The Worcester County Department of Tourism and Economic Development is pleased to present the third annual “Maryland’s Coast Agriculture Appreciation Week” this year from August 1 through August 9. This week will be full of various offerings by local partners, farms, and agricultural businesses throughout Worcester County, Maryland. The community is invited to join us for fun-filled experiences, explore local farms, and discover the heart of our vibrant agriculture community.
Kicking off Agriculture Appreciation Week is the Blessing of the Combines in Snow Hill, which is celebrating its twenty-sixth year and the Peach Festival in Berlin at the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum on Saturday, August 1 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Blessing of the Combines includes a parade of combines and farm equipment down the streets of Snow Hill at 11:00 a.m. You can view the schedule and more about this event at www.blessingofthecombines.org. In conjunction with the Blessing of the Combines, the Peach Festival will be taking place in Berlin. This free event will include peach sales, performances, contests, games, and more! Learn more about this sweet event at www.taylorhousemuseum.org. After the community events, the public is invited to visit Baywater Landing located at 3908 Bayside Road, Snow Hill. From 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. come enjoy oyster and scallop tastings, cheer on your favorite crab at the crab race for your chance to win a gift basket, enjoy a site tour of the business, and go on an optional kayak tour on the Chincoteague Bay. The price is free to attend all three of these events.
For weeklong entertainment and education, be sure to visit the Great Pocomoke Fair, White Marlin Open, and Bluebird Farms. The Pocomoke Fairgrounds located at 2037 Broad Street, Pocomoke City will host the Great Pocomoke Fair from August 1 through August 8 and will include kids’ activities, live entertainment, judging competitions, and more! View their schedule and get additional information at www.thegreatpocomokefair.org. The White Marlin Open is celebrating their fifty-third year as the largest and richest billfish tournament in the world. Come watch the weigh-ins at Harbour Island Marina or take part in the fun with entertainment, vendors, at Marlin Fest located at the Ocean City Inlet from August 3 through August 8. View the full schedule online at www.whitemarlinopen.com. Blubird Farms will also be having fun all week long and offering a native plant and tree sale, along with informational packets with information about the native species. All Agriculture Week customers will be entered in to win a prize drawing for one large native tree – valued at $180. Shop local during their week at their business located at 11207 Racetrack Road, Berlin.
Come Tuesday, August 4 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., join the University of Maryland Extension and Agriculture & Food Systems for a managing wildlife damage workshop. The workshop will feature University of Maryland Extension Specialist Dr. Luke Mccaulay, who will offer research-based education on how to protect crops from damage caused by deer, geese or groundhogs. Attendees will earn four (4) Maryland Pesticide Credits (1A, 10, CORE, PVT) by attending this workshop. The event will take place at the Lions Community Center located at 5458 East Market Street, Snow Hill. To register to attend this event, visit www.go.umd.edu/ohdeer or call 410-632-1972.
On Wednesday, August 5, enjoy a behind the scenes experience at a local bee farm, Bay Bees Honey is hosting a beekeeping experience on their farm located in Whaleyville. The public is invited to RSVP in advance and register at $35 per person. You can sign up online, first-come, first-served online at https://tinyurl.com/BayBeesHoney26. From 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. another agriculture event is taking place at Castle Farm located at 7530 Cedartown Road, Snow Hill. The public is invited to attend this event for free to watch a dressage training clinic and take part in a farm tour. Then as a grand finale for the day stop by Rusted Star Ranch located at 8616 Cedar Lane Road, Berlin. From 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. the public is invited free of charge to tour the horse ranch, ride a horse (must fill out a waiver, and wear closed toe shoes), helmets for horse rides will be provided. There will also be apparel for sale and kids’ activities.
The next day, Thursday, August 6, come out to Bennett Orchards at 5:30 p.m. for a ticketed event. The farm address is 31442 Peachtree Lane, Frankford. At this location, participants will be able to cut-your-own sunflowers, pick peaches, and grab some food! Registration is coming soon!
On Friday, August 7 Underwood Acres located at 6008 George Island Landing Road, Stockton will host a farm tour of their property from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Come meet Anne Marie and her husband, see their farm animals, hear their story, and learn about the produce and products they harvest on their land. The same afternoon on August 7th from 2:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m., at the Worcester County Recreation Center, indoor stage, located 6030 Public Landing Road, Jeff Semler, University of Maryland Extension Agriculture and Food Systems Principal Agent, that he, along with University of Maryland Extension Senior Agent Associate, Maegan Perdue, will be conducting the Cattle and Calving Workshop. One of the highlights of this workshop will be a demonstration of a Bovine Ultrasound and Birthing Simulator. Registration is not necessary and the price is free to attend. Stick around after this workshop for the final celebration of Agriculture Appreciation Week with the Worcester County Fair. The Worcester County Fair will be held at John Walter Smith Park, located at 6022 Public Landing Road, Snow Hill from August 7 to August 9. The fair will be full of live entertainment, kids’ activities, farm animals, and family fun that you will want to enjoy! Learn more about the schedule of events at www.worcestercountyfair.org.
In collaboration with the full week’s lineup of forty plus agricultural events, the office of tourism and economic development encourages the community to support local and attend the weekly farmer’s markets taking place across Maryland’s Coast. The farmers market schedule is as follows: Saturdays, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. the Ocean Pines Farmers and Artisans Market takes place at White Horse Park. On Sundays, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., the Berlin Farmers Market occurs on Pitts, Commerce, and Main Street. On Thursdays, from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. the Snow Hill Farmers Market is held at the Sturgis Park Pavilion. On Fridays, beginning at 7:00 a.m., the Pocomoke Farmers Market starts at 3 Market Street. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. the Ocean City Farmers Market takes place at Gold Coast Mall. To enjoy local foods during agriculture appreciation week, visit the following businesses for a bite to eat or even a sweet treat: Tide Room, Spain, Oyster and Scales, The Hobbit, Tide to Table, and Chesapeake Bay Farms. To purchase fresh seafood and support our watermen and seafood businesses, purchase their seafood and get connected with them to have fish, shrimp, crabs, scallops, and more right from our backyard. View our newly designed brochure to get started planning your next meal: https://www.flipsnack.com/MarylandsCoast/fresh-seafood-on-maryland-s-coast-guide
To learn more about the schedule of Agriculture Appreciation Week, visit www.visitmarylandscoast.org or visit the individual Facebook event pages for each event offering. For additional information, contact Communications and Marketing Manager, Brianna Dix at bdix@worcestermd.gov or 410-632-3112 x2123.
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