Howard County County and the family contin-
ued to sell off the wagon. Frank Jr. tried one semester of college and decided to turn the market into his career. “This began to build the business into what it is today,” says Taylor Rhodes, the third generation and co-owner.
In addition to Taylor, Frank’s Produce and Greenhouse is co-owned by Frank Jr.’s nephew Jake Franz and son, Chris Rhodes. “In the mid-90s Frank Jr. began to build greenhouses on the five acres that we had been trying to make mon-
ey in other ways with what we had,” according to Taylor.
“We built one greenhouse at a time and slowly converted from farming to nursery growing.”
Today there are eight greenhouses. According to the owners, they seed all of their own vegetable and herb transplants as well as annual seedlings. “We grow about 10,000 hanging bas-
kets,” Taylor points out. “We grow as much as we can in the 35,000 square foot under plastic.”
The family grows everything in their greenhouses and sources out local growers to provide their perennial and shrub inventory. Frank’s Produce itself continues to grow. They own two farms in western Howard County and the horticulturists maintain an extensive nursery operation while farming green beans, pumpkins and raising Angus cattle.
They bought a herd of beef cows in 2020. Today their herd has increased to about 50 head. “We raise the steers for processing to market at our store,” Taylor says. “We also sell steers by the half or whole.” In addition to processing their own cattle, they support the Howard County Fair by purchasing 4-H lambs, pigs and goats at the county’s 4-H livestock sale. The animals are processed and packaged for resell in their market. According to the owners, the push to buy local has definitely helped their business and market. “It’s hard to keep our prices at a constant competitive level while our costs are constantly changing,” Taylor says. “We use different marketing methods to keep up — mainly social media. We believe in a good product for a good price to keep customers.”
While the Rhodes have worked hard to build their business, there have been some challenges. “We struggle with the weather and keeping perishable items fresh and looking good while fighting the heat and other factors,” Taylor says. Frank’s Produce has flourished in an open-air market atmosphere. The unconfined public marketplace and farmers market continue to intrigue visitors in search of locally-grown food, unique gifts and more. Teamwork is key to Frank’s Produce running smoothly.
Working as a Team
“We all have different areas of the market that we take care of to work as a team,” Taylor points out. “I run the market, hire and schedule employees, order our jellies, kombucha,
milk, cookies, eggs, trinket stuff, gift items and more.”
Taylor also handles customer service, returns, issues and special ordering. She’s the family member managing all aspects of the beef operation from calving to processing and meat inventory. Taylor is quick to admit that her older brother Chris and cousin Jake have areas of expertise that help keep the family business operating efficiently.
“Chris is the farmer, botanist, horticulturist, and maintenance,” Taylor says. “Chris pretty much does it all and keeps the plants looking healthy, fed and bug free. He knows everything there is to know. During the spring season he is usually answering questions and giving advice to our customers but can jump on a register if needed and fixes everything that breaks.”
Jake has worked at the market the longest and does a little bit of everything. He makes all the seed order in the beginning of the year and orders plants, plugs and seeds. “Jake manages the greenhouses and makes most executive decisions,” Taylor says. “He also does a lot of the watering and spraying. He is also in charge of ordering produce and plant inventory.”
Frank Jr. is now retired but is just a phone call away. “He comes to help bail
us out when we need help and are short staffed,” Taylor says. “Frank comes in during the busy spring rush and helps us water plants when we are super busy assisting customers. Frank will also help haul things and feeds the cows every day.”
Hard work has led to their success, according to Frank Jr. “If you are willing to work hard you can be successful at anything you do. That’s what I’m most proud of… It’s a lot of work at the market and Taylor, Chris and Jake work hard. I’m so proud of their work ethic.”
Spring is always Frank Jr.’s favorite time of the year. “I really like growing plants, flowers and vegetables,” he says. “It’s very rewarding to put seed in the ground and watch it grow — that’s what I enjoy the most.”
Customer Service Important
Frank Jr. also believes good customer service and a great staff are key to the success of the market. Frank’s Produce and Green-
house employs about eight to 16 employees at different times of the year. “We staff about six to 10 cashiers and have five full-time guys who work with us all year long,” Taylor says. “We also source seasonal help as well during the busy parts of the year.”
“The open-air environment, friendly and knowledgeable staff, good products at a good price and [having it as a} family business help us get to know our customers,” says Taylor. “We strive to
keep good customer relationships.”
In the future, the owners would like to re-build their greenhouses to make them more accessible to their customers. They would also like to establish a pick-your-own location or focus on a fall fest and ag tourism.
Many folks assume that Frank’s Produce closes after the summer, but they grow and sell a huge selection of pumpkins and all the things fall such as gourds, straw bales, corn stalks, squash and more. The Howard County market also offers locally grown turkeys in November as well as Christmas trees, home-made wreaths and roping in December.
The market is open from April 1 through Dec. 24. Spring hours are every day 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Summer hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Sundays 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. November hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and hours are extended during December.
After five decades the Rhodes family’s mission is to continue to grow as a business while providing the community with good quality products that are sourced locally. Following their humble beginnings with a wagon and cigar box for money, Frank’s Produce and Greenhouse will continue to be a favorite stop in Howard County.
Burning Benjamins Farm MAINTAINS ITS
HISTORY WITH HORSES
By Karen Gardner
Chiantel Beaumont is doing her part to keep western Howard County rural.
Not only did she and her husband buy the center portion of the former Happy Retreat Farm, but they are also continuing the farm’s tradition of raising and training horses. Happy Retreat once belonged to Adelaide Riggs, daughter of Marjorie Merriweather Post Close and granddaughter of cereal tycoon C.W. Post.
Riggs bought the 540-acre farm in Woodbine around 1938, although the farm dates to the 18th century. There she raised and trained racehorses and hunter jumper horses. Riggs died in 1998 at the age of 90. The land was later split into three properties.
“We have the working farm portion of the property,” Beaumont says. Because Riggs was wheelchair bound at the end of her life, many of the farm’s paths to the barns and fields are paved, which has made Beaumont’s work restoring the farm a little easier.
The Beaumonts closed on the 63-acre farm in the spring of 2020, a challenging time to buy a farm. While Chiantel’s husband Mark is a partner and supporter, the farm, known as Burning Benjamins, is mainly Chiantel’s enterprise.
Because of pandemic-related shortages, work started slowly on the renovation of the cement block horse barn, which Beaumont converted into the center of her horse operation. The sprawling building now includes a 70-foot by 205-foot indoor arena with a specially formulated sand mixture footing, horse stalls along one side, wash stalls, a feeding room, and tack room. Thick mats cover the floors in each stall.
The massive building has large exchange fans and working cupolas that help keep the air moving and the interior cool. Some of the cement blocks from the original barn’s frame remain as a testament to the farm’s history. “We’ve been working little by little to make this our own,” she says.
She also had a 100-foot by 200foot outdoor arena built, along with trails for riding. There’s a mechanical horse walker to help horses in need of rehab, conditioning, and weight loss. Rows of fenced-in pastures, or paddocks, give horses ample outdoor space to graze and roam. Next up on her list of things to build is a cross-country trail with jumps. Burning Benjamins specializes in eventing, which combines the riding
HowardAgricultureCounty Services
Alice’s AgriMaryland
485 Old Annapolis Road Woodbine, MD 21797
Animal Medical Hospital at Glenwood, Inc.
2465 Route 97, Suite 7 Glenwood, MD 21738
Frank’s Garage
11761 Triadelphia Road Ellicott City, MD 21042
Howard County Fair Association, Inc.
2210 Fairgrounds Road West Friendship, MD 21794
Howard County Living Farm Heritage Museum 12985 Frederick Road West Friendship, MD 21794
Howard Soil
Conservation District 14735 Frederick Road Cooksville, MD 21723
J. David Mullinix & Sons, Inc. 14420 Howard Road Dayton, MD 21036
Level Land, Inc. P.O Box 100 Lisbon, MD 21765
Level Landscape, LLC 15298 Union Chapel Road Woodbine, MD 21797
Maryland Tack, Inc.
1457 Fannie Dorsey Road Sykesville, MD 21784
The Rough Country Home Studio
1485 Old Annapolis Road Woodbine, MD 21797
University of Maryland Extension-Howard
3300 North Ridge Road, Suite 240 Ellicott City, MD 21043
Wagner’s Meats LLC 9064 Frederick Road Ellicott City, MD 21043
Farm and Home Services
7625 Main Street Sykesville, MD 21784
Mid Atlantic Farm Credit
700 Corporate Center Court, Suite L Westminster, MD 21157
Reap the Rewards of Fresh-from-theFields Flavors
Located near the fast pace of two major cities—the nation’s capital and Baltimore— Howard County is also blessed by beautiful rolling farm fields that honor nature and people who are passionate about tilling that land or using it to graze everything from chickens to steers and alpacas.
Much of what comes from the local fields can be found at farmers markets and on the menus of area restaurants, but it’s also fun and educational to visit the farms to see exactly what’s involved. You might even get your hands into the process when you make a stop at a pick-your-own farm to select a pumpkin or container of strawberries. It’s also a good time to connect with the farmer and meet the person responsible for all that good food or the wool that was spun into your favorite sweater.
CLARK’S ELIOAK FARM
CLARK’S FARM
10500 Clarksville Pike (Md. 108), Ellicott City
410.730.4049 • www.clarklandfarm.com
The Clarks have been farming in Howard County since 1797. Their petting farm is open April 1 through early November. They welcome visitors Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Come visit the friendly farm animals, enjoy rides, slides, play areas and a picnic spot. They host educational tours, birthday parties and group events. A roadside produce stand is open in July and August selling their vegetables and other local produce.
FARM & FLAVOR HIGHLIGHT
The baby goats are a highlight of your visit to the farm. They are the new home of the Enchanted Forest, Maryland’s Storybook Park. The Sunflower Festival is in September and a Pumpkin Patch is in the fall. You can take a pony ride, a hay wagon ride, a cow train ride and an Enchanted Express Train ride every day they are open.
10500 Clarksville Pike (Md. 108), Ellicott City 410.730.4049 • www.clarklandfarm.com/produce.html
Clark’s Elioak Farm grows fresh vegetables and herbs year-round. Most of the year seasonal vegetables and herbs can be found for sale in Clark’s Elioak Farm’s Castle Store, also the entrance to the petting farm and open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. They grow everything from spring greens and roots to summer crops, such as tomatoes, zucchini and cucumbers, to fall produce such as squash, sweet potatoes, garlic, and greens. They also grow herbs. During July and August the roadside stand is open.
FARM & FLAVOR HIGHLIGHT
Summer cut your own flower garden is located right behind the produce stand. Come and enjoy cutting and arranging your own bouquet. They are a vendor at Clarksville Common Farmer’s Market on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m from May through October. CSA options, order online.
Their clientele are equestrians (or those who wish to be) who seek quality instruction and horse training in the English riding disciplines. Managing the workload of their lesson horses is their top priority. It is important to the Clover Luck team that the horses know they are an integral and essential family member, and that they never feel like they are overworked or under-appreciated. Because the physical and mental health of their horses is of the utmost importance, all prospective new lesson students begin with an evaluation lesson, to ensure that their values and expectations of the horses align with the team.
The large barn and arena has 13 stalls, 11 by 12 feet each, a well-organized tack room, and an 80 by 144-foot indoor riding arena. Windows and large doorways keep air moving in summer and close up tight in winter to keep out the chill.
FREETOWN FARM
Harriet Tubman Lane, Columbia www.freetownfarm.org
Freetown Farm is a 6.4-acre farm in Columbia, owned by the Comm-unity Ecology Institute, a Howard County nonprofit focused on cultivating healthier communities through connections with nature. The farm is designed to both produce food and be a place for comm-unity education. They demonstrate regenerative agriculture and permaculture design practices in their stewardship of this land.
FARM & FLAVOR HIGHLIGHT
The choice of the name Freetown Farm recognizes the important history of the land. They are working to develop programming that tells the story of the land and its historic community. The farm is across the street from the Harriet Tubman School, a segregated high school for African American students established in 1948.
Gorman Farm offers fresh, nutrient-rich, flavorful vegetables grown with organic practices on their farm in eastern Howard County. Produce is available through their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.
Pick your own strawberries are available to the general public, as well as CSA members in late spring. They use Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) products for fertilization, disease and pest management.
They employ Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies and always aim towards sustainability in all that they do.
FARM & FLAVOR HIGHLIGHT
They build compost for supplementing a plant’s nutrition and the soil’s overall health. They strategically cover crop the ground to protect from erosion, to feed soils and to maintain and offset fertility requirements.
Healeys’ Greenway Farms grows springtime vegetable plants and flowers. With almost one acre under cover, they now grow annuals and vegetable plants for sale direct to homeowners or wholesale to other small businesses. In addition, this family business offers Christmas trees each December. They grow several thousand poinsettias in their greenhouses for churches and direct sale. While they’d love to see you in person, you can also visit Healeys’ Greenway Farms online at www.greenwaytrees. net and www.greenwayfarms.net
FARM & FLAVOR HIGHLIGHT
Michael Healey now runs the Christmas tree and greenhouse businesses with help from family, friends and neighbors—some of whom have been working at Greenway Farms for more than 30 years.
HENSING’S HILLTOP ACRES
3394 Jennings Chapel Road, Woodbine 704-293-4126 call or text www.hensingfarm.com
Hensing’s Hilltop Acres is a small family farm that recently moved to Woodbine. They have a pasture-based farm where their animals live outdoors on grass. They produce raw milk and related products (sold in Maryland for pet use), 100 percent grass-fed beef, pastured pork (no soy or GMOs), pastured chicken and eggs (no soy or GMOs) and lamb.
FARM & FLAVOR HIGHLIGHT
They sell at two local markets, Clarksville on Saturdays and Ellicott City on Wednesdays. They invite you to check out their website for other locations to find their products.
HERON’S MEADOW FARM
1596 Daisy Road, Woodbine 410-934-0148
Heron’s Meadow Farm, located in western Howard County, is Maryland’s first tea farm. Home to BLTeas, LLC and MudPi Studios, the farm is host to many inspirational views, wildlife, flavorful teas and handcrafted stoneware pottery. Visitors to the farm can sample some of their teas, shop for their new favorite mug from the mug tree, view tea fields and walk through herb gardens. Or simply relax on the patio and watch the blue herons, hawks, deer, foxes and other wildlife. Store hours are Fridays from noon-5 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., or by appointment.
FARM & FLAVOR HIGHLIGHT
Whether it’s a new tea to try or a new stoneware creation on display in the pottery studio, there’s always something exciting happening at Heron’s Meadow Farm.
Their farm is open during the growing season, beginning with the ripening of strawberries in late May or early June, and ending with the apple harvest, in early November. The last day for the season is the first Sunday in November.
They strive to grow top quality fruits and vegetables for you to pick your own or purchase in the farm market. They consider the soil and the plant material to be the most valuable resources. To keep the farm healthy and safe they use Integrated Pest Management and Best Management Practices.
FARM & FLAVOR HIGHLIGHT
Please call or check the website the day you are coming, just before leaving your home, to find out what’s available that day and to avoid disappoint-ment. Call 410-442-2605 or 301854-6110. The telephone recordings and website are updated throughout the day, and every day, as needed.
4411 Manor Lane, Ellicott City 410-997-7771 • www.manorhillbrewing.com
Located on a 54-acre working farm in Ellicott City, Manor Hill Farm is home to 14 acres of corn, 2-plus acres of hops, approximately 25 chickens, several honey bee hives, more than 20 free-range angus cattle and multiple herb, fruit, and vegetable gardens. Brewery operations began in June of 2015, making Manor Hill Brewing Howard County’s first and only farm brewery. Their head brewer uses high quality seasonal ingredients to craft hand-made beers from original and unique recipes.
Their beers are available in cans and bottles and also in kegs, with colorful names such as Farm Fuzz, a Belgian-style witbier, Spotted Whales, a collaboration with a distillery in Ireland and limited release Overalls, a spring lager.
MARY’S LAND FARM
4979 Sheppard Lane, Ellicott City 410-849-4314 • www.maryslandfarm.com
Current products sold on the farm seven days a week, include chicken, pork, beef, lamb, duck eggs and chicken eggs. A full-service farm store is part of the operation. Swales and berms are used to keep water on the property and out of Maryland’s overflowing and corroding waterways. This helps plants and livestock and helps save the bay. All the animals are out on pasture and the pigs are in the woodlands. None of the animals are contained during spring, summer and fall; they are much happier out grazing.
Only organic chemicals are used on the farm. The non-ruminant animals are fed certified organic grains in addition to their grazing. The ruminants are strictly 100 percent grass-fed. If you are like most of us, you probably learn best by seeing it for yourself, so call and visit.
MERRY ACRES FARM
3807 Walt Ann Drive, Ellicott City 410-531-2360 • www.merryacresfarm.com
Merry Acres Farm offers horse boarding and hay sales and is a horse owner’s dream with an outdoor ring, indoor arena and miles of trails. It features a friendly environment and seven-day access to the horses. All disciplines are welcome. Merry Acres Farm began as a dairy operation in 1957 and in 1997 Howie Feaga and his family started boarding horses in a six-stall barn. A year later the focus turned strictly to horse boarding and a larger barn was built, ceasing dairy operations.
FARM & FLAVOR HIGHLIGHT
They have recently started a beef operation at the farm. “We’re starting small,” says Feaga, with hopes of building the business. The animals are “pastured and raised on our hay” and finished off with corn, also grown on the farm.
Their farm of rolling hills and beautiful views was established in 2002. They have nurtured the soil with sustainable, best management practices while establishing and expanding their vineyard over time. In 2011, Penn Oaks Winery was the first to receive Howard County’s farm winery license.
On Porch View Farm, LLC, Keith Ohlinger raises heritage breeds of beef cattle, sheep, pigs, geese and rabbits as well as bees on 22.3 acres. He uses what the land offers, managing it, along with his animals, to create the optimal scenario without chemical fertilizers and pesticides. He has installed a system of swales and berms to affect drainage patterns on the terrain to capture and infiltrate as much rainfall as possible, minimizing runoff. Intensive rotational grazing is used for the livestock and hundreds of fruit and nut trees and shrubs were planted, the fallen fruit and nuts supplementing the animals’ diets.
FARM & FLAVOR HIGHLIGHT
They are a petite family owned and operated farm and winery. Their hours of operation flex around their farming and vineyard management. they are open from noon-6 p.m. on Sundays for wine tasting and purchase.
Keith Ohlinger is an expert on compost and uses it as the only fertilizer on the farm. “Soil health is really the key to everything. If I have healthy soil, then the plants will be healthy and animals that eat the plants will be healthy. If the plants and animals are healthy, then the people who eat them will be healthy.” FARM & FLAVOR HIGHLIGHT
RITTER FARM
565 River Road, Sykesville 443-598-6696
www.ritterfamilyfarm.com
This is a first-generation, family farm built from the ground up by the Ritter family. Started in 2015, Ritter Farm is devoted to creating the highest quality and exceptionally flavored food for their family and community. The farm is located just outside of historic Sykesville and borders the Patapsco Valley State Park. It is an idyllic environment for raising heritage breeds of livestock the way nature intended. Their non-GMO, pasture-raised meats are crafted with time, tradition and passion. Their artisanal approach to raising animals creates the finest flavor for the breed. They invite you to discover the food they eat and grow. Visit the website for a full selection of premium cuts of pork, lamb, chicken and beef.
FARM & FLAVOR HIGHLIGHT
Improving the soil one animal at a time. Ritter Farm practices regenerative agriculture with rotational and intensive grazing to build healthy and biodiverse soil and pastures.
Visit Sharp’s at Waterford Farm, a 550-acre working farm located in the western part of Howard County, family-owned and operated since 1903. Alan and Julia Sharp offer outdoor educational field trips for children during spring, summer and fall.
In the spring their greenhouses are full of hundreds of plants with a great variety of herbs, vegetable plants and colorful flowers. Other spring and summer activities include parties, open house events, encountering farm animals and hayrides. The fall offers campfires, hayrides, pick-your-own pumpkins, a corn maze, scarecrow making and a country store.
FARM & FLAVOR HIGHLIGHT
You might have a backyard garden, or you might have a few pots on your porch. No matter, the staff is always ready to assist you. If you have never tried to plant your own garden, they will make suggestions steering you to success.
At Sho Nuf Turkeys, Chris and Tanya Bohrer are continuing the tradition of Tanya’s grandparents, Ellsworth and Mary Elizabeth Iager, of raising and selling turkeys at the farm in Fulton. With the farm being sold in 2019 for future development, it provided Chris and Tanya the opportunity to brand the turkeys “Sho Nuf” as a tribute to Ellsworth and his branding from the 1940s. They continue to provide the same high quality turkeys and turkey products for those who have been coming to the farm for years.
SINGH SUGAR MAPLE FARM
1200 Sugar Maple Drive, Marriottsville 443-413-2252 • singh.sugarmaplefarm@ gmail.com
Singh Sugar Maple farm got its start five years ago at the owner’s first location in West Virginia. This is the first year they will be growing and selling at their newest convenient location in Howard County, right off Interstate-70. Their produce includes five kinds of heirloom tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, bell peppers, cantaloupe, watermelon, ghost peppers, okra, peaches, plums, raspberries, turnips, eggplants, apples and more! They also have 50 different types of flowers for you to cut yourself.
The farm offers whole turkeys, bone-in breasts, smoked breasts, turkey bacon, ground turkey, wing packs and drumsticks.
The farm is open from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Sundays. Support your small local farm and get your fresh produce straight from the source. Call to book the farm for barbeques, bonfires and other festivities.
The farm has been in their family for over 100 years. That is why they provide high-quality products at reasonable prices. At TLV (Triadelphia Lake View Farm) they believe in treating our patrons like one of the family. At Triadelphia Lake View Farm the customer always comes first. In 2018 the Browns started their most recent project—turkeys for Thanksgiving and Christmas. They also provide ground turkey and turkey parts at the farmers’ markets and farm store. TLV is committed to producing the highest quality proteins at an affordable price.
FARM & FLAVOR HIGHLIGHT
Farmer Brown Camp is an ongoing adventure for making friends and creating lifetime memories in a safe, beautiful natural environment. Camp provides time to “unplug” from electronic devices, TV, and get out into nature. At camp, there’s the opportunity to learn more about plants, animals, outdoor skills and develop deep friendships.
Melissa Haber, of Branches and Batches, sells flowers from April through October.
Branches and Batches
OF BEAUTY ABOUND ON THIS HIGHLAND FARM
By Kristi Johnson
Have you ever heard of Branches and Batches? If not, you need to listen carefully to this story of both beauty and generosity.
What’s unique and special about Branches and Batches is the owner’s dedication to helping special needs kids and their families. It started three years ago, when Haber was motivated to use her flower growing to fundraise. When a good friend’s son, Louie, was diagnosed with the HUWE1 gene, Haber stepped up and decided to donate 100 percent of the profits to Louie’s HUWE, a 501c-3 charity. HUWE is such a rare genetic condition, that it’s believed to be found in less than 100 people worldwide.
In early 2024, with Louie’s HUWE on solid financial footing, Haber expanded her business to a for-profit enterprise while still giving 10 percent of her proceeds to charity.
From her property in Highland, Melissa Haber grows flowers. Extraordinarily beautiful flowers, in fact. For 10 years, she’s been perfecting her craft, offering her product direct to residents of Howard and Montgomery counties.
But how did all this flower growing start? Haber laughs to tell the story now. “When my husband and I bought our property,
there were dozens of Aster lilies in the front yard. One morning, I came outside and found every single flower gone.”
To Haber’s dismay, the lily heads had been topped by the legions of deer around her home. “It became a hobby keeping the deer away from the lilies,” says Haber. “I learned you can’t win, and they’re going to get their due.” Since then, Haber has come to terms with the deer, but also has become increasingly inventive in keeping them at bay from her flowers, employing an electrified 8-foot fence.
Open year-round, Branches and Batches is primarily a seasonal farm, offering fresh grown flowers from April through October. Haber doesn’t work with florists, instead focusing on creatively styling her stunning bouquets with whatever is available at different times of the year.
Because she doesn’t sell through retailers, Haber has developed a marketing strategy that works with her busy life with a full-time job, husband and two kids.
One of her successful programs is a weekly or bi-weekly
subscription service available from spring through first frost. Flower Bar Parties are a socially themed event, perfect for getting a group of friends together to create individually unique bouquets. Customers can shop the online store on her website to pull together a la carte bouquets or take advantage of the DIY buckets.
Haber has created the perfect recipe for her brilliant bouquets. “Typically, my bouquets are one-third green foliage, onethird a focal flower that carries the show, and then one-third the star of the show.” The proof is in the pudding. Haber’s arrangements are arguably some of the most beautiful her customers have seen. This, along with her attention to detail, a willing attitude to customer service, and a philosophy of giving back, have helped her build a loyal customer base.
Crafting a business that fits into her lifestyle is important to Haber. To ensure her customers
always have access to her flowers, she sets up a self-serve pop up at the end of her street at certain times of the season, allowing her to service her regulars when she is busy in her gardens.
With all her knowledge of growing healthy, hardy, and beautiful blooms, Haber now offers consultations by appointment to go over your own flower garden plan, helping clients cut to the chase without having to go through expensive and timeconsuming experimentation.
While Haber’s bloom selection may not include fancy hothouse imported flowers, she admits to a special knack for helping clients bring their
vision to life, coming up with a desired color palette or vibe for an event.
Haber enjoys taking on her client’s dream through small to medium sized gatherings, graduations, laidback events, low-stress weddings, as well as funerals. Haber also will work with clients on delivery to local Howard County and the surrounding areas.
Whatcha got growing?
The blooms that Haber chooses to plant in her gardens depend on the seasonality and when
Melissa Haber concentrates on creatively styling her bouquets.
her best-selling time-period is (it’s in the spring and summer by the way.) The last three years, she’s been perfecting her seasonal offerings.
Haber plants 40 percent perennials and woody ornamentals, and 60 percent annuals. Early in the growing season, you’ll find a riot of color starting with ranunculus, tulips, peonies and daffodils, to name a few. As the weather grows hotter, hardier varieties such as zinnias, sunflowers, lisianthus, and Black-eyed Susans make their appearance. Fall is when her famous
dahlias, China asters and heirloom mums show up.
As a member of the Maryland Cut Flower Growers Association, a collective of flower growers producing high quality products for local customers, Haber has found her tribe. The group meets three to four times per year, keeping each other up on changes in the industry and what sells. For instance, Haber points out that there’s been a big movement toward buying local flowers the last few years.
There’s no doubt you can feel Haber’s excitement. She truly loves what
Melissa Haber describes herself as a one-woman show who has grown a support system.
she does and is passionate about it. “I’m just having fun doing this, and I’m still learning. I have a network of farmer friends in the area—most are doing larger scale, but everyone is trying to help each other.”
For Haber, who describes herself as a one-woman show, the support system she’s grown for herself, and her business is critical for her future success.
Healthy Farming, Healthy Flowers
Along with keeping up with the hundreds of new flower varieties that come out every year, Haber has her work cut out for her while keeping up with changes in the cut-flower growing industry and different methods of farming that arise.
Haber grows all her products organically and uses sustainable methods, meaning she doesn’t use any processed fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides or herbicides, even natural
ones. Pesticides and herbicides kill the natural ecological balance in a garden. Most gardens will level off, coming back to health within four to five years.
To keep destructive bugs down, she releases beneficial insects and uses a no-till method on about half of her flower acreage. No-till conserves and builds soil organic matter and increases soil biological activity. Organic matter increases the soil’s ability to absorb water, decreasing the ability for weeds to take over, and makes for a more sustainable garden.
Why buy local?
The old marketing adage does apply here. Nothing says I love you more than a bouquet of cut flowers. There is something inherently different in a fresh cut bouquet than a supermarket bouquet. Of course, if you’re on the run, we get it, a snatch and grab at the local grocer can do the trick if you need a quick gift or blot of color on your kitchen table.
But fresh cut local flowers are incomparable in several ways. They last far longer than supermarket bouquets, adding more value to your purchase,
Customers can find out more about Branches and Batches and more on Louie’s HUWE, through Melissa Haber’s website and social media. www. sowbetter.com, Instagram: @branchesandbatches; www.facebook.com/ BranchesAndBatches/ and www.huwe1.org
and they support local growers, putting more money back into your community. Local cut-flowers are more unique as well. You’re picking them up next to where they grow, nurtured as a wee seed all the way to your bouquet.
There’s an essence of love in every bouquet; an artistic expression that celebrates the seasonality of the blooms. Here today, gone tomorrow. Perhaps we can appreciate them more because they won’t be with us forever, we can only luxuriate in their true seasonal beauty for a period, and then they’re gone.
It may be hard in this day and age to wrap your head around
someone who does both good in this world and also does it through an expression of beauty and love. It’s pretty amazing and well worth celebrating. And doesn’t it feel good to support a cause for kids and surround yourself with a world of beautiful blooms?
Full of Farm Flavor Favorite Recipes
are Shared
Ratatouille Supreme Ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil
4 cups unpeeled eggplant, cubed
4 cups zucchini, cubed
1 large onion, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1/2 red pepper, sliced
2 gloves minced garlic
4 fresh tomatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 tsp. thyme
Directions
• In a large skillet, heat the oil and sauté the garlic, onion and peppers for 5 minutes.
• Add the eggplant and zucchini and cook for another 8 minutes. Add tomatoes, wine,
• Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Fried Green Tomatoes Apple Crisp
Ingredients
2 medium green tomatoes
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup vegetable oil
Hot pepper sauce
• Cut tomatoes into ¼ inch slices.
• Combine flour, cornmeal and spices in a pie plate.
• Pour buttermilk into a second pie plate.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, dip tomato slices into buttermilk, coating both sides.
• Immediately dredge slices in four mixtures, shaking off excess.
• Cook slices in hot oil 3 to 5 minutes per side.
• Place on paper towels to drain and serve immediately with hot sauce.
Ingredients
6 cups sliced apples
1 cup flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 cup sugar
1 tsp, baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 egg, unbeaten
1/2 cup melted butter
Directions
• Place apples in a greased baking dish.
• Mix balance of ingredients together until crumbly and sprinkle over top of apples.
• Pour melted butter over top and sprinkle with cinnamon.
• Bake in 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes.
Cabbage and Noodles
Ingredients
5 slices of bacon
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
6 cups chopped cabbage
3 cups medium noodles
Paprika
Directions
• In a large skillet, fry bacon until crisp. Drain, crumble and set aside.
• Stir sugar and salt into bacon drippings. Add cabbage, stir until coated. Cook for 15 minutes.
• Cook noodles and drain. Combine cabbage mixture, noodles and bacon. Turn into casserole dish.
• Cover and bake in a 325-degree oven for 45 minutes.
• Uncover and sprinkle with paprika and bake an
Refrigerator
Sliced Cucumbers
Ingredients
1 quart cucumber slices
1 cup vinegar
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. dill seed
Dressing Ingredients
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. vinegar
1 cup prepared mayonnaise
Directions
• Place cucumber slices into a quart jar.
• Bring remaining ingre dients to a boil; pour over cucumbers.
• Refrigerate for a week and they are ready to serve.
