{"id":10509,"date":"2024-06-14T13:10:25","date_gmt":"2024-06-14T17:10:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/sans\/?p=10509"},"modified":"2024-06-17T14:30:53","modified_gmt":"2024-06-17T18:30:53","slug":"picnic-tent-to-booming-farm-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/sans\/connections\/june-2024-connections\/picnic-tent-to-booming-farm-market\/","title":{"rendered":"Picnic tent to booming farm market"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

UMES Extension tour takes visitors inside agribusiness success<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cSweat equity,\u201d Kelly Jackson<\/strong> (at left<\/em>) told visitors, was what took her family\u2019s agribusiness from a picnic tent at the end of the lane for selling sweet corn to a booming farm market, helping to shape Dorchester County\u2019s agritourism regulations. The group was part of UMES Extension\u2019s Traveling Agritourism Workshop that made stops June 10 at Emily\u2019s Produce<\/a> in Cambridge and Blades Orchard<\/a> in Federalsburg, both in Maryland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It all began 25 years ago, she said, when she and her husband, Paul, welcomed their firstborn, Emily. They wanted to \u201cearn a little college money\u201d while ushering her, and later their son, Kyle, into the 7th<\/sup> generation family farm\u2019s \u201ctradition of working hard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe tents with their honor system boxes got bigger each year as we grew,\u201d Jackson said. \u201cWe realized, \u2018This is going to be a business\u2014more than a roadside stand!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A pumpkin patch was added, and their small farm venture morphed into a full-fledged market in 2002 with construction of the first permanent (800 sq. ft.) structure. Next came a walk-in cooler and u-pick strawberries. Mums, a corn maze and a children\u2019s playground were added for \u201cfall family fun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eight years in, they started selling to restaurants and now have 10 to supply. A few years later, they added a full-service kitchen and make homemade breads and pies from family recipes; peach cobbler and pepperoni rolls are favorites. The u-pick has grown to include blackberries, blueberries, cherries and wildflowers. On the farm side, beef cattle were added to the large-scale grain production.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt (agritourism) doesn\u2019t come easy,\u201d she said. \u201cA lot of time and extra money has to be invested along the way, including legal representation and insurance. You have to have a good relationship with them. You can have every paper and waiver in the world, but you\u2019re still at risk (for liability).\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Emily\u2019s Produce now employs an average of 32 people. They\u2019ve had special events, including Easter egg hunts, goat yoga, and Growing Community Flavors cooking demonstrations, and now offer a food truck. Three years ago, they were the first produce market in Dorchester County permitted to sell locally produced beer and wine using Maryland agricultural products. Their fruit is used by Maryland brewery and winery partners and they feature products from other partners in the market such as ice cream, cheese and jams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have to research and keep trying different things to be successful,\u201d Jackson said, giving their CSA and satellite markets as examples. And, she said, you have to expect challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve had flat tires on wagon rides and a cow getting out and running down the road,\u201d she said. \u201cLast year, we lost 100% of our pumpkin crop to too much rain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSometimes I miss the days of the small tent!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gail Stephens, agricultural communications, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, UMES Extension, <\/em><\/a>gcstephens@umes.edu<\/em><\/a>, 410-621-3850.<\/em>

Photos by Todd Dudek, agricultural communications, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, UMES Extension, <\/em>tdudek@umes.edu<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Emily’s Produce\n\n(Photo by Todd Dudek, UMES Ag Communications)<\/figcaption><\/div><\/div>
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Emily’s Produce\n\n(Photo by Todd Dudek, UMES Ag Communications)<\/figcaption><\/div><\/div>
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Emily’s Produce\n\n(Photo by Todd Dudek, UMES Ag Communications)<\/figcaption><\/div><\/div>
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Emily’s Produce\n\n(Photo by Todd Dudek, UMES Ag Communications)<\/figcaption><\/div><\/div>
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Emily’s Produce\n\n(Photo by Todd Dudek, UMES Ag Communications)<\/figcaption><\/div><\/div>
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Emily’s Produce\n\n(Photo by Todd Dudek, UMES Ag Communications)<\/figcaption><\/div><\/div>
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Emily’s Produce\n\n(Photo by Todd Dudek, UMES Ag Communications)<\/figcaption><\/div><\/div>
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Emily’s Produce\n\n(Photo by Todd Dudek, UMES Ag Communications)<\/figcaption><\/div><\/div>
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Emily’s Produce\n\n(Photo by Todd Dudek, UMES Ag Communications)<\/figcaption><\/div><\/div>
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Emily’s Produce\n\n(Photo by Todd Dudek, UMES Ag Communications)<\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>