WAYNESBORO—The second program in Renfrew Institute’s three-part series, “Harvest Close to Home,” is scheduled for Thursday, March 12 at 7 p.m. in the visitors center at Renfrew Park in Waynesboro. The program is free and open to the public, and registration is not required. Donations are appreciated.
Matt & Mary Harsh, owners of Chesley Vegetable Farms in Smithsburg, Maryland will present, “To Market, To Market…Food Sources and Systems.”
The Harshes will discuss local and regional food systems and the links to rural and urban farm markets in our region.
“We’ll talk about transportation, various types of retail outlets from roadside stands to supermarkets, methods of marketing and networking among producers and vendors, and sources for many of our locally-produced foods,” said Mary Harsh.
The Harshes have first-hand familiarity with the growing, harvesting and marketing process. On their family-owned farm, they raise about 40 acres of produce, 25 acres of stone fruit, 20 acres of apples and pears, and three acres of small fruit.
“We participate in five farmers markets in the Washington, D.C. area,” Mary Harsh said. “In addition, we market our produce through various wholesale outlets that include Wegmans Food Markets, home delivery companies, and a few select restaurants.”
Questions from the audience are encouraged and can be submitted in advance by email to: info@renfrewinstitute.org.
The final presentation in the Harvest Close to Home series, on Thursday, March 26 is “Today’s Family Farm…Succeeding through Innovation,” presented by Ben & Sharon Peckman of Slate Ridge Farm; Vernon & Luanne Horst of Horst Farm; and Jeni Malott of Misty Meadows Farm.
The lecture series is funded in part by Charles and Undine Warner, and by Today’s Horizon Fund Contributors: The Nora Roberts Foundation, APX Enclosures, Inc., and the Carolyn Terry Eddy Family: Carolyn, with daughters Connie Fleagle & Kim Larkin. Facility support provided courtesy of Renfrew Museum and Park.
Parking is available behind the visitors center or in Renfrew’s lower lot off Welty Road. For more information, please visit www.renfrewinstitute.org or call the institute at
717-762-0373.