June Farm Stewardship Meeting Coming Up !!

Please join us for the June Maryland Horse Council Farm Stewardship meeting at beautiful Persimmon Tree Farm!

Wednesday, June 11 6:00 - 8:30 pm

"How Your Horse Farm Can Be a Home for Healthy Horses AND Natural Flora and Fauna"

The meeting will focus on methods and financing for adding natural habitat to your farm.  We will also get an update on environmental issues for horse farms from the state legislative session, review where we are in signing up farms for the Farm Stewardship Certification and Assessment Program (FSCAP) and discuss ideas for future meetings.

Our host is Carolyn Krome.  Refreshments will be provided

Meeting Address:

            Persimmon Tree Farm

            1030 Bloom Road

            Westminster, MD 21157

Questions?  

Contact Jane Thery, Chair, theryjane@gmail.com; 202-527-2145

Happy Earth Day !

Earth Day is a good time to check up on the "green" standard of your horse farm.  Are your pastures healthy?  Streams fenced off?  Muddy areas minimized? Manure properly managed?  How is the carbon footprint of your barn?  Are you using natural light and ventilation? Alternative energy such as solar panels? LED lights?  Minimizing farm equipment exhaust?

A well-managed horse farm protects the natural environment AND provides a healthy home for our horses.

Happy Earth Day !

17 Horse Farms - Certified Agricultural Conservation Stewards

Farm Stewardship Certification and Assessment Program (FSCAP)

Administered by the Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts (MASCD)

With support from the Maryland Horse Council Farm Stewardship Committee

17 Horse Farms - Certified Agricultural Conservation Stewards

Protecting 1,749.8 acres in Eight Counties as of 3/25/14

1.         Carolyn Krome

            Persimmon Tree Farm

            1030 Bloom Road

            Westminster, MD 21157      131.60 acres – Carroll County

2.         Steven Darcey

Edgewood Farm

2550 Ritchie Marlboro Road

Upper Marlboro, MD 20774            - 84 acres – Prince George’s County

3.         Karla Stoner

Bloomsbury Forge

8401 Peters Road

Frederick, MD 21704           119 acres – Frederick County

4.         Milly Welsh

Graden

3355 Davidsonville Road

Davidsonville, MD 21035       20 acres – Anne Arundel County

5.         Lori Larson

Wyndham Oaks

19301 Bucklodge    Road

Boyds, MD 20841                 75 acres – Montgomery County

6.         Kevin Plank

Tom Mullikin, Manager

Sagamore Farm

3510 Belmont Ave,

Reisterstown, MD 21136     436.8 acres – Baltimore County

7.         Rick Terselic

Potomac Horse Center

14211 Quince Orchard Road

North Potomac, MD 20878     31.9 acres – Montgomery County

8.         Michael Rubin

John Warffeli, Manager

Breezy Hill Farm

20306 Bucklodge Road

Boyds, MD 20841                 36.4 acres – Montgomery County

9.         Linda Santomenna and Robert Alphin

Blue Waters Farm

48 Bethel Cemetery Road

Chesapeake City, MD 21915              43 acres – Cecil County

10.       Barbara McDonald

21940 Oscar Hayden Road

Bushwood, MD 20618          22.3 acres – St. Mary’s County

11.       Marko Bulmer

            Roedown Farm

            3856 Wayson Road

            Davidsonville, MD 21035     140 acres – Anne Arundel County

12.       Larry and Jo-Anne Schaudies

            Surmont LLC

            21660 W Offutt Road

            Poolesville, MD 20837          14.5 acres – Montgomery County

13.       Michael Dickinson

            Tapeta Farm

            100 Piney Creek Lane

            North East, MD 21901          250 acres – Cecil County

14.       Dr. Charles Mess

            Brooke Grove Farm

            18420 Brooke Grove Road

            Olney, MD 20832                  203 acres – Montgomery County

15.       Mike Magruder

            Cherry Valley Equestrian Center

            5027 Cherry Tree Lane

            Sykesville, MD 21784           36.5 acres – Carroll County

16.       Bill and Patricia Hahn

            Separate Peace Farm

            3571 Heavens Gate Drive

            Westminster, MD 21158      77 acres – Carroll County

17.       Steven Sisterman

            Roundabout Farm

            41625 Foxes Point Lane

            Leonardtown, MD 20650     29.44 acres – St. Mary’s County

Congratulations ! 16 Horse Farms Certified as Excellent Land Stewards

Farm Stewardship Certification and Assessment Program (FSCAP)

Administered by the Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts (MASCD)

With support from the Maryland Horse Council Farm Stewardship Committee

16 Horse Farms - Certified Agricultural Conservation Stewards

Protecting 1,720.5 acres in Eight Counties as of 3/6/14

1.         Carolyn Krome

            Persimmon Tree Farm

            1030 Bloom Road

            Westminster, MD 21157      131.60 acres – Carroll County

2.         Steven Darcey

Edgewood Farm

2550 Ritchie Marlboro Road

Upper Marlboro, MD 20774            - 84 acres – Prince George’s County

3.         Karla Stoner

Bloomsbury Forge

8401 Peters Road

Frederick, MD 21704           119 acres – Frederick County

4.         Milly Welsh

Graden

12100 Cherry Tree Crossing Road

Brandywine, MD 20613         20 acres – Anne Arundel County

5.         Lori Larson

Wyndham Oaks

19301 Bucklodge    Road

Boyds, MD 20841                 75 acres – Montgomery County

6.         Kevin Plank

Tom Mullikin, Manager

Sagamore Farm

3510 Belmont Ave,

Reisterstown, MD 21136     436.8 acres – Baltimore County

7.         Rick Terselic

Potomac Horse Center

14211 Quince Orchard Road

North Potomac, MD 20878     31.9 acres – Montgomery County

8.         Michael Rubin

John Warffeli, Manager

Breezy Hill Farm

20306 Bucklodge Road

Boyds, MD 20841                 36.4 acres – Montgomery County

9.         Linda Santomenna and Robert Alphin

Blue Waters Farm

48 Bethel Cemetery Road

Chesapeake City, MD 21915              43 acres – Cecil County

10.       Barbara McDonald

21940 Oscar Hayden Road

Bushwood, MD 20618          22.3 acres – St. Mary’s County

11.       Marko Bulmer

            Roedown Farm

            3856 Wayson Road

            Davidsonville, MD 21035     140 acres – Anne Arundel County

12.       Larry and Jo-Anne Schaudies

            Surmont LLC

            21660 W Offutt Road

            Poolesville, MD 20837          14.5 acres – Montgomery County

13.       Michael Dickinson

            Tapeta Farm

            100 Piney Creek Lane

            North East, MD 21901          250 acres – Cecil County

14.       Dr. Charles Mess

            Brooke Grove Farm

            18420 Brooke Grove Road

            Olney, MD 20832                  203 acres – Montgomery County

15.       Mike Magruder

            Cherry Valley Equestrian Center

            5027 Cherry Tree Lane

            Sykesville, MD 21784           36.5 acres – Carroll County

16.       Bill and Patricia Hahn

            Separate Peace Farm

            3571 Heavens Gate Drive

            Westminster, MD 21158

Manure Matching Service Ready for Business

Manure Matching Service Ready for Business
With spring planting season upon us, the Maryland Department of Agriculture reminds farmers that its Manure Matching Service is available to link farmers with excess manure with other farmers or alternative use projects that can use the product as a valuable resource. The Service is voluntary, free and available to both sending and receiving farms. It complements the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s recently expanded Manure Transport Program, which helps poultry, dairy, beef and other livestock producers cover the costs of transporting excess manure off their farms. For more information on both programs, farmers should contact their local soil conservation district, call 1-855-6MANURE or 

visit  http://mda.maryland.gov/resource_conservation/Pages/manure_management.aspx

It's the Law: Nutrient Management Plans

Maryland’s Nutrient Management Regulations

Annual Plan Due March 1

“Maryland law requires all farmers grossing $2,500 a year or more or livestock producers with 8,000 pounds or more of live animal weight to follow nutrient management plans when fertilizing crops and managing animal manure. These plans—developed by consultants and farmers certified by the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA)—specify how much fertilizer, manure or other nutrient sources may be safely applied to crops to achieve yields and prevent excess nutrients from impacting waterways. Nutrient management plans generally are required for all agricultural land used to produce plants, food, feed, fiber, animals or other agricultural products. Farmers are required to submit copies of their initial nutrient 

management plans to MDA, update plans before they expire, take new Follow the step-by-step instructions outlined in this brochure  to step into compliance with Maryland’s nutrient management regulations.soil samples a minimum of once every three years and submit Annual Implementation Reports (AIRs) documenting how they implemented their plans during the previous year. AIRs must be filed with MDA by March 1. Compli ance with the Nutrient Management Program is a requirement for participation in the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share (MACS) Program. “ http://mda.maryland.gov/resource_conservation/counties/StepintoComplianc.pdf

Horse-friendly fact sheet:

 file:///C:/Users/jthery/Downloads/Equine%20NMP%20-%20EBR-14.pdf

Maryland Environmental Agency Grants for Ag Energy Efficiency Projects

MEA is once again supporting showcase energy efficiency projects in the agriculture sector. Through the 2014 Kathleen A. P. Mathias Agriculture Energy Efficiency Program (Mathias Ag Program), MEA will distribute grants ranging in size from $25,000 to $200,000 to assist with the costs of installing energy efficiency technologies in farms and businesses in the agriculture sector.  The measures must enable a minimum 20% energy savings in the buildings or areas where they are installed.  MEA will showcase these projects as case studies within the agriculture sector. MEA will award at least $1,000,000 in grants in 2014 and anticipates granting 6 to12 awards for this program. All projects should be designed to have construction completed by October 31, 2014 and invoices submitted to MEA by November 30, 2014.


Full details here:

http://energy.maryland.gov/Business/MathiasAg14.htm