avenues are so much more than an exchanged between the customer and the farm . Local agriculture is dependent on the whole community .
Future Harvest CASA is one of those exceptional organizations supporting farms and aspiring farmers . I still remember speaking with Sarah Sohn for the first time when she interviewed me to be part of the Beginner Farmer Training Program four years ago . I have never met someone who works as hard and tirelessly as she does . Future Harvest has been an invaluable port of connections . Their annual conference , vibrant online community , and educational workshops provide a network of learning , a place where solutions are always on the horizon . Beginner and aspiring farmers all over the state identify Sarah and other dedicated staff at Future Harvest as helping to build the foundation of their agricultural businesses .
Another organization that has done critical work to support the local farming community is the Montgomery County Office of Agriculture . Staff members Jeremy Criss and Jackie Arnold have been instrumental in helping farmers source funding and financial assistance . They , like Sarah , always have time for questions or advice . When our farm was applying for several grants to increase growing capacity , their office advocated for us and used all its resources to assist us with the grant process . Not only did they support infrastructure building and expansion , but they also provided us with COVID vaccine updates . I can ’ t think of another group that is so fully invested in making farming a viable business in Montgomery County .
Working in tandem with the county agriculture office is the Montgomery County Food Council ( MCFC ). MCFC was a leader in the first months of the pandemic serving as an example to other counties on best practices for getting food to people as quickly as possible . One of the most significant things they did , specifically Heather Bruskin and Catherine Nardi , was to directly ask farmers , “ What do you need ?” Our farm experienced the direct results of this conversation by participating in the Farm to Food Bank program .
MCFC , working together with the Montgomery County Office of Agriculture and Manna Food Center , deserves recognition for taking on the immediate needs of food insecurity and nutrition while simultaneously supporting local farms . The Farm to Food Bank program has compensated farmers , at
Charlotte Henderson . left , and One Acre Farm ’ s new high tunnel allows for year round food production .
wholesale prices or better , to sell their fresh and local produce to Manna . This has supported local farmers who were then able to provide fresh food to those in need during the pandemic .
Of course , there are countless other people and organizations that have influenced and supported farms and farmers in the Ag Reserve . While I ’ d like to spread the good word about the exceptional work of these organizations , it would require exceeding the word limit of this article ! A farm ’ s success is due to so much more than the exchange between customers and farmers . It takes groups , several groups of incredibly conscientious people , to make farming in the Ag Reserve a success story .
Charlotte Henderson , along with farm owner Michael Protas , manages One Acre Farm located in Montgomery County ’ s Agricultural Reserve . During the growing season , the farm distributes Certified Naturally Grown produce weekly to over 400 families . Since joining the farm in 2019 , she has run a program with Adventist Healthcare in which employees receive fresh produce . Last year , her grant writing launched One Acre Farm to year-round production .
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