UMES Extension Specialty Herbs Consultant Henriette den Ouden’s new year is off to a great start! Future Harvest: Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture presented her with its Colchester Legacy Award during the non-profit’s annual conference January 13-14. The award recognizes an outstanding farmer on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
“We (the board of directors) chose “superstar” farmers with a track record of innovation, engagement with the community, investment in the health of their land and animals, and who love sharing their knowledge with other farmers,” said Future Harvest Executive Director Dena Leibman.
Den Ouden was selected based on her work with herb agriculture through UMES Extension’s Research and Education Farm and through her private farming practices as co-owner of Habanera Farm, Maryland’s first licensed herbal tea farm. She has been a strong advocate for farmers growing herbs as an alternative crop and shares her knowledge with interested farmers and home enthusiasts, Leibman said.
“This was a fantastic surprise. I have been growing herbs for a long time, since 2007, and sometimes it was hard to be the only one! My partner Chris and I have taught many classes to gardeners and farmers and guided several to get started, since we always knew that there was a market for medicinal herbs,” den Ouden said. “I am grateful to UMES Extension for allowing me to train and assist others with growing specialty herbs. I am extremely happy with the progress we are making now. Receiving this award really feels like getting appreciation for many years of hard work, and more importantly, it shows that others are understanding the potential there is in growing specialty herbs.”
Den Ouden is in good company as she will be recongnized along with Michael Heller, the retiring director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Clagett Farm and CSA in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, as the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and Michael Carter and Farmer Chippy as recipients of the Farmer of the Foodshed Award. Carter is a fifth generation farmer on his family’s property in Orange, Virginia where they specialize in specialty vegetables for African and other culture-specific markets along with being the Small Farm Resource Center coordinator for Virginia State University. Farmer Chippy, Richard Francis, is the executive director of Plantation Park Heights Urban Farm in Northwest Baltimore. The Caribbean-American farmer has established an intergenerational volunteer workforce that helps feed those who are food insecure.
.1.JPG "Henriette-Ag Showcase herb tour")
During the Future Harvest Conference, den Ouden was also a presenter on the topic, “Creating Herbal Products.” She and Ebony Payne from District Herbs teamed up to “provide tips and tricks needed to create herbal products right from day one.” Participants learned how to create a high quality, sellable commercial product that meets quality and legal requirements.
Den Ouden explored the entire process, from growing and harvesting to drying (or infusing) to final products like teas, tinctures, oils and flower essence. Payne shared her experiences making her award-winning CBD-based cream. The session was focused on commercial products, but also included guidelines for any farmer interested in making products for their own family, friends and animals.
Den Ouden came onboard with UMES Extension in 2019. She hold’s a master’s degree in herbal medicine from the Maryland University of Integrative Health in Laurel, Maryland.
“Henriette is very deserving of this award and we’re glad to see her hard work in promoting specialty herb production over the years being recognized,” said Berran Rogers, coordinator of UMES Extension’s Small Farm Program.
Gail Stephens, agricultural communications and media associate, University of Maryland School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, UMES Extension, gcstephens@umes.edu, 410-621-3850.
Photos by Todd Dudek, agricultural communications, University of Maryland School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, UMES Extension, tdudek@umes.edu
