Week Three with Extension by Simala Wright

Rev White discussing the community garden

Week began with our usual professional development for the interns. Cheyenne Van Echo, lead the initial discussion on communication. Motivational Speaker Simon Sinek, spoke about speaking with your inner voice to find your why. As interns, why did each of us chose University of Maryland Extension internship? Is your inner self receiving the satisfaction up to this point? A vast majority of the interns have passed through the program, how motivated were they to have taken the summer off to work on the farm and assist in agriculture research. 

This week guest lecture was Ms. Michelle Walfred from the University of Delaware. She specializes in agriculture communication. Though technology has improved industrialization which has benefited the agriculture industry. You as the farmer or purveyor of agriculture should have a personal brand. That brand could be an individual brand “dy o mite,” or business brand “(ADM) Archer Daniels Midland.” After establishing a brand identity, marketing or communicating the brand is easier to attract consumers.    

The following day, Haley and Sarah had to attend training in Annapolis and I was king of the day. Though Haley and I had planted the watermelon cultivars because of time we were unable to plant the pollinators and that had to be done. My day began with planting 327 pollinators. It was fun working alone by planting one pollinator between every three plants! Upon completion, I proceeded to Chris Rhodes farm to extract soil samples.

Deep Water Culture

Wednesday, we had the professional development tour and were all assembled at the Anne Arundel Extension Office located at 97 Dairy Lane, Gambrills. Our first stop was Spring Forward, located at 3501 7th Street, Baltimore, MD. We met with Julie Buisson from Spring Forward and Clayton Williams of Baltimore Builders. Two organizations working to produce agriculture products in Baltimore City while employing at risk youth and adults. They are operating a small Deep Water Culture farm and supplying the corner stores with produce to sell. We proceeded to Atwater's Big Kitchen Farm located at 2905 Whittington Ave, Baltimore, MD. This small farm operation produces cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and other common vegetables that are sold at five locations in which they owned. We stopped at Allen AME Church, 1130 W. Lexington Ave, Baltimore. Pastor Brenda White showed the community garden by the church that that is run on an honor system of taking what you need and leave some for your neighbors. We had lunch with Rev White and few of her congregants. The small garden serves a radius of approximately 2 miles in all directions.

Crops in the community garden.

The best and heart filled farming in Baltimore, was Bliss Meadows Backyard Basecamp at 5105 Plainfield Ave, Baltimore. Executive Director Atiya Wells and the farm manager Jade both of whom are professional in other fields operates a non-profit urban farm. They partner with local schools and runs camps introducing and educating city kids to farming/gardening of produce for consumption. They have bees for honey, goats for reproductions, and different breeds of layers for eggs, and other fresh crops.

Atiya & Jade displaying their work and the honey bees in the background.

Goats at Backyard Basecamp

Winding down our tour, we visited Gambrills Flower Farm, 800 Annapolis Road, Gambrills, MD. We were introduce to some of the prettiest flowers sold and the cost of production. To prevent bug infestation, a 16oz insecticide cost $1,400.00 and a 10oz germicide runs about $300 - $400.00.

We climaxed back at Anne Arundel County Extension Office, where farm manager Dave Myers had develop a small-scale urban farm.     

 Dave Myers and Anne Arundel Farm on display

The next day, Sarah and Haley was still attending training in Annapolis. I took soil samples from James Kelley farm which was separated into two fields, and Swain Farm in Wicomico County. The average farm runs between 15 to 20 acres. After Wicomico County, I headed to Bill Mason and Steve Kraszewski farm in Queen Anne County. They separated their farm into three fields. 

The last day of the week was spent on the blueberries located on the campus of Lower Eastern Shore Research and Education Complex (LESREC), 27664 Nanticoke Road, Salisbury, MD. I had to put down mulch but had to also remove weeds before lay down the mulch. The berries are growing well but do need attention to the weeds encroaching in their roots.