Going To Market: Urban farm brings fresh produce from farm to fork

BY LINDSAY MYERS — At the end of Crittenden Street in Edmonston sits a tiny 1.25 acre urban farm. Small tract houses with minivans and ten-year-old SUVs in the driveways neighbor the property, and a white fire hydrant with a green top stands like a sentinel outside of the swinging iron gate. Inside the tall chain link fence marking the perimeter of the farm are several large white “hoop houses,” semi-circular plastic tunnels used to protect crops from the elements. ECO City Farms is not is not your typical farmstead. Yet, this small patch of earth supplies thousands of Prince George’s county residents with produce and is working hard to ensure that all those who want to eat fresh and local, can. Started in 2010 by Margaret Morgan-Hubbard, ECO City Farms is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing affordable, fresh, and locally grown produce to the Prince George’s County community. The organization uses sustainable farming techniques to grow year round and offers educational courses on farming, cooking, and nutrition. It also works with local governments to write policy that supports urban agriculture. The employees of ECO City Farms see urban agriculture as the future of farming. Lead Farmer Deborah Wren [...]