A Gathering of Diverse Local Producers Uplifts and Inspires
by gabe albornoz I Montgomery county council president
Earlier this year , I had the privilege of driving through the beautiful winding rustic roads of Brookeville , Maryland , arriving at Dodo Farms , a certified naturally grown produce farm operated and owned by immigrants from Nigeria . Niyi Balogun and Tope Fajingbesi hosted the gathering , organized by my friends at Montgomery Countryside Alliance , to meet with diverse local agricultural producers and hear of their farm businesses as well as challenges and recommendations for innovative solutions . The conversation with this talented group gave me a true appreciation of what ’ s possible in our community .
It took me back to my childhood , and I could not stop reminiscing about visits to my uncle ’ s 120-acre farm in Ecuador , located about 40 miles outside of Quito . His was a dairy farm , but also produced crops , including sugarcane , that were cultivated to serve as the base of an alcoholic drink that he exported around the world . I visited the farm three times as a boy and each time stayed several days with my cousins in the guest house , rising each morning at 5am to the music of chickens , alpacas and other livestock , while watching the sunrise over the majestic mountains of Ecuador . We ate farm fresh eggs , drank freshly squeezed guayaba , mora and naranjilla juice . Every day we milked cows , helped cultivate crops , played with the children of the farm staff and generally lived our best lives . I don ’ t think I have ever slept as well as I did during those visits .
On that brilliant June afternoon at Dodo
PHOTO : WIB MIDDLETON
Table crop farmers gathered at Dodo Farms to meet with Council President Albornoz . Participants felt a real sense of uplift and common purpose , expressing optimism that deepened connections and future deliberate actions can generate greater food diversity and security in the County , along with social equity , justice , and well-being for farmers .
4 plenty I autumn harvest 2022