AGLINE
Newsletter—Cecil, Kent, and Queen Anne’s Counties
Volume 6, Issue 5 May 2016
“Pack ‘N Cool” Mobile Refrigeration
Solution for Farmers
P.1
Calendar
P.2
Strawberry Twilight Meeting
P.2
New Website Connects Consumers
with Maryland Flower Growers
P.2
Fundamentals of Nutrient Management Course
P.3
Stripe Rust Update
P.3
Videos on the Web—Organic Production and Marketing Workshop
P.3
Videos on the Web—New BMPs to
Accelerate Chesapeake Bay Restoration Conference
P.4
Maryland Value Added Producer
Matching Grants Now Available
from MARBIDCO
P.5
Lunch Learning Sessions in May
P.5
Conservation Compliance Deadline
P.6
Cecil County Breeder’s Fair
P.6
Eastern Shore Spring Show
P.6
CLICK BELOW FOR DAIRY INFO.
http://extension.psu.edu/animals/dairy
CLICK BELOW FOR LIVESTOCK INFO.
http://extension.psu.edu/
Allium Leafminer (Onion Leafminer) has
recently been detected and confirmed from
infested leeks and onions in Lancaster
County. For more information, contact
your local Extension Office or visit: https://
extension.umd.edu/cecil-county/
agriculture-natural-resources.
MONDAY, MAY 30, 2016
“Pack ‘N Cool” Provides Farmers with Mobile
Refrigeration Solution
KANNAPOLIS, NC – N.C. State
University’s Plants for Human
Health Institute (PHHI) has
developed a new mobile cooling
unit for farmers. The five-byeight-feet refrigerated trailer –
called the “Pack ‘N Cool” – is
designed to keep fruits and
vegetables at ideal temperatures during transport to and
from farmers markets or as
they’re harvested in farm fields.
The Pack ‘N Cool is the program’s latest postharvest quality and food safety project
geared toward helping farmers.
Dr. Penelope Perkins-Veazie and the Pack 'N Cool trailer.
Dr. Penelope Perkins-Veazie, professor and postharvest physiologist with PHHI, coordinated the effort to
develop a mobile refrigeration unit that agricultural producers can use as a model for building their own
versions. The Pack ‘N Cool unit combines the mobility of a cargo trailer with the refrigeration capabilities of
a commercial cooler. With construction spearheaded by Louis Wojciechowski, a lab technician with Perkins
-Veazie’s research team, the model unit cost around $3,400 to construct, including a new cargo trailer
priced at $1,500 (a pre-owned trailer can reduce costs). Construction guidelines, step-by-step photos and a
sample budget are available on the Plants for Human Health Institute website. As a scientist that studies
fresh produce after it’s harvested, Perkins-Veazie recommends that many fruits and vegetables be stored
at 32 to 41 degrees Fahrenheit. This includes most fruits (apple, blackberry, strawberry), leafy greens
(cabbage, lettuce) and immature vegetables (broccoli, cucumber, green beans), which decay in heat.
“Based on my experience, farmers know that it’s important to keep certain fruits and vegetables at cool
temperatures to remove field heat and hold fresh-grown quality, but it’s often challenging to purchase or
maintain the equipment needed to ensure those ideal temps,” said Perkins-Veazie. “The Pack ‘N Cool model provides farmers with a mobile, cost-efficient alternative to commercial cooling units.” She adds that
keeping fresh-picked fruits and vegetables cooler for longer preserves quality and extends the shelf life of
the produce, a benefit for farmers hauling food to and from multiple markets each week. “Highly perishable
fruits like blackberries that sit at 80 degrees at market will last only a day compared to a week if kept at 40
degrees,” said Perkins-Veazie. “That makes a big difference to farmers.”
The Pack ‘N Cool utilizes CoolBot temperature technology to maximize the output of a basic window air
conditioner unit. The CoolBot adapter interfaces with the AC unit, which typically bottoms out at 60 F, to
generate temperatures as low as the 30s in the trailer. Wojciechowski added, “if the AC ever fails, a new
unit can be bought at a home improvement store for $300 and hooked up the same day without the need
for a refrigeration service call. It’s simple and energy-efficient.” An electrical extension cord (110V) or a
generator powers the unit. The Pack ‘N Cool will also be used as a training tool for N.C. State faculty and
N.C. Cooperative Extension agents. The unit will be demonstrated at agricultural field days and events
across the state. This past spring, the institute announced the development of two mobile hand-washing
stations aimed at helping farmers reduce food safety risks in. — Justin Moore
The N.C. State University Plants for Human Health Institute is leading the discovery and delivery of innovative plant-based solutions to advance human health. N.C. Cooperative Extension serves as the outreach
component of the institute, which is part of the N.C. Research Campus in Kannapolis. The campus is a
public-private venture including eight universities, one community college, the David H. Murdock Research
Institute (DHMRI), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and corporate entities that collaborate to
advance the fields of human health, nutrition and agriculture. Learn more at http://
plantsforhumanhealth.ncsu.edu.
Page 2
Volume 6, Issue 5
CALENDAR
MAY 2016
02 - DEADLINE: Cecil County Breeders Fair Entries,
Cecil County UME Office, 4:30 p.m., 410-996-5280.
03 - Lunch Learning Session, Noon-1:00 p.m., Queen
Anne’s County Extension Office. Details P5
10 - Timely Ag Issues/Grain Marketing, 7:30 a.m.,
QA Extension Office, Centreville, MD. $2/person: coffee,
donuts, etc.
10 - Lunch Learning Session, Noon-1:00 p.m., Queen
Anne’s County Extension Office. Details P5
12 - Managing Risk for Food Businesses Workshop, 9:15
a.m.-3:30 p.m., WREC, Queenstown, MD. For more in
formation, contact Ginger Myers at (301) 432-2767 x338
or e-mail gsmyers@umd.edu.
14 - Eastern Shore Spring Show, Queen Anne’s County 4-H
Park, Centerville, MD. Contact your local Extension
Office for registration information.
17 - Lunch Learning Session, Noon-1:00 p.m., Queen
Anne’s County Extension Office. Details P5
24 - Timely Ag Issues/Grain Marketing, 7:30 a.m.,
QA Extension Office, Centreville, MD. $2/person: coffee,
donuts, etc.
24 - Lunch Learning Session, Noon-1:00 p.m., Queen
Anne’s County Extension Office. Details P5
25 -Strawberry Twilight Meeting, 6:00 p.m.-Dark, Wye
Research and Education Center, Queenstown, MD.
Contact Deborah Dant, 410-827-8056, x115
for more information. Details P2
30 - Memorial Day - UME Extension Offices Closed
31 - Lunch Learning Session, Noon-1:00 p.m., Queen
Anne’s County Extension Office. Details P5
JUNE 2016
01 - Conservation Compliance Deadline. Details P6
2-3 - Fundamentals of Nutrient Management Course, 9:00
a.m.-4:00 p.m., Annapolis, MD. Call 410-841-5959.
Details P3
4-5 - Cecil County Breeders Fair, Cecil County Fair
grounds, Fair Hill, MD. Call 410-996-5280.
07 - Timely Ag Issues/Grain Marketing, 7:30 a.m.,
QA Extension Office, Centreville, MD. $2/person: coffee,
donuts, etc.
21 - Timely Ag Issues/Grain Marketing, 7:30 a.m.,
QA Extension Office, Centreville, MD. $2/person: coffee,
donuts, etc.
Strawberry Twilight Meeting
Wye Research and Education Center
Queenstown, Maryland
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
6:00 p.m.—Dark

See the 2nd production year of the Plastic-culture Variety
Trial and discuss results from the first year with Mike
Newell. Samples of the varieties will be available for tasting.

See and discuss with Cassandra Swett and Emmi Koivunen
their projects on: Organic disease fungicide trials for
strawberry fruit rot and using compost, chitin and cover
crop amendments to improve soil health and suppress pathogen overwintering.

Hear the latest on wireless technology for monitoring and
irrigation management. John Lea-Cox and Bruk Belayneh will
discuss the latest results of their deficit irrigation trials.
Contact Deborah Dant,410-827-8056,x115 for more information.
New Website Connects Consumers with Maryland Flower Growers
Online directory is in response to consumer demand for locally grown flowers
ANNAPOLIS, MD (March 31, 2016) – The Maryland Department of Agriculture and Maryland Cut Flower
Growers Association are pleased to announce the launch of the Maryland Grown Flowers website: www.marylandgrownflowers.com. With a recent increase in demand for local cut flowers, this new website will provide
valuable help to any Marylanders interested in locating or learning about locally grown cut flowers.
“Maryland farmers produce a wide variety of colorful, fresh and fragrant flowers year-round,” said Agriculture Secretary Joe
Bartenfelder. “I always encourage consumers to buy local, and the new Maryland Grown Flowers website makes it easier
than ever for Marylanders to connect with local farmers.”
Website features include a section where users can browse photos of various types of flowers available by season and a
directory of local farms listed by county. There is also a photo gallery of different floral arrangements made with Marylandgrown cut flowers.
There are 39 cut flower growers in Maryland with sales totaling $1.15 million, according to the most recent U.S. Department
of Agriculture Census.
The Maryland Cut Flower Growers Association is a collective of flower growers dedicated to producing high quality blooms
for local consumers, and is sponsored by the department.
Page 3
Volume 6, Issue 5
Fundamentals of Nutrient Management Course
A Pre-Certification Course
Thursday, June 2 and Friday, June 3, 2016
9:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m.
Maryland Department of Agriculture, Annapolis, Maryland
This training course provides participants with a basic overview of knowledge areas covered by the Maryland Nutrient Management Certification Examination. Topics include state nutrient management regulations, nutrient management principles, basic soil
science, and soil fertility recommendations. Instructors are university and government experts. The registration for the summer
Fundamentals of Nutrient Management Course is now available. Anyone planning to take the Maryland Nutrient Management
Certification Examination, consultants and farmers interested in refreshing their nutrient management knowledge, and natural
resource personnel should attend. The Certification Examination will be held on Friday, August 5, 2016. The course costs $125. If
you choose to only take the exam, the cost is $50.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION: Register by mail by Monday, May 25, 2016. Seating is limited and registrations will be accepted
only on a pre-paid first come, first serve basis. No registrations will be accepted by phone or at the door. Complete and mail the
registration form with payment of $125.00 per person as soon as possible to best ensure a seat for the course. You will receive a
confirmation by mail before the training session begins. To access the registration form visit:
http://mda.maryland.gov/resource_conservation/Pages/nutrient_management_training_program.aspx .
For more information call 410-841-5959.
Stripe Rust Update
Posted on April 13, 2016, By Nathan Kleczewski
Growers should be aware that Stripe Rust was confirmed in different parts of Virginia, including the Eastern
Shore, over the weekend. As mentioned last week, it was confirmed in Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee
the previous week. Currently the level of infection is low in areas of VA where the pathogen is found, so the potential for any significant movement into our area is low. Regardless, growers in southern parts of Sussex county
Delaware and Southern counties in Maryland should plan on scouting for the disease over the next 2 weeks, as
the forecast continues to look favorable for potential disease development.
For more information visit: http://extension.udel.edu/fieldcropdisease/2016/04/13/stripe-rust-update/.
Videos on the Web—Organic Production & Marketing Workshop
If you missed the Organic Production & Marketing Workshop on March 17, 2016, check out these videos of the days’ presentations.
Videos have been provided by GEORGE HARVEY | Station Manager | Public Info-QACTV, Centreville, MD.
Organic Production Meeting 2016 Welcome
Link: https://youtu.be/Mw0bL_oOwTI
Organic Production Meeting 2016-Marketing and Contract Opportunities
Link: https://youtu.be/7iuDmYjgdkA
Organic Production Meeting 2016 - Organic Dairy, Grain, Poultry and Vegetable Production
Link: https://youtu.be/JgNVFjg7AJw
Organic Production Meeting 2016 - Cover Crops Nutrients and Weeds Org Grain Production
Link: https://youtu.be/t-YNuAjNazY
Organic Production 2016 - The Use of Plant Diversification and Cover Crops for Pest Management
Link: https://youtu.be/KsWyLtS14OI
Organic Production Meeting 2016 - Cover Crops that Improve Vegetable Health
Link: https://youtu.be/nTHhp6mdzuE
Organic Production Meeting 2016 - Organic Research Needs for Our Farming Community
Link: https://youtu.be/KxB80HNqk3o
Organic Production Meeting 2016 - Organics 101-What is the Certification Process
Link: https://youtu.be/zINLIHqJwVw
Organic Production Meeting 2016 - No Till Vegetable Systems
Link: https://youtu.be/FDg8SnXafoY
Volume 6, Issue 5
Page 4
Videos on the Web—New BMPs to Accelerate Chesapeake Bay Restoration Conference
The Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science,
hosted the New BMPs to Accelerate Chesapeake Bay Restoration Conference on March 18, 2016. This event
was co-sponsored by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and the Harry R. Hughes
Center for Agro-Ecology, Inc. Funding for the event was provided by the Town Creek Foundation. Presentation
information is posted on the Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology's website at:
https://
agresearch.umd.edu/agroecol/educationoutreach/new-ideas-accelerate-chesapeake-bay-restorationconference. Videos have been provided by GEORGE HARVEY | Station Manager | Public Info-QACTV, Centreville, MD.
New Ideas to Accelerate Chesapeake Bay Restoration - Welcoming Remarks and Objectives
Link: https://youtu.be/69gY6PYtIb8
New Ideas to Accelerate
Restoration Where We are Now Where We Need to Be
Link: https://youtu.be/h7CCck6Ig58
Chesapeake
Bay-
New Ideas to Accelerate Chesapeake Bay Restoration-BMPs in land Conservation and Urban Greening
Link: https://youtu.be/vDEBEA48nAc
New Ideas to Accelerate Chesapeake Bay Restoration - Emerging Best management Practices Ecosystem Management
Link: https://youtu.be/rdboQi60kmg
New Ideas to Accelerate Chesapeake Bay Restoration Emerging BMPs in Agriculture
Link: https://youtu.be/Zg4igSlIeOk
New Ideas to Accelerate Chesapeake Bay Restoration-Chesapeake Bay Financing
Strategy
Link: https://youtu.be/o0i3chooDXo
New Ideas to Accelerate Chesapeake Bay Restoration-Panel to Focus on Next Steps
Link: https://youtu.be/4NJw1jvgLNk
Rothwell Farm Named 2015 Outstanding Farm Operation
Posted: Friday, April 1, 2016 9:53 am | Updated: 6:53 pm, Sun Apr 3, 2016.
By Jane Bellmyer jbellmyer@cecilwhig.com PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT LOGAN
ELKTON — Having been a member of the Cecil County Farm Bureau for more
than 60 years, Thelma Rothwell was due to receive recognition, according to Willie Ewing.
“She’s 94 and she’s been a farm bureau member 90 percent of her life, and she
hadn’t been recognized yet,” Ewing said Friday. That changed last month when
Rothwell’s Maple Hill Farm was named Outstanding Farm Operation of the Year
for 2015. As the winner of the 2011 prize, Ewing just finished his stint on the
award’s nominating committee.
Bill Cissel presents the William D. Cissel Cup to Thelma
“It was my turn, I guess,” Rothwell said Thursday. She accepted the award, for- Rothwell at the Cecil County Farm Bureau Banquet held last
month at Rising Sun Banquet Hall.
mally known as the William D. Cissel Cup, at a ceremony held March 18 at Rising Sun Banquet Hall. Rothwell will now have a say in who will receive the
award next. She will serve a three-year stint on the nominating committee. Although Spry Brothers operates the farm
now, Rothwell and her late husband, Horace, spent decades growing grain and raising Guernsey cattle and children.
Married in 1938, both held various ag-related jobs along the way, including the dairy operation and Milk Bar where
Baker’s Restaurant stands today on Route 213 near Chesapeake City. The couple moved to the western end of Cecil
County in 1954.
“I had no idea how many places they had been,” Ewing said. Research uncovered that the Cedar Hill-area farm, with
its 1795 farmhouse, had been named Maple Hill Farm at one time, and the couple decided to resurrect the name. Located amongst expansive fields and hemmed in with dense trees, the farm is also one of the highest points in Cecil
County, from which the Delaware Memorial Bridge can be seen. Along with farm duties, Rothwell was also active with
Cecil County 4-H, in which daughters Jean and Nancy were also involved.
Page 5
Volume 6, Issue 5
Maryland Value Added Producer Matching Grants
Now Available From MARBIDCO
ANNAPOLIS (April 13, 2016)—The Maryland Agricultural and Resource-Based
Industry Development Corporation (MARBIDCO) has announced a grant funding
opportunity to encourage Maryland's independent agricultural producers to engage
in value-added activities and pursue financial support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Value
Added Producer Grants Program (USDA-VAPG). The USDA-VAPG is a highly competitive nationwide grants program with
approximately $44 million available for distribution in 2016. These grant funds can be used for planning or working capital
expenses in accordance with USDA regulations. Eligible purposes include feasibility studies or business plans, working capital for marketing value-added agricultural products and for farm-based renewable energy projects.
MARBIDCO is making available Maryland Value Added Producer Matching Grants (MVAPMG) of up to 15% of the amount
of a USDA-VAPG award to help an eligible applicant meet the non-federal financial matching requirement. All applicants that
meet the MARBIDCO requirements will receive a commitment of matching funds to be included with their federal USDAVAPG application. A MVAPMG monetary award from MARBIDCO will only be provided to an applicant that is selected to
receive USDA-VAPG funding.
The application submission deadline for the USDA-VAPG program is Friday, July 1, 2016. Questions regarding the USDAVAPG can be addressed to the Maryland/Delaware Office of USDA-Rural Development at 302-857-3629, or visit
USDA’s http://www.rd.usda.gov/ for more information.
Applicants seeking to receive a commitment of matching funds from MARBIDCO must submit an application at least two
weeks prior to the federal submission deadline. The deadline for submission of MARBIDCO applications is Tuesday, June
14 2016 (or postmarked by June 13, 2016). Please visit the MARBIDCO website at http://www.marbidco.org/.
For more information and to download the MVAPMG application form. Questions about the MVAPMG may also be addressed by contacting Andra Davis, MARBIDCO Financial Programs Specialist, at 410-267-6807.
Time to get those finances in GOOD SHAPE
May 3, 2016—Credit Reports 101 (Register by April 29)
Credit reports, credit scores and obtaining credit can be confusing and overwhelming. This presentation will walk participants
through the steps to obtain credit reports, how to read each report and possible actions necessary for responsible consumer use
with credit. Attendees will also participate in interactive and hands on activities to evaluate credit options along with developing a personalized list of questions to reference when determining future credit options.
May 10, 2016—Identity Theft & Privacy Protection (Register by May 6)
Participants will examine how to take preventive steps to secure their personal information along with how to identify potential consumer scams. Interactive activities will engage participants with the opportunity to develop theft prevention
knowledge and skills along with a theft report plan.
May 17, 2016—Budget Basics (Register by May 13)
This presentation will walk participants through the steps to develop a personal and/or family financial plans. Interactive
activities will encourage participants to examine spending, identify risky spending habits, plug spending leaks and determine
small steps to start saving for a balanced personal or household budget.
May 24, 2016—Small Steps to Saving & Investing (Register by May 20)
Discover saving techniques to help individuals or families develop savings for future needs and emergencies. It’s time to
discover how you can take simple and confident steps to make your money work for you. Interactive activities will help participants identify opportunities to save and explore several financial options for beginning investment plans. Also, learn how
to distinguish between fraudulent investments and legitimate financial institutions.
FREE—Bring your lunch and
join the discussion with Dr.
Melissa Welsh, Family &
Consumer Sciences Extension
Educator.
May 31, 2016—Your Money Your Goals and the New Technology to Manage Both
(Register by May 27)
Learn how to avoid the pitfalls when choosing financial products, protect your identity on/offline and access new financial
building resources. Then let’s explore how small targeted saving techniques can assist in reducing debt or providing funds to
meet short and long term goals.
LOCATION: Queen Anne’s County Extension Office, 505 Railroad Avenue, Suite 4, Centreville, MD
Call 410-758-0166 or email sshorter@umd.edu to reserve your seat.
NON-PROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT NO. 46
University of Maryland Extension,
Queen Anne’s County
505 Railroad Avenue
Centreville, MD 21617
The University of Maryland, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources programs are open to all and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual
orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, or national origin, marital status, genetic information, or political affiliation, or gender identity and expression. The Uni-
versity of Maryland is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Equal Access Programs. La Universidad de Maryland es una institución con Igualdad de Oportunidades de
Empleo y con Igualdad de Acceso a Programas.
Contact your local UME Agriculture Educator:
Cecil County ~ Doris Behnke at 410-996-5280 or dbehnke@umd.edu
Kent County ~ Nate Richards at 410-778-1661 or nrichard@umd.edu
Queen Anne’s County ~ Jennifer Rhodes at 410-758-0166 or jrhodes@umd.edu
Farmers seeking federal
crop insurance premium
subsidies
for
the
2017 reinsurance year
must comply by June 1,
2016 by filing form AD1026. The 2014 Farm Bill
relinked crop insurance
premium subsidies with
conservation compliance.
For more information, visit:
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/
wps/portal/nrcs/detail/
national/programs/
farmbill/?
cid=nrcseprd340750
Cecil County Fairgrounds
Fair Hill, Maryland