Pledge to reFRESH in 2024!

Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Atticks promises to eat a Trinidad pepper if you take the pledge! 

ANNAPOLIS, MD (January 9, 2024) – To ring in the New Year, Maryland’s Best Agriculture is encouraging Marylanders to sign up for local food subscription boxes– better known as “CSAs” – Community Supported Agriculture- to enjoy fresh, locally grown produce throughout the year and reFRESH after the holiday season. 

To heat up consumers’ commitment to eating local, Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks will eat a Baltimore-grown Trinidad Pimento Pepper live on social media if 100 consumers join the reFRESH pledge in January.

Community Supported Agriculture subscriptions allow Maryland residents to receive locally grown food on a consistent basis (depending on the farm, you can get them monthly, biweekly or weekly). These boxes can consist of produce, the most common, or more unique offerings like meat, cheese, or even eggs. A full list of available subscriptions broken down by county is available at Maryland’s Best website. 

“Signing up for one of these subscriptions is a great way to kick off your new year by adding local, fresh ingredients,” said Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks. “It’s also a huge way to support your local farmer with consistent income.” 

There are many advantages to joining a CSA including: 

1. Sourcing locally grown fruits, vegetables, and more depending on your farm.

2. Trying new produce with your family that you might not pick up at a store.

3. Supporting your community farmer – many farms rely on these subscriptions as part of their business plan!

4. Eating more in-season foods which means fruits and vegetables are at their peak deliciousness.

5. Easily sticking to a budget since you know exactly how much you are spending and what you are getting every week or month. 

6. Impressing your friends and family with new vegetable and fruit-forward dishes.

Make your pledge by January 31 and start 2024 out more reFRESHed! For questions or more information, please contact Kristin Hanna at kristin.hanna@maryland.gov. 

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