February 3, 2023

2023: The Fritz Family

Taste of Maryland Agriculture
Maryland Ag Council

Family Name: The Fritz Family 

In 1912, Charles and Carrie Fritz purchased 90 acres of farmland and a large farmhouse in the beautiful Wakefield Valley, just outside of New Windsor in Carroll County. It was a dream for the couple, who had been tenant farmers for years. Six generations and 110 years later, the same farmhouse remains a homebase for their descendants. The current owners of the farm operation, which is now 480 acres in size, is the Fritz Family, LLC. The LLC members are Daniel Fritz and his two grown children, Jeffrey and Jessica.  Jeffrey and his wife Diana have three daughters – Emily, Ella and Addison. Jessica and her husband Jeff have two sons – Sawyer and Cooper.

Over the years, the family has seen good times and bad, scarcity and abundance. Through it all, the family’s passion for farming has never waned. The farm was a dairy farm for 104 years and it was still profitable in 2016 when the decision was made to stop the milking operation. The workload of milking cows and the drop in milk prices contributed to the decision. Today, the farm has a small beef operation, but is mainly a crop farm that grows wheat, barley, soybeans, corn, hay and straw. Currently, the farm is 100 percent no till and has been for over 15 years. The family manages the fields using a software application and uses Global Positioning System (GPS) for accurate applications of chemicals and fertilizers.

The Fritz family has always been involved in community and agricultural organizations. Daniel’s brother George was a member of the Carroll County Agriculture Center and the Carroll County Soil Conservation Board, as well as the Southern States Board of Directors. Daniel was a leader for the following organizations: the Carroll County Holstein Club, the Carroll County Farm Bureau, and the Dairy Herd Improvement Association. Daniel and Jeffrey are involved with the New Windsor Volunteer Fire Department, as well. And the youngest generation are in Carroll County 4 -H, where they exhibit cows, swine, and lambs.

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Ceremony Date: 2/3/23

March 7, 2022

2021: The Eck Family

Credit: Edwin Remsberg

Family Name: The Eck Family

The Eck family emigrated to Baltimore from Germany in the mid-1800s. Elmer T. Eck and Sons was established in 1952 when the family purchased 750 acres of land in Queen Anne’s County. Carl Eck and his wife, Doris, worked with his sister, Dorothy Eck Higgs, and her husband, William Jennings Higgs, to milk holsteins and grow row crops. By 1977, Carl and Doris’ son, Mark, began contributing to the farm operation. As a sophomore in high school, Mark built his first chicken house and share-cropped 20 acres. Since then, Mark has gone on to purchase eight farms in Ingleside, expanding his family’s operation and maintaining a strong commitment to the community.

Mark and Vicky Eck own and operate MAE-VUE Farms where they farm 1,500 acres of crops and raise large broiler chickens in seven barns. Their oldest son, Alan, and grandson, Easton, have expanded the family operation to include another 430 acres of crops; production of 715,000 large broiler chickens; 1,800 all-natural, heritage market hogs; a commercial cow-finish beef operation; and a straw and hay business. The Eck’s daughter, Jenell Eck McHenry, lives on a grain and beef farm in Kennedyville with her husband, Joey, and their son, Lee. Beyond the farm, Jenell works for Thompson Ag Consulting, where she is a staunch advocate for the state’s farm community. Mark and Vicky’s son Kenny lives in Austin, Texas, where he owns and manages a healthcare data management company.

Throughout the years, the Eck family has been an outstanding example of the dedication and commitment that farmers have to the environment and their communities. The family works closely with Queen Anne’s Soil Conservation District to install various on-farm best management practices that are designed to protect and preserve natural resources. Additionally, the Eck family is heavily involved with various agricultural organizations in Maryland including 4-H, FFA, and the Farm Bureau.

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Ceremony Date: 3/3/22

February 4, 2021

2020: The Cross Family

Credit: Edwin Remsberg

Family Name: The Cross Family

The Cross Family has been farming in Prince George’s County since John and Elizabeth Cross moved to North Keys in the mid 1800s, where they raised their 11 children. The Cross’ grew tobacco and served as the local market for other growers in the area. The Cross brothers also operated a small feed and fertilizer store that would later become a Southern States Cooperative franchise location, giving them the ability to expand their market and serve a wider range of Maryland farmers. In addition to their tobacco and feed businesses, the Cross’ grew a variety of field crops and raised beef cattle and chickens. As their operation continued to grow, the family decided to incorporate the family business in 1986, making Sandra Cross the president and 100% stockholder of R&D Cross, Inc. 

In recent years, the family made the decision to transition away from growing tobacco, instead using those fields for corn and soybeans in rotation with cover crops of hay, which are sold as feed at the family’s store. The embrace of cover crops is a great example of the family’s commitment to conservation practices. The Cross family also hosts an annual public education dinner event on their farm that emphasizes various agricultural topics, including chemical and fertilizer use, equine updates, safety practices, and information on agricultural products. Their efforts to embrace conservation practices and educate the public earned them the honor of being named the Prince George’s Soil Conservation District’s Cooperator of the Year in 2009. 

As an essential business, R&D Cross, Inc. has kept their operations running throughout the COVID-19 pandemic with stringent safety measures in place to protect their workers and customers. With curbside pickup and expanded delivery options, their store has been able to continue providing critical supplies to farmers, gardeners, and animal owners during these unprecedented times.

Off the farm, the family is also very active in their local community, playing various roles supporting 4-H groups, scouts, and little league sports teams. Sandra has taken on an active leadership role in the family’s church, where she is celebrating 60 years of volunteer service as the organist and choir director. The Cross family is a great example of the kind of commitment and service that makes agriculture Maryland’s top industry. 

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Ceremony Date (Virtual): 2/4/21

2019: The Richardson Family

Photo credit: Executive Office of the Governor

Family name: The Richardson Family

Roger Richardson and his wife Fay have farms in Worcester, Wicomico, and Somerset counties. Richardson Farm dates back to 1767. Roger currently operates the farm with his daughter, grandson, and great-grandson, while Fay has been instrumental in the continued growth and diversification of the family farm business. The multi-generational farm family grows corn, soybeans, and wheat. In 1980, the Richardsons diversified their operation by starting a private trucking company dedicated to the transportation of agricultural products. In addition to precision farming techniques, the Richardsons have adopted both conservation and no-till practices to manage nutrients and meet soil and water conservation goals. 

Off the farm, Roger Richardson’s legacy leaves a profound, lasting impact on the state’s farming community. In the late 1970s, Roger was one of 14 men appointed by then Governor Marvin Mandel to create the Maryland Department of Agriculture. Thirty-five years later, then Governor Martin O’Malley appointed Mr. Richardson to serve as Maryland’s Secretary of Agriculture, overseeing the agency he helped create. In addition to his involvement with the department, Roger has held several leadership positions with local, state, and national organizations, including: the Agricultural Stewardship Commission, the Maryland Center for Agro-Ecology, and stints as president and vice-president of the National Association of Farmer Elected Committees. With decades of knowledge and experience, Roger and Fay Richardson continue to support and advocate for farmers on the Lower Eastern Shore, the State of Maryland, and beyond.

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Ceremony Date: 2/6/20

2019: The Rhodes Family

Photo credit: Executive Office of the Governor

Family Name: The Rhodes Family

Pat and Temple Rhodes began their family farm operation in 1959 on rented ground in Easton. In 1961, the Rhodes purchased their first farm, Chestnut Vale, in Centreville. Over the next several years, Chestnut Vale Farm became home to Pat and Temple’s children: Jenny, Betsy, Susan, Carole, and Temple, Jr. The family began with a dairy herd and transitioned to a cow calf operation in 1968, raising nearly 200 head of angus cattle per year. Throughout his decades of farming, Temple Rhodes remains committed to conservation and has embraced the use of technology and other best management practices to maintain a profitable, environmentally-sound operation.

Pat Rhodes has been involved with the local 4-H club since her children were young, and continues to be an ardent supporter of University of Maryland Extension programs. The Rhodes family is a fixture in the Queen Anne’s County agriculture community, from offering up their land and equipment to support the county fair and other events at the county’s nearby 4-H Park, to their involvement at Our Mother of Sorrows Church in Centreville. The Rhodes’ legacy is one of leadership and commitment that continues with their children and grandchildren, and has left a lasting impact on Maryland agriculture.

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Ceremony Date: 2/6/20

February 15, 2019

2018: The Linthicum Family

Photo credit: Executive Office of the Governor

Family Name: The Linthicum Family

The Linthicum family embodies the kind of resilience and innovation required to maintain a successful multigenerational family farm. With nearly 200 years invested, the Linthicums are the oldest continuously farming family in Montgomery County. That distinction has not come without adversity, but the family’s dedication and hard work has helped them grow Seneca Ayr Farms to embrace the agriculture industry changing landscape and continue to incorporate new technology and conservation practices. The family’s story began in 1826, when Lot Linthicum began farming tobacco in Boyds. At the turn of the century, the decision was made to get out of the tobacco business and move into dairy. As the dairy operation began to flourish, the family suffered a major setback when their house burnt down in 1927. This forced the Linthicums to stop milking cows and refocus their efforts on growing crops and raising livestock. By 1934, the Linthicums were back in the diary business and continued to raise hogs. Over the next several years, the family updated its operation with modern equipment which increased efficiency and allowed them to expand their milking herd. Charles and Juanita, their son Tom, and brother John continued the family dairy business through the mid-1990s, when declining profit margins and aging labor forced them to make yet another tough adjustment. By fall of 1996, the family had decided to auction off their dairy herd and shift their focus to raising hogs and growing field crops. The farm’s old dairy barn was converted into a finishing facility for the hog operation. In 2003, the family bought a farm in Laytonsville, where they now farm over 1,100 acres in Montgomery County’s Agriculture Reserve. The family grows corn, wheat and soybeans in addition to making hay and straw. Sadly, the hog finishing barn burnt to the ground in 2015, forcing the family to sell-off their breeding herd and refocus yet again on raising a small herd of beef cattle. Charles continues to oversee the farm with Tom, Tom’s wife Paula and employee Jimmy Shelton. The family has established themselves as leaders in the agricultural community both locally and statewide. They have remained involved in groups like FFA and 4-H and continue to advocate for agriculture on state, local and national levels. Tom currently serves on the Montgomery Soil Conservation District board. Like many farmers across Maryland, the Linthicum family has a deep love and passion for agriculture.

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Ceremony Date: 2/7/2019

March 2, 2018

2017: The Bowling Family

Credit: Executive Office of the Governor

Family Name: The Bowling Family

The Bowling Family of Charles County has lived and farmed for three generations at their Bunker Hill location, and for many generations before that at neighboring farms. Wallace and Martha Bowling purchased the 271 acre farm in 1944. Their main crop was tobacco, which was supplemented by cattle, hogs, and a grain operation in rotation. Wallace passed away in 1960, leaving his 18 year-old son Eddie in charge of the farm. Eddie was later joined by younger brothers Calvin, Charles, James and Howard. In 1998, Charles’ son Chip took over full-time. In 2000, the family accepted the state’s tobacco buyout program, which left them looking for new ways to remain viable. Chip started Bowling Agri-Services with his wife Lynn and their two daughters, leasing land and buildings from the family’s Bunker Hill Farm. The company has expanded from 200 acres of grain crops in the 90s to nearly 1,000 acres today, leasing land on 16 tracts comprising 102 separate fields. The Bowlings are known as leaders in the agricultural community. Chip, Lynn, and their daughters have been active in the local 4-H program. Lynn is a member of Common Ground, an organization that communicates with the public about farm and food issues. Chip has held leadership positions in several local, state, and national organizations. This includes Charles County Farm Bureau and Maryland Grain Producers Association, where he served as president of the Utilization Board. Chip also served as president of the National Corn Growers Association (NGCA). He is the organization’s first president from the East Coast, and the first to serve two terms. Through his work with NGCA, Chip played a major role in many federal initiatives, including the passage of two farm bills.

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Ceremony Date: 2/1/18

February 3, 2017

2016: The Milburn Family

Credit: Executive Office of the Governor

Family Name: The Milburn Family

The Milburn family has been farming in Cecil County for more than 100 years, and the operation is currently run by the family’s fourth generation. Milburn Orchards spans more than 400 acres in Elkton, producing a variety of fruit—mostly apples and peaches. Picking up where their uncle Evan Milburn and father John Milburn left off,  Jay, Melinda, and David Milburn have worked together to establish Milburn Orchards as a leader in the ever-changing landscape of Maryland’s agriculture industry. Milburn Orchards was among the first Maryland farms to embrace the state’s emerging agri-tourism market. The family developed its “BIG BackYard” attraction, giving visitors an opportunity to learn where their food comes from while enjoying a hands-on outdoor experience with their families. The Milburn’s have also developed “U-Pick Adventures,” and have recently expanded their on-farm market to meet increasing demands. As resource conservation continues to be a priority for the state, the Milburns have made a strong commitment to sustainable agriculture. The family has made a number of small changes that have resulted in significant savings financially and ecologically: Windmills, well pumps, irrigation systems, etc. The Millburns are currently in the process of installing solar arrays on the roofs of their farm market and cold storage buildings, which they expect will offset the farm’s electricity usage by 40 percent. The family has also shown leadership in agricultural marketing, leveraging social media and e-mail/text message campaigns to create highly effective marketing programs. Their success in this area has resulted in invitations to speak at a number of trade shows, seminars, and classrooms. In addition to their on-farm contributions, the Milburn family participates in a variety of educational initiatives, and is active in several organizations on local, state, and national levels.

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Ceremony Date: 2/2/17

February 2, 2017

2015: The Swann Family

Credit: Executive Office of the Governor

Family Name: Sambo Swann Family

Swann Farms spans more than 360 acres of land along the Patuxent River in northern Calvert County. For more than 160 years and six generations, the Swann family has grown tobacco and traditional field crops including corn, wheat, barley and soybeans. In 1994, the family began to diversify their crops and developed a reputation throughout Southern Maryland for producing high volumes of high-quality fruits and vegetables. The farm also grows malting barley which is often sourced by local breweries. More recently, in an effort to directly engage with consumers, Swann Farms opened its U-Pick operation, an agritourism attraction which allows consumers to pick their own fresh produce. Read More

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Date of Ceremony: February 5, 2016