Maryland Public Television’s (MPT) popular original series Maryland Farm & Harvest, now in its eighth season, will feature farms and locations in Carroll, Harford, Kent, and Montgomery counties during a new episode airing at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 2.
Maryland Farm & Harvest has been taking viewers on journeys across the state since 2013, telling hundreds of stories about the farms, people, and technology required to sustain and grow agriculture in Maryland, the state’s number one commercial industry.
This season the series has added two new segments -- one called “The Way it Works,” offering a look at the mechanical side of agriculture and the other titled “Facebook Photo Challenge,” featuring photos on a variety of topics submitted online by Maryland farmers.
Maryland Farm & Harvest’s March 2 episode features the following segments:
- Immigrant Farmer Puts Roots in Montgomery County. When Niyi Balogun moved to Maryland from Nigeria he wanted to keep farming, but as a recent immigrant he knew finding land would be a challenge. With the help of his wife and business partner, Tope Fajingbesi, they learned about the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve, where 93,000 acres spread across the county have been set aside for agricultural use. A nonprofit called The Montgomery Countryside Alliance then helped Balogun connect to a landowner. This connection enabled him to start Dodo Farms in Brookeville, a produce operation that grows both familiar items and traditional Nigerian crops.
- Starting a Family Farm (Carroll County). Many Maryland farms are passed down through generations of families. Colin O'Meara knew he wanted to farm, but his family didn't have one. He started the 107-acre Stone Valley Farm in Westminster in 2003 and has been growing his operation ever since. Another way this first-generation farmer brings in income is by "custom farming." In this scenario, O’Meara plants and harvests grain on farmland owned by Carroll Bish, and in the process learns a thing or two about farming.
- The Way it Works - Skid loaders: Segment host Joe Ligo takes a look at a skid-steer loader, one of the most used and most versatile machines on a farm.
- The Local Buy: Highland Cattle (Kent County). The Local Buy segment host Al Spoler heads to Running W Farm in Chestertown, where farmer Jim Lindauer raises the unique Highland breed of cattle. Al gets a close look at these cows, which are known for their hairy coats and long horns. Lindauer raises these cattle because of their ability to thrive in a grass-fed operation. Highlands also produce leaner meat than other breeds. Al samples some of Running W’s beef in sandwiches from the Happy Chicken Bakery. Recipes using Highland beef from the Chestertown bakery and café will be available at mpt.org/farm.
New episodes of Maryland Farm & Harvest air on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. on MPT-HD and livestream at mpt.org/anywhere/live-stream-
Series host Joanne Clendining, who recently earned her second Emmy® award from the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for her work on Maryland Farm & Harvest, returns for season eight. She is joined by Al Spoler who handles duties for each episode’s The Local Buy segment.
Nearly 10 million viewers have tuned in to Maryland Farm & Harvest since its debut. The series has taken MPT viewers to more than 360 farms, fisheries, and other agriculture-related locations during its first seven seasons, covering every Maryland county, as well as Baltimore City and Washington, D.C. Past episodes can be viewed at video.mpt.tv/show/maryland-
The Maryland Department of Agriculture is MPT's co-production partner for Maryland Farm & Harvest. Major funding is provided by the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board.
Additional funding is provided by Maryland's Best, Maryland Agricultural Resource-Based Industry Development Corporation (Marbidco), MidAtlantic Farm Credit, Rural Maryland Council, Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF), Maryland Soybean Board, Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts, Wegmans Food Markets, Maryland Nursery, Landscape & Greenhouse Association, Seafood Marketing Advisory Commission, Maryland Farm Bureau, and The Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment.
Other support comes from Mar-Del Watermelon Association, Eddie Mercer Agri-Services, Inc., and Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation.
About Maryland Public Television
Maryland Public Television (MPT) is a statewide, public-supported TV network and Public Broadcasting Service member offering entertaining, educational, and inspiring content delivered by traditional broadcasting and streaming on TVs, computers, and mobile devices. A state agency, it operates under the auspices of the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission. MPT creates local, regional, and national content and is a frequent winner of regional Emmy® awards. MPT’s commitment to educators, parents, caregivers, and learners of all ages is delivered through instructional events and Thinkport.org. MPT’s year-round community engagement activities connect viewers with resources on a wide range of topics. For more information visit mpt.org.
