Maryland Farm & Harvest, newest MPT series, debuts November 19, 2013; Series showcases the industry that feeds Maryland

OWINGS MILLS, MD – Season one of Maryland Farm & Harvest makes its debut on Maryland Public Television (MPT) on Tuesday, November 19 at 7 p.m.

Maryland Farm & Harvest puts a human face on Maryland agriculture, telling the stories of the people who grow the state’s food and fiber.  From locations statewide, the series chronicles the successes of and the challenges to the state’s No. 1 industry. The show is hosted by Joanne Clendining, a veteran actress and the owner/operator of a family farm.

The November 19 premiere episode will feature:

• Trey Hill of Kent County, a large-scale grain farmer who is all about technology, sustainable agriculture and working with local environmental groups
• Terri Wolf-King of Dorchester County, a prominent grain and poultry grower, who has rebuilt her life and farm after a tragic fire claimed the lives of both her husband and son.  
• The Palmyra Dairy Farm of Hagerstown in Washington County. Run by the Shank and Creek families, two fifth-generation dairy families, Palmyra Dairy Farm sells elite cow genetics in the form of embryos across the nation and in 11 countries.  

Each episode also includes a segment called “The Local Buy” featuring Al Spoler, local food and wine expert and documentary filmmaker, who will report from the field, taking viewers to farms and markets around the state to find the best of Maryland-grown food.

The series airs on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. on MPT-HD and will be rebroadcast on Thursdays at 11:30 p.m. and Sundays at 6 a.m.  Each show will also re-air on the secondary channel MPT2 on Fridays at 6 p.m.

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 the Maryland Agricultural and Resource-Based Industry Development Corporation; the Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation; MidAtlantic Farm Credit; the Maryland Soybean Board; Maryland’s Best; the Maryland Farm Bureau; the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.  Other support comes from the Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts; the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation; the Maryland Nursery & Landscape Association; the Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association; the Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc.; the Maryland Grape Growers Association’s George Mead Educational Fund; Harford County, Maryland; and the Mar-Del Watermelon Association.

For more information visit: http://www.mpt.org/farm/.

MEDIA NOTE:  Location and talent photos available. View preview clip at: http://www.mpt.org/farm/

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 manifest in its year-round instructional events and super-website Thinkport which garners in excess of 1.4 million visits annually.  

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