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November 28, 2023

Chestertown Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Chestertown

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Archives Food and Garden Food and Garden Food Notes

Thanksgiving Food Drive at KCMS

November 3, 2023 by Kent County Public Schools Leave a Comment

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Students in a mentoring program at Kent County Middle School are hosting a food drive in November, collecting items families can use for Thanksgiving meals.

The students are holding the second annual AAEE Thanksgiving Food Drive Nov. 1 to 21. Items being collected are: Canned Gravy, Canned Corn, Canned Greens, Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce

Corn Bread Mix,Biscuit Mix, White Rice, Chicken Broth, Canned Yams, Mashed Potatoes,  Macaroni and Cheese

The food items may be dropped off in the middle school’s Student Support Center.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Archives, Food and Garden, Food Notes

A Win-Win for Kent County Small Businesses and Students

August 6, 2023 by The Spy 1 Comment

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To support local businesses in the technical trades while assisting high school students interested in those trade paths, the Chestertown Lions Club is seeking applications from Kent County businesses needing part-time assistance who are willing to train and mentor a high school student in their trade. The Club will provide financial grants to businesses to pay the students, while the business would mentor the student in various trade skills such as manufacturing, auto-, plumbing-, electrical-repair, or agricultural science, up to 15 hours per week while they are in high school.

Martha Ledoux and Brooklyn Usilton at the Happy Chicken

“I see this program as a way to make a difference for both the companies and the students.” Says Chestertown Lions President Jeff Ferguson.  “My opinion is that college degrees and attending college have been oversold in our country, much to the detriment of the skilled trades and crafts. Local companies get some extra help that they perhaps otherwise couldn’t afford and students learn valuable skills.”

Ferguson coordinated with Aundra Anderson, the Senior Counselor of Next Generation Scholars Program with the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education, who found students from families that could benefit from the financial support that the internships could provide and meet strict criteria of grades and behavior. Anderson brought the local companies into the process and then matched student interests with the companies.

Ferguson says the program began this year and has turned into a huge success for all concerned.  The financial support of the Lions enabled three students to obtain some “real world” experience.

Jaylin Whye and Brian Williams at Red Acre Farms

Red Acre Farms is a family-run farm growing hydroponic lettuce sold to stores and restaurants throughout the region. They also run a farm store and an events venue. Owner Brian Williams was teamed up with senior intern Jaylin Whye. Williams found intern Jaylin to be a great asset to his business. “He is very quick to learn any task, do it well, and stay on task.”

The Happy Chicken is a catering business providing freshly-prepared dishes from locally-produced ingredients for private events. They also offer pastry items at the Chestertown Farmers market, local pop ups, and custom orders.  Intern Brooklyn Usilton was paired up with owner and baker Martha Ledoux to learn the trade.  Ledoux found Brooklyn to be a great asset and helper while the intern learned vital aspects of the food trade and running a small business.

Alycia Wilson and Lisa Goetz at Wildly Native Flower Farm

Wildly Native Flower Farm grows hundreds of varieties of flowers for private events and venues.  Owner Liza Goetz established her “growing business” on her family’s 300-year-old historic Kent County farm.  Intern Alycia Wilson has been a great asset to the business, learning the trade from field to presentation; it has been a lesson in agricultural production, the artistry of flower arranging, processing flower orders and working with clientele. Alycia also created a line of stickers with quotes to promote the company.

Businesses interested in participating should contact: Aundra Anderson, NGS Senior Coordinator, Kent County Next Generation Scholars at [email protected] or call: 410-699-0346

 

 

 

 

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Filed Under: Archives, Food and Garden, Garden Notes

Figg’s Ordinary’s Evolution

June 10, 2023 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

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Figg’s Ordinary café will close permanently on July 8th to enable Figg’s Ordinary packaged good business, Ingrid’s Crackers™, to begin production. We have loved serving the Chestertown community through our café operations, appreciate your support and business over the past six years, and look forward to continuing to serve you though Ingrid’s Crackers packaged goods offerings.

As we shared with you a year or so ago, Figg’s Ordinary has partnered with Union Kitchen in Washington, D.C. Union Kitchen is a food incubator and commercial kitchen. Figg’s Ordinary will soon be launching three flavors of Ingrid’s Crackers for commercial distribution for sale at retail facilities. True to our traditions, Ingrid’s Crackers are made using organic nutrient dense ingredients including almond flour, flax meal, dried cranberries, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds. In addition to the original version of the crackers, an extraordinarily popular item at Figg’s Ordinary, we also offer two additional flavors: Cacao and Hazelnut, and Salted Almond (Paleo and Keto). We are excited to be able to bring our nourishing and unique artisan crackers to more customers.

Please watch for our products in retail stores near you soon! Thank you again for your support, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with you as Figg’s Ordinary takes this next, exciting step.

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Filed Under: Food Notes Tagged With: Chestertown Spy, Food, local news

Backyard Composting Workshop May 20

May 17, 2023 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

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The Chestertown Environmental Committee is offering a FREE composting workshop this Saturday, May 20, 10 am to noon at Sumner Hall, 206 South Queen Street, Chestertown.

Why compost?  It will enrich your soil with nutrients, resulting in a healthier, more productive garden, whether for consumption or pleasure. It increases the soils’ ability to absorb moisture – reducing runoff, it cuts down on trash in the landfill.

Learn all the dos and don’ts in this two hour workshop, hosted by the Chestertown Environmental Committee. Compost bins will be available at the event. For more information email Jenny at [email protected].

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Garden Notes Tagged With: Chestertown Spy, Ecosystem, local news

The Eastern Shore Permaculture Institute is Rebuilding Community One Potluck At a Time

November 12, 2022 by Spy Desk

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In a fractured post-pandemic world, monthly ‘permaculture potlucks’ hosted by the Eastern Shore Permaculture Institute (ESPI) have struck a chord with local communities. The potlucks have grown quickly from humble beginnings – a handful of participants in spring 2021 — to more than 50 attendees per month in the fall of 2022. These special events bring together people from different walks of life to share food, learn new skills, and build relationships, with a focus on sustainable land use.

“In a world where our sense of community and belonging has been depleted by a global pandemic on one side and the age of smart phones and hiding behind social media on the other, these potlucks present a unique opportunity to socialize, learn new things, network, and build a community of sustainability-minded folks here on the upper Eastern Shore,” explains Justinian Dispenza, Director of ESPI.

The potlucks are attended by a diverse crowd, including local farmers, artists, professors, college students, musicians, small business owners, homesteaders, nonprofit representatives, politicians, and curious families and community members. Over the past year, the events have been hosted at many different farms, homes, and gardens across Kent County.

“As a young farmer committed to producing food sustainably, the ESPI potlucks have been an invaluable resource,” says Sarah Starman, co-owner of Tavern Creek Farm. “Through these events, I’ve gotten advice from other growers, built relationships, and even met new customers. It really makes you feel like you’re part of a community, and enables you to make more of a positive impact.”

The final Permaculture Potluck of 2022 will be held on Saturday, November 19th, and is open to the public. It will take place at ESPI’s Permaculture Demonstration Property in Galena, MD, from 5pm – 9pm. Activities include a site tour; free pizzas cooked on an outdoor, wood-fired cobb oven; a potluck (attendees will bring drinks or dishes to share); fire spinning lessons; and music around a campfire. Other interesting features of the Permaculture Demonstration Property include a mobile solar dehydrator, a succulent greenhouse, mushroom logs, a demonstration wildflower meadow, a community garden, composting systems, and more.

“These events have been great for connecting the local community together, while learning from each other about ways that we can all be better stewards of our local lands and waterways,” says Zack Kelleher, the Sassafras Riverkeeper with ShoreRivers. “In order to clean up our local environment, it takes a diverse coalition of passionate people fighting every day, and we’re so fortunate to have ESPI in our community to provide an avenue for all of us to get together.

For the address of the potluck or to get on the email list for future ESPI events, reach out to Justinian at [email protected].

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Garden Notes Tagged With: Chestertown Spy, local news

Harvest Highlights: A National Garden Club Standard Flower Show

September 7, 2022 by Spy Desk

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On Saturday, September 24, 2022 from 1:00-5:00 pm, the Queen Anne’s County Garden Club (QACGC) will be hosting the District I Flower Show “Harvest Highlights,” a National Garden Clubs Standard Flower show to be held at the Chesapeake College, Health Professions and Athletics Center (HPAC) at 1000 College Circle Wye mills, MD. The show is FREE and open to the public. For further information email [email protected] or phone 410-556-6241

District I members from the 10 Federated garden clubs on Maryland’s Eastern Shore (including QACGC), as well as members from garden clubs throughout the region, will exhibit and compete their “best” creative flower designs, prized horticulture examples, and botanical arts creations. All entries will be submitted in accordance with the guidelines of the National Garden Clubs Flower Show Handbook and the “schedule,” written by Terry Holman, established specific to the fall theme of Harvest Highlights.  Carolyn Macglashan, General Chairperson for the flower show, along with Sue Hansen, President of QACGC, say they are excited to showcase the talents of District I in the prime and easily accessible location of Chesapeake College. They feel sure this innovative flower show will be fun and inspiring to members and visitors alike!

In keeping with the Harvest Highlights theme, there are special “growing challenges” by members in District I that include competing “darling” dahlias and “gorgeous” gourds. The show will also feature a section of “farm stand vegetables.’

Additionally, educational exhibits being showcased include “Breaking the Plastic Habit,” a Patriotic Programs exhibit highlighting the work of federated garden clubs in supporting Wreaths Across America and the Blue Star and Gold Star Memorial Highway Marker Program, and an educational exhibit about Loving Good Bugs (that don’t bug us) display.  There will also be the life-size Harvest Goddess, an impressive figure artistically designed with plant material from top to bottom! Flower show entries are judged by a panel of National Garden Clubs accredited judges who will judging Saturday morning prior to the opening of the flower show to the public.

The Harvest Highlights flower show can be a destination for the day with plenty of exhibits to see, feature programs, and demonstrations each hour from 1:00pm to 4:00 pm.  Learn to arrange a beautiful bouquet of supermarket flowers with District I Director, Jeanne Bernard, make a design with succulents in a pumpkin with Faye Phillips, and learn fall garden cleanup tips with Ken Morgan of Robin’s Nest. And, for the first time there will be a Marketplace with food trucks and a variety of vendors selling their goods.

Special thanks go out to our sponsors for their support: Shore United Bank, Unity Church Hill Nursery, Bartlett Tree Experts, and Mr. & Mrs. Bruce J Valliant.  Also, thank you to the many patrons and district members for their donations.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Garden Notes Tagged With: gardens, local news

Adkins Mystery Monday: Who Did We Find Enjoying the Summer Morning Dew

September 5, 2022 by Adkins Arboretum

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Happy Mystery Monday! Who did we find enjoying the summer morning dew by Emily’s Play Garden?

Last week, we asked you about lespedeza or silky bush clover (Lespedeza cuneata). Lespedeza is considered invasive because it is non-native and forms dense patches in meadows and forest edges outcompeting native plants. This invasive lespedeza tends to have white blooms with purple centers. There is a native species (Lespedeza virginica) with pink flowers that is helpful in providing cover and food for birds in the winter. Lespedeza is a nitrogen fixing legume (Fabaceae), so it is very effective at growing in nutrient-deficient or disturbed soils.
#adkinsarboretum #lespedeza #mysterymonday #mysteryplant #mysteryfrog #fabaceae #knowyourplantfamilies

Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go here.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Food-Garden Homepage, Food-Garden Portal lead Tagged With: Adkins Arboretum

Maryland Grazing School and Advanced Grazing Workshop

September 2, 2022 by University of Maryland Extension

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University of Maryland Extension and partners are excited to be bringing back both the Maryland Grazing School and Advanced Grazing Workshop this fall and invite grazers and livestock owners to attend one of these upcoming events!

The Maryland Grazing School will be held over two days on September 29-30, 2022 at Rocklands Farm in Poolesville, MD from 8 AM to 5 PM each day. Designed with producer interests in mind, this 2-day grazing school will offer a more in-depth education on pasture and grazing management. The course features multiple hands-on exercises to provide participants with opportunities to work with grazing tools and fencing materials. Topics covered will include forage selection, pasture assessment, grazing management, pasture allocation, fencing and watering options, extending the grazing season, and more! Enrollment is limited to 30 people to keep the group small and allow for more interaction and networking opportunities. For full details and registration information, please visit https://go.umd.edu/grazingschool.

The Advanced Grazing Workshop feat. Ranching for Profit will be held over two days on October 20-21, 2022 at the Western Maryland Research and Education Center in Keedysville, MD from 9 AM to 5 PM each day. This advanced grazing workshop is designed for producers looking to transform their operation into a profitable business with less work and stress. Workshop attendees will dive deeper into the principles behind farm economics and increasing farm profitability, giving them the tools and insights they need to improve their business. The workshop will be taught by Dave Pratt, one of the experts on the Ranching for Profit team and will feature a small group approach with team and class discussions, case studies, videos, and application to participants’ own situation. For full details and registration information, please visit https://go.umd.edu/rfpworkshop.

These events are brought to you by University of Maryland Extension, the Maryland-Delaware Forage Council, Maryland Grazers Network, NE SARE, and American Farmland Trust. Thank you to our event partners!

If you have questions or need assistance please contact your local county Extension office or Amanda Grev at [email protected] or 301-432-2767 x339. If you need reasonable accommodation to participate in any event or activity please contact us at least 2 weeks prior to the event. Hope to see you there!

The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to any person and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Garden Notes Tagged With: local news, University of Maryland Extension

The Maryland Food Ventures Workshop for Home Cooks and On-Farm Home Processors Goes Virtual

August 30, 2022 by University of Maryland Extension

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If you’ve considered turning your farm’s tomatoes or fruit into a canned product, or turning your grandmother’s favorite bread recipe into a small business idea, University of Maryland Extension has a newly updated virtual workshop developed to teach the intricacies of starting a food business under Maryland’s on-farm home processing license and cottage foods.

The Maryland Food Ventures workshop (formerly known as Food For Profit) is currently offered in a virtual format (in-person dates forthcoming), and is free for a limited time only (till Mid-September 2022). The newly designed course was created in conjunction with the Maryland Department of Health, and provides foundational information for farmers (small farms and ranchers, specialty crop producers and value-added producers) under the On-Farm Home Processing License, and home cooks and bakers interested in selling their homemade products to the public, under the Cottage Food Business. The self-paced workshop will help both groups determine if their homemade jam, or other value-added product, will make a sustainable business idea.

“There’s some important things that have been updated in terms of Maryland regulations,” said Dr. Shauna Henley, senior agent in the Family and Consumer Sciences program, and current lead on the U.S. Department of Agriculture – National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) grant to re-examine, optimize, and improve the current modules for both online and in-person classes. “In October of 2019, cottage foods were allowed to be sold in certain retail establishments, and this October (2022), the cap on sales for cottage foods is rising to $50,000 from $25,000 per year. These are significant changes for these small businesses, although not for on-farm home processing.”

In addition to the increase in the yearly cap on sales for cottage foods, the U.S. will also include sesame as the ninth major food allergen that will need to be declared, like tree nuts (e.g. almonds) or the other eight major food allergens. “This program gives us the platform to reiterate the regulations, as well as bring awareness to the new food allergen,” Henley said.

Collaborating with Shannon Dill, principal agriculture and food systems agent (Talbot county), and Neith Little, agriculture and food systems agent (Baltimore City), to create the new curriculum, the program not only highlights state regulations, but also tackles the business development side of starting a cottage food or on-farm home processing business from your home or farm kitchen.

“It’s intended to be a beginning platform to introduce people to all of these moving pieces,” said Henley. “We really want people to think of the risks as it applies to food safety, costs, business planning, and labeling – even that can be more than people expect.”

While starting an on-farm or cottage food business comes with challenges and risks, the Maryland Food Ventures workshop provides an introduction designed to help people develop their idea into a sustainable business plan. The workshop also addresses those who have been running an on-farm or cottage food business and are ready to take the next step.

“You have to be invested if it’s something you want to pursue,” Henley said. “An on-farm or cottage food business can give you a taste of whether your idea can be successful on a larger scale in the future.”

The free introductory period to access the workshops only lasts for a limited time, after which, the course registration is $15. Learn more and register at https://umeagfs.teachable.com/p/maryland-food-ventures-cottage-onfarm. For more food safety resources from farm-to-table visit https://extension.umd.edu/resource/food-safety-farm-table-resources-marylanders.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Garden Notes Tagged With: local news, University of Maryland Extension

Adkins Mystery Monday: What Non-Native Woody Forb is Flowering Now?

August 29, 2022 by Adkins Arboretum

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Happy Mystery Monday! What non-native woody forb is flowering now?

Last week, we asked you about flowering spurge (Euphorbia corollata)! Flowering spurge is a native perennial that readily self seeds in open woodlands, fields, and roadsides. It has delicate white blooms in the summer, creating a nice airy floral accent. Flowering spurge has been known to cause some skin irritation, so it’s best to admire from a distance (or with gloves). The flowers offer nectar to a variety of bees, wasps, and butterflies and the seeds are eaten by birds. Similar to flowering dogwood, flowering spurge has showy bracts rather than petals.
#adkinsarboretum #mysterymonday #mysteryplant #floweringspurge

Adkins Mystery Monday is sponsored by the Spy Newspapers and Adkins Arboretum. For more information go here.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Food-Garden Homepage, Food-Garden Portal lead Tagged With: Adkins Arboretum

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