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County seeks to preserve former dairy farm as farmland, open space
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Related Topics: Gambrills, Md.
Gambrills, Md. (Map, News) - Anne Arundel County wants to preserve the 850-acre former Naval Academy Dairy Farm in Gambrills as farmland and a recreation venue in an area succumbing to development.
“We didn’t want to do anything that would attract congestion while preserving vital open space in that part of the county,” County Executive John Leopold said.
County officials will begin negotiating the long-term lease with the Navy next week.
The property in question is near Routes 3 and 32 and two miles from Fort Meade, which is expected to see an influx of 4,000 new homes in the next three years.
“There was a lot of interest in the property,” said Marian Fry, a co-partner of Maryland Sunrise Farms LLC, the farm’s operator. “I would say it is a significant link in the regional agricultural for all of the county.”
The county’s plan for the farm includes:
» Plots residents can rent to grow their own produce and an on-site farmers market. Maryland Sunrise Farm grows produce, raises livestock, and harvests eggs and hay.
» An expansive garden created by 170 volunteer master gardeners, corn maze and petting zoo.
» Using the farm as an education center, continuing the 4-H Club’s operations and focusing on the county’s agricultural history
Fry said more than 1,500 students come to the farm every year for educational opportunities.
Though Leopold said Maryland Sunrise Farm will have a presence on the property, Fry said officials have not contacted her, but she’s hopeful that her operation will remain.
It is unclear when the county will secure the lease, or when it will begin to implement its plan.
jflanagan@baltimoreexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
6:04 PM MST on Mon., Jul. 7, 2008 re: "Maryland farmers squeezed by soaring fuel, fertilizer costs"
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12:03 PM MST on Mon., Jul. 7, 2008
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10:08 AM MST on Fri., May. 9, 2008
re: "Program would shift farmers’ excess water to municipalities"
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2:02 PM MST on Mon., Jan. 21, 2008
re: "Harford has state’s only robotic milking machine"
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9:03 AM MST on Tue., Jul. 10, 2007
re: "Drought killing corn crop early this year, affecting livestock"
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12:17 PM MST on Fri., Jun. 15, 2007
re: "Harford has state’s only robotic milking machine"
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11:53 AM MST on Fri., Jun. 15, 2007
re: "Harford has state’s only robotic milking machine"
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9:11 AM MST on Fri., Jun. 15, 2007
re: "Harford has state’s only robotic milking machine"
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12:49 PM MST on Tue., May. 22, 2007
re: "New legislation to help preserve farms and aid the environment"
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4:57 AM MST on Thu., May. 3, 2007
re: "Cost of milk leaves gas prices in the dust"
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Examiner Reader said:
Rising fuel costs. Chineses drilling 85 miles off our coast while we import. No new refinery within 30 years Do not worry Obama has a tax plan to make it all ok.
1 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
This is the unfortunate price we pay by thinking and acting that gasoline prices would never change. Wait until winter hits because if it's cold, our prices are going to jump again. It's time to invest in renewable energies, I'd be more than happy to see O'Mally push for these over the new Calvert Cliffs Power Plants. Maybe farmers should be cut a deal to go back to solar and wind power for home and allow more money to be spared for fuel costs.
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Examiner Reader said:
Then what happens when the farmer's neighbor's well runs dry?
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Examiner Reader said:
why does the cow look green?
112 agree | 118 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
The cows are out of luck, now that we are using corn for fuel. What a plan. It sounds good during good growing seasons, but what do you do now? We need to stop screwing around with band aids to fix our fuel supply problems and get serious about resources that are proven to work. Nuclear power, new refineries and drilling.
236 agree | 268 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I saw my grandfather hand milk cows in a barn with only an oil lantern for light. What's the world coming to!!!
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Examiner Reader said:
Isn't it a little demeaning to refer to beautiful dairy cows as "toddlers" and a magnificent robotic milker as a "toy". The technology blows my mind that a cow can be milked by a robot. Good for the Dallams! Kate makes the BEST ice cream in the world at Broom's Bloom Dairy Store.
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Examiner Reader said:
Very interesting article on the robot. However, cows surely get more than "a pellet" while being milked. One pellet would be about the size of a piece of dogfood and would hardly lure the cows to the robot. I hope the cows get a good portion of pellets dumped in front of them when they enter the robot.
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Examiner Reader said:
That doesn't seem like a lot of milk production. are you missing a few zeros? Tim Feeser Carroll County Commissioners office
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Huh? said:
Doesn't the government subsidize milk? What an economic ripoff of citizens. Produce extra milk, waste lots of it then charge more for the little bit that is left.....amazing!
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