April 2016 "In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt."

-Margaret Atwood

FRESH. More Farmers Markets Are Opening Soon! The Farmers Market at Maryland is Now Open Farmers Market at Maryland will be open from 11:00 to 3:00 pm in front of the Cole Activity Building on Campus Drive. The Green Tiding Food Truck will be present with local farm to table entrees. Weekly Cooking Demonstrations at Noon using ingredients from the market vendors. Visit their website or Facebook page for more information. Greenbelt Farmers Market Opens Mother's Day The Greenbelt Farmers Market has one more winter food drop on April 17 before it's opening day on May 8th! The market will be open 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. every Sunday through November 20, except Labor Day weekend. Located in the the parking lot just behind the Greenbelt Municipal Building, the market has become a favorite place for local residents to find fresh produce grown in the region. There are also plenty of choices to enjoy a great meal from one of the prepared food vendors. Be sure to stop by Greenbelt Farmers Market if you're in the area! For more information, visit their website and Facebook page. Old Town Bowie Farmers Market Opens in May

In This Issue Farmers Markets Open for Business

MD Flower Farm Website

Food Truck Featured at SXSW Science of Soil at Accokeek

Foundation

MDFMA Looking to Hire VISTAs

Eco Farms Community Wellness Program

Montpelier Festival of Herbs, Teas & the Arts

Mother's Day Tea Cabin Creek Heritage Farm Store

Herbal Apprenticeships

Produce Seasonality Charts

The Science of Soil Accokeek Foundation at Piscataway

park April 9 - June 12

Ever wonder what it would be like to be able to shrink yourself to the size of a mole and travel beneath the soil to explore a magical world beneath your feet? Accokeek Foundation presents "Underspace! The Science of Soil," an interactive, (and free!) family-friendly experience that connects the current-day

The market will operate every Wednesday from May 11-Oct 12, from 3pm-7pm. Old Town Bowie Farmers Market is looking for vendors. They are currently looking for a farmer (veggies/fruits), cheese vendor, and other unique vendors. If interested, contact Terri Russell by phone, 301.979.1611, or email. Visit their Facebook page for more information. Riverdale Park Farmers Market is Open Join the Riverdale Park Farmers Market each Thursday, 3 to 7pm. Enjoy local music, kids activities, great farmers market vendors and other artisans. The indoor market is located at 4650 Queensbury Rd, Riverdale Park, Maryland 20737. For

more information, visit their Facebook page. Hyattsville Farmers Market is Opening in June The Hyattsville Farmers Market Opening Day is June 7th, 2016, 3-7pm (Tuesdays 3-7pm, June 7 - September 27, 2016). They are having a Strawberry Soiree on opening day. Join them as they celebrate everything Strawberry and their 25th season! Located at 3799 East-West Highway, Hyattsville, MD 20782 in the parking lot of Redeemer Lutheran Church. For more information contact Ellarose Preston at 301-985-5006 or epreston@hyattsville.org. Shop with Miller Farms at Several Locations this Summer! College Park Farmers Market 5211 Paint Branch Pkwy. College Park, MD 20740 Saturdays 7am-12pm April 30 - November 19 SNAP/EBT and WIC Accepted Downtown College Park Farmers Market 4500 Knox Rd. College Park, MD 20740 Sunday's 9am-2pm April 23 - November 20 SNAP/EBT and WIC accepted National Harbor Farmers Market 150 American Way Oxon Hill, MD 20745 Saturdays & Sundays, 10am-5pm April 16 - December 17 SNAP/EBT and WIC accepted CHoP Farmers Market

importance of healthy soil to our colonial past. You are invited into an immersive, glow-in-the dark exhibit which reveals what most people take for granted -- the intricate web of life that resides in healthy soil. Our resident "Soil Explorer" will then introduce you to environmentally friendly ways to feed the soil, so that you may zoom back to the year 1770 just in the nick of time to pass the knowledge along to the Bolton Family. If you're brave, grab a hoe and get your hands dirty in order to save the farm! For more information, visit Accokeek Foundation's website.

Maryland Farmers Market Association Seeking VISTA Members!

The Maryland Farmers Market Association (MDFMA),in partnership with Hunger Free America, is seeking two (2) full time VISTA members to build the capacity of Maryland farmers markets to promote the use of federal nutrition benefits at market, thereby improving food insecure Marylanders' access to fresh, nutritious, local foods. For more information, visit their website.

Community Wellness Programs Eco City Farms

Tuesdays The science and art of using plants and foods for building and maintaining good health and for healing reaches back to the very beginning of recorded history. The practice of growing, harvesting, and making of herbal products to achieve wellness connects us to Traditional Chinese, Ayurveda, Native American and Western medicinal practices. ECO has recently significantly increased the variety

13th St. & Pennsylvania. Ave NW Woodrow Wilson Plaza Ronald Regan Building and International Trade Center Washington, DC 20004 Friday 11am-3pm May 6 - November 4 SNAP/EBT and WIC accepted Miller Farms will have Pick-Your-Own strawberries starting the 1st weekend in May, weather permitting. Visit their website for more information. Cheverly Community Market will open on June 4th for the season (alternate Saturdays)! Stay tuned to their Facebook page for details. Find the full list of county markets here. We will update the directory for the 2016 season this spring. You are also welcome to print out our downloadable directory! Note that the most updated version is on the website.

LOCAL.

Join Romano Vineyard & Winery for Their Spring Vendor Fair! Join the Romanos every Saturday in April, noon to 5pm, for tastings. Also be sure to check out the following upcoming events: April 9: Paint Nite @ Romano's Doors open at 6pm, painting begins at 630pm Register here. April 16: Decanter @ Laurel Race Track 12pm - 6pm Register here. April 23 & 24: Savor Bowie @ Bowie Town Center 11am - 6pm Purchase tickets here. May 6: 2nd Annual Spring Vendor Fair

5:30 - 9pm See flyer for details. ...and medals recently awarded inclulde:

• Liberty - Double Gold at the Florida State Fair International Wine Competition & Bronze at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition

and amounts of herbs and spices grown at our farms to better serve the needs and palates of our community. We invite you to join one of our classes to learn more about the ancient and contemporary art and science of herbalism. Pre-registration is required. For more information, visit their website.

Montpelier Festival of Herbs, Teas & the Arts

April 30, 10am - 4pm This is a rain or shine event free to all ages! Join us for the 20th year of this family-oriented festival. Montpelier Historic Site and Montpelier Art Center join forces to bring you a day that will delight your senses. Browse among over 30 vendors on Montpelier's beautiful grounds, and maybe find the perfect Mother's Day gift! Enjoy afternoon tea in the elegant east wing. Take in a lecture on gardening, learn about medicinal herbs, or how to make your own herbal beauty products. Kids can play in the 'Blast-In-The-Past' playground--our outdoor, hands-on history playground. Tickets for afternoon tea sampler can be purchased beginning April 1. A limited number of tickets will also be available at the festival. Visit the website for more information.

SAVE THE DATE! Mother's Day Tea

Montpelier Mansion May 9, 1:30pm

Treat your mom, grandma, or other important woman in your life to afternoon tea in Montpelier's elegant east wing. You'll dine on fine finger sandwiches, scrumptious cakes and pastries, buttery scones, and your choice of two quality loose leaf teas.

• Fallen Leaf - Bronze at the Florida State Fair International Wine Competition & Finger Lakes International Wine Competition

• Chambourcin - Silver at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition & Bronze at the Florida State Fair International Wine Competition

For more information, visit their website and Facebook page.

ECO City Farms CSA Shares & Volunteer Opportunities ECO City Farms is competing for a Seeds of Change grant and we're asking you to vote early, daily, often from 3/31/16 to 4/18/2016. We can get up to $20,000 to improve our growing space at the Bladensburg farm. Check us out! You can make the difference. Please help us by voting once a day, every day! Thanks! Also, enrollment is in progress for spring/ summer season of the ECO Farm Share! Large, small and egg shares now available to everyone, including those outside Prince George's County! If we have 5 or more from the same location, we will deliver! Finally, come one, come all and get your hands dirty and help us run our farms! Volunteer season is in full effect. Work is from 9am - 12:30 at each location. No need to RSVP if you are coming, unless you have a group of more than three. Read more info on volunteering and what to expect.

Demonstration Garden Coordinator Opportunity Community Support Systems, Inc. (CSS) is looking for a hands-on coordinator for the CSS Community Demonstration Garden, located in Croom (Upper Marlboro), MD. 4-6 hours weekly. Great opportunity for an energetic person with some gardening experience. Position involves coordinating volunteers, working in the garden, and healthy eating/nutrition activities. Stipend provided. Contact 301.372.1491 or CSS1995@aol.com.

Owl's Nest Farm CSA Shares on Sale Now! Get a bountiful share of diverse, delicious vegetables each week from May to November. Pick up on-farm on Saturdays from 11am-1pm in Upper Marlboro. Visit their website for more information. News from the Accokeek Foundation at Piscataway Park

Reservations and advance payment required. Price includes self-guided tour of the house and gratuity. $29/person; $25/Friends of Montpelier Visit their website for more information.

Farm Open House Cabin Creek Heritage Farm

Saturdays Cabin Creek is a local, pasture-based, sustainable family farm. They offer woodland-raised Berkshire pork, pulled Berkshire pork BBQ, pastured rabbit, Coturnix quail and quail eggs. Also plan to check out their pastured chicken and eggs (pastured, corn/soy-free). Store hours are on Saturdays and by appointment. Location: 18235 Clagett Landing Road, Upper Marlboro Visit their website for Open House hours and details.

SAVE THE DATE! Grassroots Herbal

Apprenticeship Program Centro Ashé Farm in Bryans Road,

MD July - October, 2016

Centro Ashé is excited to offer our Grassroots Herbal and Holistic Wellness Program, a community based herbal program - we're dedicated to putting herbal medicine in the hands of the people! This program offers our community a chance to explore folk herbalism from various traditions, and to understand natures ability to support our health, strength, and vitality. The series is an introduction and includes herbal fundamentals, North American and Mid-Atlantic medicinal plants (and others), practical and therapeutic applications of herbs, herbal preparations and medicine making, harvesting and wild crafting plants,

Joined by special guests, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer and National Park Service Regional Director, Bob Vogel, local environmental nonprofit, Accokeek Foundation, kicked off a Centennial Year at Piscataway Park last week starting with a sign dedication event commemorating 60 years of stewardship of the national park located in Southern Prince George's County. Press Release link.

Also, working with the National Park Service and Maryland Geocaching Society, the Accokeek Foundation helped launch a state-wide "Find Your Park" geocaching event featuring 10 Maryland national parks including Piscataway Park. Press Release link.

Prince George's County Flower Farms Featured in New Website The Maryland Department of Agriculture and Maryland Cut Flower Growers Association are pleased to announce the launch of the Maryland Grown Flowers website: www.marylandgrownflowers.com . With a recent increase in demand for local cut flowers, this new website will provide valuable help to any Marylanders interested in locating or learning about locally grown cut flowers. Website features include a section where users can browse photos of various types of flowers available by season and a directory of local farms listed by county. There is also a photo gallery of different floral arrangements made with Maryland-grown cut flowers. Two of the 39 cut flower growers in Maryland are located in Prince George's County. Check out EcoBlossoms Farm (Upper Marlboro) and Red Chimney Flower Farm (Bowie).

Visit the calendar on the Prince George's County 'Fresh. Local. Fun.' website for information about more local farm and food events!

FUN.

Prince George's County Chef Waffles Featured at SXSW!

permaculture and herbal gardening, herbal energetics and more. A strong sense of social, racial, healthy, economic and environmental justice is integral to our program. Our focus at Centro Ashé is to provide an inclusive learning environment that celebrates the voices and contributions of people of color, indigenous, LGBTQ, women and more. All are welcome in our program with an open heart and dedication to a safe and respectful collective space. You will receive instruction from the abundance of local, expert knowledge. Registration closes soon. Visit www.centroashe.org.

MDA's Produce Seasonality Charts

Chef Cole Whaley of Cafe Rue in Forestville has been making appearances at popular events across the country, incognito! The Cole's Palette Food Truck is in disguise as the Fargo Waffle Wagon this summer and recently made the trip to Austin to serve waffles at South by Southwest. If you see it, be sure to tweet it (@FargoWaffleWagon)!

If you miss the Fargo Food Truck during your summer travels, you can catch Chef Cole at Cafe Rue seven days a week. Chef is looking for additional members for his team. Send him an email if you are interested!

Black Swamp's 7th Annual Plant Sale & Swap

Contact Us!

Do you have an interesting idea or event that you would like to share in the newsletter or even an interest in contributing an article? Have you enjoyed a tasty, locally-made dish or treat in Prince George's County? Did you have a phenomenal experience at one of our County's farm destinations or farmers markets? If you answered yes to any of these, we'd love to hear from you! Send us an email or call us at 301.868.8780. Warmly,

Fun Food Camp for Kids and Teens!

The Dietetics Program at the University of Maryland is committed to spreading nutrition education and awareness in the community through it's annual summer camp program, Healthy Eating Discovery. Campers will spend each day of the week learning about "Healthy Foods for my Body," and where food comes from. They will also participate in fun and creative activities such as designing their own delicious and nutritious theme meal. Our mission is to prepare campers to apply their knowledge of nutrition to promote healthy eating patterns!

Visit their website and Facebook page for more information!

AG Marketing, Prince George's County

Prince George's County Farm Fun

University of MD Extension, Prince George's County

Check out our newsletter archive!

Gwynn Park High School Future Farmers Of America Honors the Academy of Environmental Studies Advisory Committee Check out this great video created by the Future Farmers of America chapter at Gwynn Park High School. The chapter is part of the Academy of Environmental Studies! The Advisory Committee works to find career development and leadership opportunities for Prince George's County Public School youth in agriculture and environmental science.

2016 Spring Library Garden Lectures Have you made one of this season's Spring Library Garden Series sponsored by the Prince George's County Master Gardeners and Prince George's County Memorial Library System? There are a variety of workshops for both adults and youth. Food

gardening workshop topics include vegetable container gardening, starting a vegetable garden, and growing greens! Check out the line-up here! Grow in the Garden with PERMIE Kids! Earth & Me is a family-oriented program that uses play, storytelling and experiential learning to help our children connect with and develop a love for nature. Beginning April 23, 2016 we will explore how we can Grow in the Garden, including learning about gardening, herb fairies and community living though the minds eye of our friends the honey bees. Spring registration is now open for families with children ages 3-9.

Prince George's Soil Conservation District Celebrates 75 Yrs!

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The Prince George's County Farms & Food Newsletter and pgcountyfarmfun.com are both published by the Agriculture Marketing Consultant of the University of Maryland, Prince George's County. University of Maryland Extension is a statewide educational organization funded by federal, state, and local governments. Our mission is to support Maryland's agricultural industry; protect its valuable natural resources; enhance the well-being of families

and individuals, both young and old; and foster the development of strong, stable communities. University of Maryland Extension programs are open to all citizens without regard to race, color, gender, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, or national origin.