Farmers

Among the grim stories from the Sept. 17, 1862, Battle of Antietam was the wounding of William Strickly of the 5th Virginia Infantry. An artillery explosion ripped through the belly of Strickly's horse, killing the animal, and tearing Strickly's left arm off, according to a new book co-written by Keven M. Walker. Strickly stumbled into the Mary Locher cabin near the visitors center at Antietam National Battlefield and collapsed on the floor, according to Walker's book, “A Guide to the Antietam Farmsteads.” Two surgeons found Strickly and tied off his arteries, but Strickly found himself alone again after the area came under Union artillery fire, according to the book.

As Hurricane Irene approaches Maryland, state agencies offer safety suggestions for motorists, pet owners and farmers to prepare for the storm's potential impact. Motorists The State Highway Administration recommends the following advice for motorists: Do not try to cross a flooded roadway. Eighty percent of flood-related deaths occur in vehicles.  Two feet of rapidly moving water can float a bus and 6 inches can knock down a person. Do not try to drive around police or highway personnel who are blocking roads - they are there for your safety.

Laurie Savage, a dairy farmer and communications professional from Dickerson, Md., will serve as the new scheduler for the Dairy Farmers Speakers Bureau, a program funded through the dairy checkoff program. More than 40 dairy producers have been trained through the speakers bureau to speak to community and civic groups about their role as dairy farmers in the community. The speakers bureau is a joint effort of the Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program, Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association and Center for Dairy Excellence.

A dairy farmer's life is one of routine and discipline, each day beginning with the rising sun. The economic side of dairy farming isn't nearly as predictable. "When it comes to working with cows, that's almost the easy part. You expect certain things with cows, but the economy is the challenge," said Ralph Shank, who runs Palmyra Farm with his family in Hagerstown. Dairy farming is Washington County's single largest farming industry. The 148 dairy farms in the county account for about $45 million in annual sales, more than half of the $83 million farming accounts for each year, according to University of Maryland Extension agriculture educator Jeff Semler.

As part of my job, I feel I have an obligation to help reconnect the general public with the food system they impact and shape by their choices. Yet many have little knowledge of farming. I look at my own family as an example. My mother-in-law was raised on a farm in Oklahoma, yet her eldest daughter (my sister-in-law) lives in suburban Baltimore where she and her husband are raising two sons. Those boys are a mere two generations from the farm, but if it weren’t for their uncle (me)

The Thursday Berkeley Springs Farmers Market will open for the season on June 30. The market on Fairfax Street, next to the Berkeley Springs State Park, will be open from 2 to 5 p.m.  For more information about the market, or to sign up for the weekly newsletter, go to www.berkeleyspringsfarmersmarket.org .

As many of you know, June is National Dairy Month, the month we celebrate all things dairy, dairy cows, dairy products and dairy farmers. Beyond the farm gate, dairy farmers contribute so much more than milk to our community. Washington County is home to more than 11,000 dairy cows and more than 140 farms that care for them. This makes the county second only to Frederick County in the state of Maryland. Our farms average about 80 cows per herd. We all know that our farms produce milk, but did you know that dairy farms are also heavily vested in the beef industry.

With the growing season well under way, Maryland farmers are anticipating a bounty of fresh products to deliver to the Free State's consumers. And with more than 120 farmers markets spread across every county and Baltimore City, it is easy to connect with neighboring farmers and get fresh, local produce. According to the Maryland Department of Agriculture, many markets have already opened, offering early-season produce and plants such as kale, salad greens, spinach, asparagus, strawberries, hanging flower baskets, bedding plants and garden seedlings.  A directory for farmers' markets in the state with detailed information can be found at www.mda.state.md.us/md_products/farmers_market_dir.php or find the link at the Maryland Farm Bureau website at www.mdfarmbureau.com .

The Maryland Poultry Swap and Farmers Market will be Saturday, June 18, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Green Hill Farm, 5329 Mondell Road in Sharpsburg.   Follow the signs through the town of Sharpsburg to Green Hill Farm, where area farmers will be setting up tables and displays to offer their products and services to the community.   The large sales area will have laying hens, baby chicks, turkeys, peacocks, exotic birds, geese, ducks, rabbits, goats as well as flowers, horse tack, local honey, used equipment and tools and just about anything farm related.    Food and beverage vendors will be onsite, as well as plenty of fun activities for the family, such as a straw maze, inflatable bounce and pony rides.

The Maryland Poultry Swap and Farmers Market, scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 18, is seeking local and regional farmers market vendors and swap vendors to attend and participate in this event. This is a community event to help unite area farmers of all kinds. Fee is $8, which includes space and an entry into a drawing for door prizes. For more information and additional rules and regulations go to www.mdpoultryswap.blogspot.com or call Erin at 304-279-0016.