Conference | UMES Extension

UMES Extension’s

Annual Small Farm Conference

November 1-2, 2024

A Look Back at 21st Small Farm Conference

21st Small Farms Conference takes place Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 on the Campus of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. (Photo by Todd Dudek, UMES Ag Communications)

Photos by Todd Dudek/UMES Ag Communications

About the Small Farm Conference

UMES Extension’s Small Farm Conference was held Nov. 1-2, 2024.

This event equips farmers and landowners in Maryland and along the Delmarva Peninsula with tools and strategies to increase farm profitability and promote farm sustainability.

The UMES Extension event builds, revises, and expands program and outreach activities to appeal to and address individual as well as community needs, emerging problems and concerns of target groups focusing on limited-resource, new and beginning, and the underserved farmers.

We look forward to welcoming you to the 22nd Annual Small Farm Conference in 2025.

What you can learn

The 21st annual Small Farm Conference will consist of three tracks participants can follow. Each conference day offers two morning sessions that are applicable to each track (total of 4 sessions per track). The tracks for 2024 are:

Non-traditional agriculture: Sessions on Blueberries, Blackberries and Raspberry production; Growing Alternative Crops as Value-Added; The Business of Beekeeping; and Pawpaw Production.
Business and market sense: Session on Making Cooperation Work for Everyone; Transitioning to Agritourism panel discussion; Ground Up Sustainability; and Strategic Business Planning for Small Farms.
Ag research and trending topics: Sessions on Climate Justice: Informing the Future of State Programming; Pest Management for Vegetable Crops; and Nonprofit Farms Nurturing Resilient Food Systems.

2024 bus tour options

Friday’s participants can choose one of the following bus tours. Seating is limited and must be selected at the time of ticket purchase.

The Bay Mushrooms LLC

Location: Cambridge, Dorchester County

About: Specialty mushroom grower with pick-up at farmers markets.

Go Green OC

Location: Worcester County

About: Nonprofit environmental organization with a goal of promoting zero waste.

Delmarva Native Plants

Location: Hurlock, Wicomico County

About: Wholesaler focused on native upland and wetland plants of local origin.

Hands-on workshop options

Saturday’s participants can choose one of the following hands-on workshops:

Intro to Food Preservation: Pickles and Pickle Products with Lynn Matava, UMES Family and Consumer Sciences educator
Making Value-Added Herbal Products with Henriette den Ouden, UMES Extension

Your selection must be made at the time of ticket purchase.

Meet the keynote speaker

Shamilla Roberts is the CEO and founder of Green Raven Organics, a 501c3 nonprofit in Charlotte, North Carolina. Green Raven Organics’ mission goes beyond just growing produce — it’s about cultivating hope and nourishing communities.

Born and raised in Syracuse, New York, she earned a bachelor’s degree in business management and economics management from SUNY Empire State College. She has an extensive project management and leadership background across various industries, utilities, finance and construction. 

Roberts’ life is a testament to tenacity and resilience. She was placed in foster care at the age of 6 months before being adopted at age 6.  Roberts’ longtime determination to make a difference in the world of food insecurity was fueled by the death of her adopted mother of a food-related disease when Roberts was 10 years old.

Now a wife and a mother to three daughters, Roberts transitioned to become a stay-at-home mom after the birth of her youngest, who is now 1 year old. She calls herself a “Sourdough Baking Momma” and bakes all things sourdough as a for-profit arm to raise money to purchase land.

Her dream? To acquire land that will serve as the foundation for Green Raven Organics — a place where organic, locally grown and fresh produce flourish to benefit her community. Roberts’ ambition extends beyond providing food; it’s about eradicating food deserts in North Carolina. She believes everyone, regardless of their circumstances, deserves access to nutritious food.

Through Green Raven Organics, she sows seeds of change. Her vision serves as a beacon of hope for those struggling with food insecurity, a legacy that honors the memory of her adoptive mother and a promise to her daughters that a single act of kindness can ripple out to transform lives.