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 412 premiered Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Joanne Clendining, who earned an Emmy from the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter 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:
- Long Looked For, Come at Last Farm in St. Mary’s County. Viewers meet Gerald Byrne, who shows viewers how grapes are grown on his farm before the crop is harvested and taken to The Port of Leonardtown Winery to be made into wine.
- Middleton’s Cedar Hill Farm. During the segment Maryland State Senator Thomas “Mac” Middleton talks about how he balances his roles as both a legislator and a farmer. His family has owned the Waldorf farm for more than 350 years, where they raise pumpkins, squash, hay and beef cattle.
- Backbone Food Farm in Garrett County. During the episode’s The Local Buy segment, host Al Spoler learns about Max and Katharine Dubansky’s use of draft horses as mechanical tractors and tastes the Oakland farm’s mushrooms.
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. 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.
— Maryland Department of Agriculture