Farm

Ezra Baker owned a farm with a front gate that opened along the pike between Boonsboro and Keedysville near the Great Cave, or what we know today as Crystal Grottoes.  The family cemetery, located on the farm, is the final resting place of his two wives, Rosanna and Ann Barbara, and his grandfather, John Samuel Baker (born May 12, 1729-died April 12, 1819). It was to this farm that Henry Stanley "stumbled on his quest for Hagerstown after being dismissed from a prisoner of war camp near Harpers Ferry," according to descendants of the Baker family.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced a new microloan program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency designed to help small and family operations, beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers secure loans of less than $35,000. The program is aimed at bolstering the progress of producers through their start-up years by providing resources and helping to increase equity so that farmers might eventually graduate to commercial credit and expand their operations.

The Washington County Farm Bureau elected its new slate of officers for 2013. David Herbst, elected president, is a third generation dairy farmer from Ringgold, who owns and operates Misty Meadow Farm and Creamery on more than 400 acres in the Smithsburg area. Matt Schnebly was elected vice president. He has been employed as a service technician with Select Sire Power for the past 14 years and has also served on the Maryland State Young Farmers Executive Board for the past four years.

The coveted West Virginia Conservation Farm of the Year Award is staying in the Eastern Panhandle. B&G Orchards Inc., at 1787 Thatcher Road in Martinsburg, was named the top farm in the Mountain State in 2012 for the business' outstanding conservation of natural resources on the 403-acre family farm, the West Virginia Conservation Partnership announced Friday. Owned and operated by Bruce Butler Sr. and his sons, Bruce Jr. and Greg, the family grows more than 75 varieties of fruits and vegetables, and raises about 115 head of cattle.

Residents of an unfinished development who told the Waynesboro Borough Council they feared emergency vehicles could not use their unplowed streets did receive plowing after snowstorms in late December. Brimington Farms homeowners addressed the council several times late last year. They lamented unfinished roads and neglected upkeep such as mowing of common areas in their development. One of their most pressing concerns was snow plowing, which they said did not happen last winter.

Franklin County, Pa., cattle had a strong showing in the opening days of the 97th Pennsylvania Farm Show. The farm show, which continues through Saturday, features 10,000 competitive exhibits and nearly 300 commercial exhibitors in 11 buildings. About 400,000 visitors are expected. Randy Sutton of Blue Ridge Summit, Pa., answered questions Sunday afternoon as crowds gathered around his Texas longhorn cattle. Those animals had their show Friday. Blue Ridge Longhorns, which is operated by Randy and Pat Sutton, won grand champion bull, grand champion steer, premiere breeder and other honors.

Police believe a man working at a race horse farm off U.S. 340 may have been killed Monday morning when he was kicked in the head by a horse, according to Jefferson County Sheriff Robert E. “Bobby” Shirley. Shirley said the 25-year-old man taught horses how to walk at the farm and he was using a piece of equipment to train horses when the incident occurred. The man arrived at the farm before other workers, Shirley said. The other workers arrived about 7 a.m., and after not seeing the victim for a while, they searched around and found him, Shirley said.

Annie's Project is a national Cooperative Extension workshop series designed to empower women who are farm owners or partners.  If you are a female farmer with a passion for business and involvement in your farm operation, this class is for you. Annie's Project will be offered this winter at Penn State Extension - Adams County in Gettysburg, Pa., on Tuesday nights from Jan. 15 to March 19.  The sessions focus on five areas of risk management...

This is the 196th in a series of articles about the historical and architectural treasures of Washington County. At the western edge of Chewsville stands a massive stone barn on a small rise close to the intersection of Twin Springs Drive and Little Antietam Road. The land falls away behind this barn as two streams meander to form a single run beyond it. The date stone in the barn's east gable is no longer legible but is said to have been inscribed with the date 1786 and the initials J.R. or I.O. R. The barn, 100 feet by 40 feet, is built of roughly coursed rubble stone with narrow air vents in the upper level and post and beam construction visible inside.

More than 400 members and guests of the state's largest general agriculture organization gathered for the 97th Maryland Farm Bureau Annual Meeting and Convention Dec. 2-4 at the Clarion Resort Hotel in Ocean City. The event was highlighted with the annual awards banquet where Baltimore County took the Silver Bowl award for its outstanding program work in the past year.  Baltimore County was one of 10 counties to receive gold ratings in all six of the program areas. The honors are given for member benefits/membership, legislative affairs, women's leadership/agriculture education, young farmers, leadership development, and outstanding county Farm Bureau program.