JOANNE: It's a big wide agricultural world, from the shore to the mountains and all points in between.

Did you know that trees provide more than just shade?

That microgreens pack a nutritious punch?

And that lavender tastes as good as it smells?

Don't go anywhere, stories about the people who work our land and feed our state are coming up next.

On "Maryland Farm and Harvest".

NARRATOR: Major funding for "Maryland Farm and Harvest" is made possible in part by, The Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board, investing in smarter farming to support safe and affordable food, feed and fuel, and a healthy Bay.

Additional funding provided by, Maryland's Best, good for you, good for Maryland.

A grant from the Rural Maryland Council, Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Fund.

MARBIDCO helping to sustain food and fiber enterprise for future generations.

A grant from the Maryland Department of Agriculture, Specialty Crop Block Program.

Farm Credit, lending support to agriculture and rural America.

The Maryland Soy Bean board and Soy Bean Check Off program, progress powered by farmers.

Wegmans Food Markets, healthier, better lives through food.

The Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts.

The Maryland Nursery, Landscape and Greenhouse Association.

The Maryland Farm Bureau Incorporated.

The Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment.

Baltimore County Commission on Arts and Sciences.

And by... (theme music plays).

JOANNE: In the world of agriculture, it's customary to rely on old practices handed down from past generations.

Hi I'm Joanne Clendining, welcome to "Maryland Farm and Harvest".

Traditional farming techniques are what made Maryland agriculture the number one industry in the state.

That tradition is evident in historic preservation districts like Peace and Plenty, here in Frederick County.

Still Work Farm, where we're filming today, is part of Peace and Plenty rural historic district, and a prime example of keeping the past alive.

But we still need to be open to new ideas, approaches, and ways to grow our food.

Coming up, a relative newcomer to the agri-scene is now the hottest ingredient on everyone's menu.

But first, when we think of new ideas and approaches to agriculture, our first story looks at how holistic farming could be the future.

It's Earth Day weekend and 500 volunteers are taking root to plant over 5,000 trees at the REED Center, an intentionally designed permaculture farm, that hopes to bring people closer to their food and the land.

BEN: It is so amazing to see all of you out here, this is definitely the biggest crowd that we've had so far, to come help plant trees.

It means the world to me that you guys are doing this.

JOANNE: The founder of the REED Center, Ben Friton, oversees the planting across the 150-acre farm.

Over three days more than 250 different species of trees and shrubs will be planted.

BEN: What we're going to be doing is planting a zigzag pattern and in between those zigs and zags we'll be planting some grapes.

JOANNE: Across generations and backgrounds, every volunteer has their own reason for rolling up their sleeves and pitching in.

MAN: Be careful!

OLANNA: We're here with the Girl Scouts troop, so they're doing this, yeah we're here with a few other Girl Scouts.

VOLUNTEER: So we're going to plop her in.

Let's just make sure we're at the right elevation, about right.

And I can even, let me borrow your shovel.

MAN: Yes, sir.

VOLUNTEER: I can even use this as a level, if I want.

RAYMOND: Oh boy!

VOLUNTEER: And this is perfect, right where we want it.

RAYMOND: I'm really enjoying myself.

Get to see the people that you're working with that you don't get to see when you're at your own job, know what I'm saying?

And putting your hands on some stuff.

Get a way, little camaraderie, just build family.

I'm 63 years old, I want to leave something to my children when they grow up, a little bit cleaner.

PERSON: Grandchildren, yeah.

RAYMOND: Little bit cleaner.

VOLUNTEER: Do you want to place the flag?

VOLUNTEER: Where you see the first lateral root coming out, right, right there.

So you want to plant this deep.

SCOUT: I want to sprinkle it.

JOANNE: From Girl Scout to Grandpa, reconnecting people to nature is all a part of the REED Center's mission.

BEN: We show people how they can have a reciprocal relationship with ecosystems around them.

How they can better understand what the ecosystems bring to us, that our water doesn't come from the tap, that our food doesn't come from a grocery store, but rather we are absolutely reliant upon thriving ecosystems to provide every aspect of what makes it possible for a human being, for human civilization to persist.

JOANNE: With that in mind, Ben looks towards naturally occurring systems, like forests to achieve an agricultural balance that is biodiverse and resilient.

BEN: This forest grew itself.

It didn't require irrigation, nobody planted it first off.

Didn't require irrigation, no pesticides, no fertilizers, and yet it's able to persist.

It's quite striking how important it is for us to reestablish thriving ecosystems, and instead of having thriving ecosystems over here and humans over here, where we keep encroaching on, you know our national parks and these lands that we set aside, we have to meet human needs from thriving ecosystems.

JOANNE: To meet that goal, Ben and the team at the REED Center have planted over 17,000 trees and shrubs in the shadow of South Mountain.

BEN: Food, fuel, fodder.

It's an integrated system that actually allows us to densify our food production.

We can grow upwards of 120 vertical feet of food, starting at canopy levels with different kinds of nut species, like select hickories, pecans.

And then underneath of that growing understory fruit crops that grow into the 65-70 foot range.

Growing small trees, tall shrubs, small shrubs, herbaceous layer, and then in the shade we can grow mushrooms.

We can grow understory shade crops.

So, it's much more efficient when you're looking at the amount of harvest possible out of a space.

It's much more efficient ecologically, but it does require more labor.

And that's probably the sole reason why this isn't more popular.

JOANNE: Of course, 500 volunteers planting trees for you, definitely helps when you need more man power.

But the impact goes well beyond the farm.

VOLUNTEER: It felt like I was really getting my hands dirty in something that helps my community, and humanity as a whole.

Like I was doing my part.

One person isn't much, but you're really doing your part, because if everyone had that mindset, where would we be?

BEN: We're often just being bombarded with the negative impacts that we're having on the world.

For people to be able to leave this place knowing that they can have a radical impact, not just on the human health and their own communities, but also on the wildlife and the ecosystems that they're interacting with, I think is a really beautiful thing.

JOANNE: Well, the trees planted at the REED Center are part of their future food forest, trees can also be used as a riparian buffer when planted near streams, like the ones here at Still Work Farm.

All right, it's time to test your agricultural know-how.

Here is our thingamajig for the week.

You think you know what it is?

Okay, obviously it's a hammer of some sort, but this hammer has a very specific use and unusual name.

Here's a hint, its name is the same as a bug, but it's not used to smash them.

Stay tuned, and we'll have the answer at the end of the show.

Who doesn't love to watch the sun rise up over the horizon, or sit back at the end of a long day and take in last light?

Sunrises and sunsets are some of our more popular viewer pics.

Enjoy.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Microgreens have become synonymous with big flavor.

But now, two very different size growers share a belief in the power of those tiny but mighty microgreens.

Within the walls of this everyday suburban home, and this modest-looking storefront, there is something small but extraordinary growing.

ANDY: One of my favorite stories that I've had so far was when I was set up at a farmer's market, I think it was about two years ago, an older gentleman came up to the table and he was looking at everything we had and he said, "well what the heck is this?"

TRESOR: Microgreens is like a science project.

And so you have to have everything literally right for it to grow.

JOANNE: Maryland growers large and small have begun believing in the business and benefits of microgreens, which are the young seedlings of edible vegetables and herbs.

Urban farmer Tresor Thomas grows over 30 different varieties, all within her small sunroom.

TRESOR: Microgreens is the second stage of growing a vegetable.

We always call it like the toddler stage.

There's four stages, there's the sprout stage, then you have the microgreen stage, then you have a baby plant stage, and then you have a fully-grown vegetable.

JOANNE: Tresor lives with two autoimmune diseases.

Multiple Sclerosis, and lupus.

She believes that incorporating microgreens into her diet has helped manage her symptoms and stay healthy.

TRESOR: I've been able to gain 90% of my vision back, I'm able to walk, I also was able to rid nine of my ten medications.

JOANNE: At first, Tresor grew microgreens just for herself and her family.

And it took her around six months to master the entire growth process.

Inspired by her own health journey, she started her microgreens farm, My Mustard Seed, in 2016, to help others find what is described as holistic wellness.

Her crops include greens such as micro pea shoots, leeks, and broccoli.

TRESOR: So you have to be able to control the temperature, you have to be able to control the humidity, like anything else practice makes perfect.

We definitely try to follow the concept of utilizing food as medicine, that's primarily what we try to get across to our customers, our communities, our family.

JOANNE: And family is what keeps My Mustard Seed moving.

TRESOR: Sometimes we need all hands on deck.

The children help in the grow room.

My son is, he's a lifesaver when it comes to the farmer's markets.

He can actually run a farm stand by his self.

Everyone plays an important role.

JOANNE: Microgreens were once mostly seen as an elegant garnish at upscale restaurants, but are continuing to become a dietary staple for many consumers who are drawn to their flavor and high nutritional value.

In the United States, microgreens were first grown in southern California during the 1990s, with only a few varieties such as arugula, basil, and kale.

Evolving from garnish to main ingredient, their popularity spread across the country.

ANDY: What I really enjoy about growing microgreens is the fact that they provide the nutrients and minerals that most vegetables also do, but they provide it at a much more concentrated level.

JOANNE: Here in Cecil County, the microgreens market is thriving at the family-owned Fresh Source Farms and Market, where urban farmer Andy Mussaw is growing his microcrops, but on a macro level.

ANDY: We started in May of 2020, right in the depths of COVID, literally.

I was actually furloughed for three months from my regular job, and that's you know, when we decided to actually get going with it and bought all the stuff we needed to get started.

So it worked out really well.

JOANNE: Like Tresor, Andy is also a passionate believer about the health benefits of microgreens.

ANDY: That's definitely a very rewarding piece of doing what we do, is just helping people actually get their health back.

So this is actually micro broccoli, this is 40 times more nutritious than adult broccoli, so instead of having to eat five pounds of adult broccoli, you can actually just eat a little bit of microgreens.

I'm not a big vegetable person, I'll be honest.

But I eat these a lot because they're super convenient and they're actually really delicious.

JOANNE: While many microgreens operations plant on organic fibers, or use hydroponic systems.

Andy and Tresor use soil, because it doesn't require them to add any additional nutrients or fertilizers.

ANDY: So the way we basically plant our trays is we start with two trays.

We have a tray on the bottom that has no holes in it whatsoever, so this is a hole-less tray.

And then we have a tray on the top that actually has holes underneath.

So and we actually use that to provide the water.

So when we water, we actually put water in the bottom and they actually absorb through the base.

So we basically take a no holed tray, put a holed tray on top, and then we put our soil down first, and then from there we'll layer seeds on top.

JOANNE: As consumer demand increases, microgreens are becoming big business, with global sales projected to reach over $3 billion by 2030.

Fresh Source Farms started small, with just one rack in Andy's front yard.

But it has grown out to 30 racks containing hundreds of trays at any given time.

ANDY: We've already maxed out this space, which I didn't think we would do this fast.

Really our goal in the long run is to actually try and get more distributors that we can actually work with in the local area, cause that way we can just deliver to one location, they take it to a bunch of places.

It makes our life easier, and we have the scalability and the ability to actually be able to do that, it's just without the space it makes it tough.

JOANNE: My Mustard Seed is also making moves.

They're building a high tunnel greenhouse to expand their business, and will also start producing spices, vegetable powders, and juices.

TRESOR: Could be an untapped market when it comes to microgreens.

The future I think there's no limit.

I'm just looking forward to the next stages, and where this will grow and where this will go.

JOANNE: While Andy and Tresor's belief in the power of microgreens seems anecdotal, they stand by their belief that those tiny greens possess huge healing properties.

In fact the University of Maryland conducted a recent study that found certain microgreens contain flavanols which have beneficial anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular effects.

Coming up, Al Spoler visits a farm that's passionate about the color purple.

But first, the one thing you likely notice on a farm is the barn.

Red, white, weathered gray, they're iconic.

Each built with a specific purpose in mind, both Then and Now.

Barns were some of the first structures built by European settlers when they came to America in the 17th century.

They built Dutch barns known for their high-peaked roofs that ended at low side walls, and English barns that were divided into three bays, One each for livestock, threshing grain and storing hay and grain.

In the 19th century barns got a lift when farmers started building them into hill sides.

That gave these bank barns an entrance at the bottom and top of the hill.

Livestock lived in stables in the bottom, and farmers stored hay and grain above.

There were also barns that didn't take off, like the round barn.

Even though some farmers praise them for their storage space, they never became standard.

In the case of tobacco barns, form followed function.

They were open and airy, with thin gaps between boards and vertical slats for air curing tobacco leaves.

These barns were especially popular in southern Maryland, where tobacco was a cash crop.

After the state tobacco buy out in the early 2000s many tobacco barns fell into disrepair, but some have been repurposed for housing livestock, museum exhibits, and more.

By the 1900s farmers could mail order mass produced barns.

And after World War II metal barns became available.

You'll still find these kinds of barns today, but some farmers have also adapted historic barns to fit their modern day uses, keeping a piece of their farm's past an important part of its present.

On this week's "The Local Buy", Al has to remind himself he's not in the south of France.

Although the beautiful purple blooms on this Eastern Shore lavender farm may suggest otherwise.

AL: Taking a road trip is a great way to explore Maryland, and to find some great local buys.

And today, I've got two for you.

The Eastern Shore in June is wonderful.

Green fields, baby blue skies, and my personal favorite the deep purple of lavender.

Which is why we're here at Smokey Cat lavender farm in Federalsburg Maryland.

Debbie Brohawn is the owner, and opened this pick-your-own lavender farm in 2018.

What do you got on the agenda today?

DEBBIE: Today we have the Caroline County garden club coming for a wreath making workshop.

AL: Oh, nice.

They have lots of material to work with.

DEBBIE: Yes!

Thankfully.

They will be cutting their own lavender, and then I'll show them how to put it on a wreath form.

AL: Great.

So I'm looking around, you have a lot of different varieties here, how many?

DEBBIE: We have nine.

AL: And do they all smell the same?

DEBBIE: No, they're all a little bit different.

There's French and English.

The French have more of uh, camphors, and they're better for lotions and soaps.

English would be more of a culinary experience, yes.

AL: Oh!

Well I've been sniffing and picking with the ladies this morning, I think I got enough for a wreath, look at that.

(chatter) DEBBIE: Go around it like three times, go around that three times... AL: Well they've been showing me how to put these wreaths together, it's really not very hard.

The one thing is I wish we had smell-o-vision because the aroma is just fabulous, it's so nice.

And by the way this is absolutely the plainest wreath you're gonna see made today.

Some of these ladies have different colors, different textures, it's really sensational what they're coming up with.

You're making me nervous.

DEBBIE: Oh, sorry!

(laughing).

You're doing great!

You're an expert.

AL: See.

DEBBIE: Thank you.

AL: See you next time.

DEBBIE: See ya.

AL: Bye-bye.

That was a fragrant first stop.

The next one will be sweet.

Just down the road in historic Denton, is a little café that uses Debbie's royal velvet lavender to bake up some tasty treats.

Earth Tones is a vegetarian café that has an amazing array of breakfast and lunch options.

But I'm here for a little lavender snack.

Hey, Kim!

KIM: Come on back!

AL: Kim Wood is the co-owner and chef.

KIM: Here, Al.

AL: Oh, thanks chef.

KIM: You're very welcome.

AL: We were just over at Debbie's place and she told me that you use lavender in a lot of your recipes, is that right?

KIM: I do, yes.

AL: What kind of things in particular?

KIM: Well today we're going to be doing a sugar cookie with lavender glaze.

AL: Very, very nice.

And I guess you're using the English lavender... KIM: I am.

AL: Which is the good one to eat.

KIM: Yes.

AL: Okay, what can you, what can you have me do?

KIM: Sure, if you wanna come on over here.

AL: Mm-hm.

I'm hungry, so a little TV magic will help speed up the sugar cookie process, and get us to the next step.

KIM: There we go.

All right, so we're gonna do the lavender first.

AL: Mm-hm.

The lavender will turn gray in the syrup, but Kim has another simple solution.

KIM: So to make it purple, we're actually going to do butterfly pea flower simple syrup as well.

AL: Oh my!

KIM: Yeah.

This is going turn it really blue, and when you hit it with citrus it actually turns purple, so it's like a little magic trick.

AL: To see this trick, we add our lavender syrup.

Which is kind of green looking... KIM: It is kind of green looking, yeah.

AL: The pea flower syrup... KIM: Can you stir that up?

AL: Mm-hm.

And finally the citrus.

Lookit!

KIM: Isn't that pretty?

AL: It's so fast.

KIM: Yeah.

AL: Onto the glazing.

KIM: All right, cookies are done.

They look beautiful.

AL: Mm-hm.

KIM: All right, Al.

So we're gonna glaze them and then we're gonna add the lavender on top.

AL: Dunking is a little harder than I imagined... KIM: There you go.

AL: Well that's not too bad.

KIM: Yeah, you got it.

AL: But adding a dash of lavender on top makes these cookies perfect.

KIM: You want to try one?

AL: I'd love to try one if I can.

KIM: Yeah, absolutely, please.

AL: Let me pick one here.

KIM: Sure.

AL: And they're, they're wonderful.

KIM: Mm-hm.

AL: Oh my goodness.

KIM: How good is that?

AL: I love it, I love it.

KIM: It's very good.

AL: Perfect little sugar cookie and the lavender on top.

KIM: Absolutely.

AL: Would it be okay if I took a few home?

KIM: Yeah!

I'll pack em up for you.

AL: Okay, well thank you very much.

KIM: Sure, sure.

AL: We wanna thank Debbie, over at Smokey Cat lavender farm, for providing the lavender for today's cookies!

And we hope that you can find the time to go out and get your own local buys.

For "The Local Buy", I'm Al Spoler, Joanne.

JOANNE: Thanks, Al.

Be sure to check out MPT.org/farm for all our recipes and resources.

Plus you can watch all Farm and Harvest episodes there as well.

Also, don't forget to follow us on social media for show updates, pictures, and videos.

Now hold on, we're not done yet, remember our thingamajig?

Did you guess it?

Well, we know it's a hammer of some sort, but it has a very special use and an unusual name.

The hint was that its name is the same as a bug, but it's not used to smash them.

This wood mallet is called a beetle, aka the persuader, or commander.

It's used in timber framing to tap timbers into place, fit joints, or drive home wooden pegs during construction.

Congratulations if you got it right.

Join us next week for another thingamajig along with more stories about the diverse passionate people who feed our state.

I'm Joanne Clendining, thanks for watching.

(music plays through credits).

♪ ♪ NARRATOR: Major funding for "Maryland Farm and Harvest" was made possible in part by, The Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board, investing in smarter farming to support safe and affordable food, feed and fuel, and a healthy Bay.

Additional funding provided by, Maryland's Best, good for you, good for Maryland.

A grant from the Rural Maryland Council, Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Fund.

MARBIDCO helping to sustain food and fiber enterprise for future generations.

A grant from the Maryland Department of Agriculture, Specialty Crop Block Program.

Farm Credit, lending support to agriculture and rural America.

The Maryland Soy Bean board and Soy Bean Check Off program, progress powered by farmers.

Wegmans Food Markets, healthier, better lives through food.

The Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts.

The Maryland Nursery, Landscape and Greenhouse Association.

The Maryland Farm Bureau Incorporated.

The Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment.

Baltimore County Commission on Arts and Sciences.

And by...