Have You Seen “The Maryland Harvest?”

In a culture that is increasingly separated from its agricultural roots, all most Americans know about their food is that it comes from the grocery store.  Pretty disturbing, huh?  Fortunately, the rise of the “Eat Local” movement is helping people all across the country reconnect with the foods they eat and the farmers who grow or raise those foods.

So, we ask again, “Have you seen The Maryland Harvest?”  This is a new hour-long documentary that aired on Maryland Public Television highlighting the partnership between local farmers and chefs, giving the viewers a chance to get to know the farmers who supply the bounty of produce, meat, and seafood they devour.  You may know the host, Al Spoler, as a co-host of “Cellar Notes” radio program and a former MPT director.

The documentary includes interviews with over forty Maryland farmers and eight local chefs who work with them.  This documentary is important for educating the public about how important farming and the farmers are to having nutritious products on our dinner tables.

Tell us – What do you think? How can we educate the public about the importance of farming? And most importantly, have you seen The Maryland Harvest? To read more, check out page 4 of our Farm Credit Leader magazine.

It’s Fair Season (Already?)!

The aroma of popcorn, cotton candy, and hot dogs fill the air.  You hear children laughing and cows ‘mooing’.  Your feet are aching from walking all day and you are ready to sit down and enjoy a ride on the Ferris wheel.  Does that sound about right – like your last trip to your local fair?

Well, in case you are ready to get back out there and enjoy the cool summer nights, there are tons of fairs going on in your area in the next couple weeks!  Whether it’s the first time you’ll attend, or a continued family tradition, be sure to check these out:

• July 11-14: Talbot Co. Fair, Easton, MD
• July 12-15: Baltimore Co. 4-H Fair, Timonium, MD
• July 19-28: Delaware State Fair, Harrington, DE
• July 20-28: Cecil Co. Fair, Childs, MD
• July 21-28: Washington Co. Ag Expo & Fair, Boonsboro, MD

If you do attend, be sure to snap an ag-related photo and enter it in our fair photo contest on Facebook - you could win up to $250!  You can scan the QR code to be directed to the official contest page.

To find out what other fairs are occurring in your area this summer, check out our Calendar of Events.

These Local Students are Iowa Bound

As the average age of a farmer increases and less young adults are entering the production agriculture field, how will we produce enough food for the future?  That seems to be the urging question lately, for sure.  The National FFA Organization thinks they have a way to excite and educate young adults on the importance of returning to the farm.

The 2012 New Century Farmer conference will be held July 8 – 13^th in Des Moines, Iowa.  The goal of the conference is to help participants develop their careers in production agriculture by providing them with an opportunity to advance their entrepreneurial leadership, practical knowledge, visioning, global perspective and continuous personal growth.

During the five day conference, participants attend a series of workshops and sessions discussing topics ranging from the global marketplace to farm financing, consumer trends and managing risk.  Participants also have the opportunity to network with industry experts and take part in field and operation tours.

The program is highly competitive and accepts 50 participants nationwide.  We are proud that three of the participants are from the Mid-Atlantic region – Richard Kitchen and Joy Powers from Virginia, and Jacqueline Keenan from Delaware. 

We all know that in today’s global economy, farming is an exciting, fast-paced, and highly technical career.  And who better to take on the challenge then young, educated adults? Congratulations Richard, Joy, and Jacqueline!

Storm Damage? Help is Available!

Was your farm affected by the devastating storms last week? The numbers from the damage are just starting to trickle in, but many farmers throughout the Mid-Atlantic area have experienced crop damage, loss of power and animal fatality. For those affected, Commissioner Matt Lohr from Virginia’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services suggests talking to your local Farm Service Agency (FSA) for help.

For contract livestock growers, an Operating Loan from FSA is one option available. “Eligible applicants may obtain direct loans for up to a maximum indebtedness of $300,000 and guaranteed loans for up to a maximum indebtedness of $1,214,000 (amount adjusted annually for inflation),”reports Lohr in an email this week to Virginia agricultural officials. Repayment terms may vary, but is usually between 12 months and seven years.

Other commodity groups may also be eligible for the FSA Emergency loans. These loans have a maximum amount of $500,000 and are available for up to 30 years, depending on the damage types and uses.

For both of these loans, and any federal assistance programs, the key is accurate records. It is important during this time to record exact amounts of losses and mortality records. Lohr writes, “In the event that the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) is included in the upcoming Farm Bill, accurate records during this time are essential for farmers to be compensated.”

For more complete information, be sure to contact your local FSA office or their website at www.fsa.usda.gov.

A Friendly Voice to Agriculture

Jeff Ishee may not have childhood stories of working on the farm to tell his audience, but he does have a passion for agriculture and a unique way of sharing it.

Jeff began working with agriculture after contacting the Augusta County Extension Service in 1995.  Then, he started a four acre market garden and sold produce at local farmers’ markets.  From there, Jeff’s career blossomed to the realm of agriculture communications.

If you live near the Shenandoah Valley, you may recognize Jeff as the voice on WSVA radio, the host of “Virginia Farming” on WVPT television and RFD-TV, the founder of “On the Farm”, or as a weekly gardening journalist for the Staunton News Leader.

Today, Jeff has retired from his posts on local and national radio and television shows, but still remains involved in the agriculture industry.  He is currently the general manager of the Rockingham Country Fair Association and occasionally does radio and newspaper segments.

With his vast involvement in agriculture communications, you may be surprised to find that Jeff didn’t grow up on a farm and wasn’t a member of the 4-H or FFA.  But, despite the lack of agriculture in his background, Jeff learned the importance of the industry and still continues to tell agriculture’s story.  To read more about Jeff, check out page 10 of our Farm Credit Leader magazine!

Teamwork Leads to Penn State’s New Aquaponics Lab

There is something to be said about teamwork!  Foster, a junior Horticulture major with a minor in Wildlife and Fisheries Science has teamed up with greenhouse manager, DiLoreto to develop the first aquaponics system at Penn State.

"She expressed an interest in working with aquaponics from the very beginning,” DiLoreto said.  "She was pretty serious about it. You could tell she had read a lot and had really thought it out. It's uncommon to find someone who is that motivated."

In case you aren’t familiar with aquaponics, here is a quick overview:

Aquaponics is an integrated fish-culture and plant-propagation system that relies on a symbiotic relationship between fish and plants. Fish, such as tilapia -- grown for human consumption -- are cultured in tanks.  Those tanks are connected to a hydroponic plant-growing area. The tank water, which becomes rich in fish wastes as the fish grow, flows to the hydroponics system, where the plants take up and utilize the nutrients in the waste to grow.  The fish wastes, especially the nitrogen component, are toxic to fish, so the plants perform a service to the fish by purifying the water. The clean water is then pumped back to the fish tanks -- and the cycle continues.  Aquaponics differs from hydroponics in that it relies on the natural nutrients in fish waste, rather than added nutrient salts.

"Aquaponics is the coupling of two biological systems," DiLoreto explained. "The plants feed off the fish and the fish purify the water for the plants -- so at the end you have two products, fish and plants. It's a much more natural process."

Current plans for the Penn State aquaponics system include using two 300-gallon tanks to grow tilapia, and a large hydroponics area where basil, lettuce, mustard greens and micro-greens will be grown.

Teamwork really can lead to great outcomes – Way to go, Foster and DiLoreto! We think their plan is pretty awesome, what do you think?

It’s Time to Celebrate the 4th of July!

With the 4^th of July quickly approaching, it’s time to take a moment to be thankful for our freedom and all the blessings we as American citizens have.  Since that day in 1776, Americans have established customs and traditions to celebrate our independence – fireworks, parades, barbeques, festivals, and political speeches, just to name a few.

As you are gearing up for your celebration with family and friends, check out our Let’s Celebrate board on Pinterest for great recipes, crafts, decorations, and photos that will help you showcase your American pride.

Feel free to follow our boards, “repin” our favorite pins, or leave us a comment about how you’re celebrating the 4^th of July this year with your family and friends.  But all in all…Happy 236^th birthday, America!