Nearly 200 Mid-Atlantic agricultural producers and stakeholders visited the University of Maryland East Coast Nov. 2-4 for the 20th anniversary of its Small Farms Conference. “Positioning Farmers for Success,” this year’s theme, has been at the forefront of the annual event for two decades.
“Agriculture and aquaculture are our (Delmarva) biggest economic drivers,” said Roxanne Wolf of Shore Gourmet Market, which focuses on farm-to-table and resources as a business incubator on the Upper -Side. “It’s all about the environment, sustainability and economics – keeping everything local and diversifying in a changing world.” This is what this conference allows farmers to see. Wolf led a popular session on repurposing chicken coops for environmentally controlled agriculture, such as aquaponics, aeroponics and raised beds.
The 2023 edition included a pre-conference with half-day workshops on sheep and goat breeding and preventive health care, fruit tree propagation, as well as a session aimed at helping farmers of Maryland to apply to accept payment from federal nutrition assistance programs for their farm. some products. Some of the hot topics covered over the next few days included the high-value niche cultivation of baby ginger, agritourism for small farms, growing quinoa in the United States, tax considerations for small farms, growing grapes, marketing for farms and new initiatives from the Maryland Department of Agriculture. of Agriculture to support agricultural producers.
Hanna Collins of Laurel, Delaware, and her son, Liam, returned to the conference for the second year to network with other farmers and see what they are doing to “diversify their farming practices.” The two also learned about research studies conducted by professors and extension professionals and “how to incorporate them into your farm.”
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