By Greg Ellison

(April 30, 2020) With the third of six farm spotlight articles published this Friday, The Maryland Coastal Bays Program’s “Living Local: Small-Scale, Large Impact” project continues to examine sustainable agricultural operations on the Eastern Shore.

Coastal Bays Program Environmental Educator Chandler Joiner said this next installment covers Assateague Farms on Assateague Road and Route 611 in Berlin, while the earlier articles explored Masterpiece Flower Farm in Whaleyville and Splendid Earth Acres also in Berlin.

“We’re trying to spread the word so people can learn about these farms … things to help protect the watershed and ways to access local food in these unusual times,” she said.

Future articles will feature Good Farm, Cross Farm and Berlin’s Bluebird Farm, which all are located within the surrounding watershed of Maryland’s five coastal bays.

Joiner said besides promoting the Living Local series on the Coastal Bays Program’s website, several conservationist entities have joined the venture.

“We are also spreading the word through other organizations, like Future Harvest Casa, Lower Shore Land Trust and Fair Farms Maryland,” she said.

Joiner, who organized the initiative with assistance from Coastal Bays Education Coordinator Liz Wist, said the intent is to make the public aware of  cultivation methods to reduce waterway pollution.

In addition to encouraging agricultural practices to help the bays, the campaign also champions the consumption of local produce.

“At the end of each article it lists where you can find everyone’s products,” she said.

Joiner said besides numerous farmers markets in the vicinity, several of the growers are operating no-contact retail stands at their locations, with proper social-distancing guidelines followed.

While schedules remain uncertain until covid-19 pandemic is overcome, Joiner said community members could attend interactive tours as part of the “farmer-focused” project.

“Right now, there are technically three farm visits scheduled for June, but I envision those likely changing,” she said. “We want people to be aware that the farm visits will occur whether it’s later in the summer or in the fall.”

Joiner also encouraged area agriculturalists who employ sustainable practices to make contact.

“Right now six farms have agreed to be spotlighted and we’re releasing them … every other Friday,” she said. “If people do own farms in the coastal bays watershed and would like to reach out … we can talk about highlighting them.”

Joiner noted the Coastal Bays Program’s website is also offering a virtual learning module entitled “Notes from the Field.

“We are releasing resources pretty much every day,” she said.

Splendid Earth Acres will retail this summer at the Berlin Farmers Market on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  For more information email splendidearthacres@gmail.com.

Masterpiece Flower Farm retails year-round at the farmers market in Salisbury and during summer at similar markets in Berlin and in Bethany and Lewes in Delaware. The mother-daughter operation is running a farm stand at its 7945 Old Ocean City Rd. location daily from 10 a.m. to dark. For more information visit masterpieceflowerfarm.com

Assateague Farm is located at 11832 Assateague Rd. and is running a farm stand daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with self-serve shopping and no-contact payment. For more information visit assateaguefarm.com or call 410-660-5205.

To learn more, visit

Photo courtesy: Chandler Joiner
Dragon carrots and Detroit dark red beets grown at Splendid Earth Acres in Berlin, a sustainable farm recently featured in the Maryland Coastal Bays Program’s “Living Local: Small-Scale, Large Impact” series.

and click on the “Living Local” link.

Information about farm visits will be announced on the Coastal Bays Program website, Facebook page and subscriber newsletter once firm dates are available.