P L E N T Y SUMMER 2019 Plenty Summer 2019-joomag copy | Page 2

Publisher’s Message
W
hen Wib and I moved back to Maryland
from Arizona in 2018, we unknowingly
settled on the edge of Montgomery
County’s Agricultural Reserve. Shortly thereafter
we received a neighborhood newsletter filled
with fascinating facts about the Reserve and
our curiosity was piqued. Wib started taking
early morning jaunts into the countryside with
his camera and coming home thrilled by what
he was capturing. We began looking into the
county’s agricultural history and the people who
lived in the Reserve, from farmers and business
owners to nonprofit organizations that all had a
stake in what happens in this amazing place.
We quickly came to realize that most folks who
did not live in the Reserve knew very little, if
anything, about it; and no newspaper or maga-
zine focused exclusively on the immense eco-
nomic benefit and opportunity it brings to the
county, its residents and visitors.
As publication experts for many years in Wash-
ington, DC and Arizona, we decided we wanted
to jump in and do something about it. We’ve
gathered stories and insights from thought
leaders, educators, farmers, entrepreneurs and
activists who share its rich history, recreational
opportunities, and issues that impact the qual-
ity of life in Montgomery County now and in
decades to come.
We hope you will enjoy the inaugural issue of
PLENTY and take time to explore, savor and
appreciate the extraordinary beauty, food, fun
and history that await you!
Our best to you!
Jane Perini & Wib Middleton