Council Opposes New Potomac River Crossing

This morning the Council passed a resolution reaffirming our opposition to a new Potomac River bridge. We took the action at this time because the Long-Range Plan Task Force of the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board recommended further study of a northern crossing. Montgomery County has long opposed a second crossing as a part of our commitment to protecting the Agricultural Reserve, to conserving farmland and to protecting established residential neighborhoods. We also believe our scarce transportation dollars would be better spent on other projects, including solutions on I-270. See the resolution.

Montgomery County Agricultural Fair August 12-20

Mark your calendar for the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair August 12-20. This showcase of farm life in Montgomery County features live animals, carnival rides, a variety of entertainment, food and fun activities for all ages. Kids especially enjoy the opportunity to see all kinds of farm animals up close, including prize-winning goats, sheep, pigs, dairy cattle and horses. Live entertainment includes monster trucks, demolition derby, tractor pull and much more. You can also purchase quilting, clothing, canned goods, baked goods and vegetables from local farmers and enjoy arts and crafts exhibits of local youth.

Annual Farm Tour July 23 and 24

Get the family ready for the 27th Annual Farm Tour and Harvest Sale on July 23 and 24. You can get seasonally fresh food, learn about agriculture and visit with some of the farms' four-legged residents. Did you know that agricultural activities occupy about one-third of the County’s land area? The majority of the farms in the County are family-run operations, which employ more than 10,000 residents. The County has 540 farms in Montgomery County, many of which produce crops that help feed residents.

Celebrate Montgomery County's Agriculture

If you participated in last month's 26th annual Farm Tour and Harvest Sale, you may already know that Montgomery County has the highest percentage of farmland under agricultural land preservation easements in the nation, and that agriculture contributes $287 million to the County's economy. There are 540 farms and 350 horticultural enterprises in the County with the average farm size being 118 acres. Do you want to know more? Mark your calendar for the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair August 14-22.

Annual Farm Tour This Weekend

Across the Agricultural Reserve, Montgomery County’s farmers are preparing for the annual Farm Tour and Harvest Sale, which will be held on July 25 and 26, rain or shine. This year’s event is slated to be one of the biggest, and most diverse, in the tour’s 26-year history.

While many farm tour participants have been in business for multiple generations, (such as Lewis Orchards, founded in 1888), this year’s Farm Tour and Harvest Sale will also feature some newer farms, like Soleado, the only lavender farm in the County, and Madison Fields, a 400+ acre enterprise that uses equine therapy and farming to help children and adults with autism and other special needs.

We created the Agricultural Reserve in 1980, and it encompasses more than one-third of the County, or 93,000 acres, ensuring that agriculture and farming remains part of the history and heritage of the County and creating a resource for future food and fiber production.

As always, this year’s farm tour will feature tractor rides, pony rides, pick-your-own produce, music, picnic areas and food booths.

Check the brochure for the time that each farm will open and close.

Agricultural Fair August 8-16

Mark your calendar for the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair August 8-16. This showcase of farm life in Montgomery County features live animals, carnival rides, a variety of entertainment, food and fun activities for all ages. Kids especially enjoy the opportunity to see all kinds of farm animals up close, including prize-winning goats, sheep, pigs, dairy cattle and horses. Live entertainment includes monster trucks, demolition derby, pro wrestling and much more. You can also purchase quilting, clothing, canned goods, baked goods and vegetables from local farmers and enjoy arts and crafts exhibits of local youth.

Farm Tour and Harvest Sale This Weekend

Celebrate our agricultural heritage, visit local farms and indulge in seasonally fresh food at Montgomery County's Annual Farm Tour and Harvest Sale the weekend of July 26-27. Spend a day or two in the country petting farm animals or having lunch by a scenic pond. Purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, plants and more. It's an educational experience and a great family outing.

New Farmer Pilot Program

Check out these new farmers getting started in Montgomery County with a little help from their friends. With 100,000 acres of farmland in the county, we can really benefit from this new farmer pilot program that provides land matching and mentoring to those who want to get growing.

Farm Tour and Harvest Sale July 27-28

Celebrate our agricultural heritage, visit local farms and indulge in seasonally fresh food at Montgomery County's Annual Farm Tour and Harvest Sale the weekend of July 27-28. Every year, this event coincides with the Buy Local Challenge which encourages people to eat locally grown food. The Farm Tour gives you the opportunity to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, plants and other local products. Several farms have hayrides, pony rides, music, demonstrations and other fun and educational activities planned for people of all ages.

Find a Farmers Market Near You

Did you know that the County's diverse agricultural industry's 561 farms and 350 horticultural enterprises produce more than $243 million in economic contribution from agricultural products and operations? The majority of Montgomery County farms are family-run operations, many reaching back several generations, which employ more than 10,000 residents. Of the County's 561 farms, 43 percent are farmed as a primary occupation.

Check out one of the many Montgomery County farmers markets for fresh fruits, vegetables, bedding plants, cut flowers, preserves, herbs, baked goods and more. Each week, farmers markets provide different varieties of products as they come into season.

Unveiling New Agricultural Reserve Sign

Montgomery County’s efforts to protect more than 93,000 acres of farmland and woodland will be better known after this Saturday’s formal unveiling of a new sign telling drivers that they are in the County’s Agricultural Reserve area.

I, along with Phil Andrews, Ike Leggett and representatives of the Agricultural Services Division of the County’s Department of Economic Development, will celebrate the unveiling with the Greater Goshen Civic Association, which used its own funds to purchase and install the sign. It will be the sixth sign in the County that declares “Welcome to the Agricultural Reserve.”

The sign to be unveiled at 1:00 is located at the intersection of Brink Road and Wightman Road, at the northern end of Montgomery Village. Parking is available nearby and the Greater Goshen Civic Association will be hosting a picnic immediately afterward for all those who attend.

The Agriculture Reserve was established in 1980 by the Preservation of Agriculture and Rural Open Space Functional Master Plan. The plan seeks to protect about 93,000 of the County’s 316,000 acres for farming and horticultural use. Montgomery currently has about 570 farms and 350 horticultural enterprises.