New Episode of Maryland Farm & Harvest premieres December 27

Popular weekly series showcases Maryland’s largest industry

Leon Carrier of PlantMasters in Gaithersburg (Credit: Maryland Public Television)

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Maryland Public Television’s popular original series Maryland Farm & Harvest is now in its fourth season with new half-hour episodes airing Tuesdays at 7 p.m. The series puts a human face on Maryland agriculture by telling stories of the people, skills and technology required to sustain and grow the state’s number one industry. Episode 407 will premiere Tuesday, December 27, at 7 p.m.

Joanne Clendining, who earned an Emmy® from the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter (NCCBC) of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for her work as Maryland Farm & Harvest host, returns for season four.  Joining Joanne is Contributing Editor Al Spoler, who serves up the Local Buy segment during each episode.

Featured on this week’s episode:

• Monnett Farms in Calvert County.  Jamie Tiralla, part of this fourth generation family farm in Prince Frederick, is among two dozen participants in the LEAD Maryland Fellowship Program.  The two-year leadership development program teaches skills used by individuals engaged in activities related to agriculture, the food industry, natural resources, or rural communities.
• Gregory N. Turner Farms in Caroline County. Farmer Greg Turner had a beautiful crop of cucumbers this past summer, but found that other farmers had a surplus of cucumbers as well.  When Turner’s processor pulled out of the deal they had set up, the farmer was left with more than $50,000 worth of cucumbers.  Fortunately, Turner had purchased crop insurance and was able to prevent a serious financial loss.
• PlantMasters at Montgomery County. Gaithersburg flower farmers Carol and Leon Carrier manage two acres in a residential neighborhood, and have been selling their blooms at area farmers markets for nearly 40 years.
• The Local Buy segment travels to Soleado Lavender Farm in Montgomery County, where host Al Spoler gets a taste of lavender honey made by the bees at the Dickerson farm.

The series airs on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. on MPT-HD and is rebroadcast on Thursdays at 11:30 p.m. and Sundays at 6 a.m. Each show also airs on MPT2 on Fridays at 7 p.m.  For more information visit mpt.org/farm.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture is MPT’s co-production partner for Maryland Farm & Harvest. Major funding is provided by the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board.

Additional funding is provided by Maryland’s Best; the Maryland Soybean Board; MidAtlantic Farm Credit; the Maryland Agricultural and Resource-Based Industry Development Corporation; the Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation; and the Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts.  Other support comes from the Maryland Nursery, Landscape & Greenhouse Association; the Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association; the Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc.; Willard Agri-Service Company; the Maryland Farm Bureau Service Company; the Mar-Del Watermelon Association; and the Maryland Grape Growers Association.

About MPT

Launched in 1969 and headquartered in Owings Mills, MD, Maryland Public Television is a nonprofit, state-licensed public television network and member of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).  MPT’s six transmitters cover Maryland plus portions of contiguous states and the District of Columbia.  Frequent winner of regional Emmy® awards, MPT creates local, regional, and national television shows.  Beyond broadcast, MPT’s commitment to professional educators, parents, caregivers, and learners of all ages is delivered through year-round instructional events and the super-website Thinkport, which garners in excess of 19 million page views annually.  MPT’s community engagement connects viewers with local resources on significant health, education, and public interest topics through year-round outreach events, viewer forums, program screenings, and phone bank call-in opportunities.

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