Last summer I had the opportunity to visit 3 farms near my hometown of Baltimore, Md., and learn a bit about the rich history of agriculture in that part of the country. As a Milwaukee-based publication, much of my typical farm visits take place in Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and other neighboring midwestern states. But it's always nice to be able to expand our reach and showcase growers from other parts of the country when we are able.
In agriculture, each state provides its own set of unique benefits and challenges for farmers in that area. And during my trip last summer where I saw farms in Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland, the Chesapeake Bay revealed its own set of challenges for East Coast farmers to be cognizant of. After my trip was over, it became clear to me that my East Coast farm coverage was only just beginning.
So with that, I'll be headed back to the land of Blue Crabs and Old Bay next month to visit a few more farms and continue to cover the vast agricultural landscape of the DELMARVA (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia) area.
And while I have a few plans set in stone, I'd like to open up the discussion to our audience to suggest any possible farmers or specific areas that might be of high interest for me to report on.
So, if you know of anyone who farms anywhere near Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania or New Jersey, be sure to send me an email at mvogel@lessitermedia.com and I can see about stopping by their farm during the first two weeks of June. As usual, I am particularly seeking anyone planting cover crops or practicing no-till or strip-till on all or part of their land.
As always, my inbox is always open for questions, comments, suggestions or inquiries.
It feels good to put the Winter behind us (finally), and to be on the cusp of more field days and farm visits very soon — the best part of being an agriculture journalist.
