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What kind of HOMEGROWN are you?: Fill in the Blank

Fill in the blank:: Small Urban Farm Project

A bit about me:: I spent my 20's as a hard-working stand-up comedian/ storyteller. I got into farming about 6 seasons ago when I apprenticed under my good friend Loran. I learned a lot from the 2 seasons I spent growing food and raising hogs and chickens along side Loran and my daughter Amber. The following season, I helped to conceptualize and create a small farm that grew food directly for a hip little restaurant/ cafe in downtown Frederick, MD called Cafe Nola. After 3 years of growing heirloom veggies and raising chickens and bees with the help of Amber and a crew of amazing volunteers, I moved to Baltimore and married my wife Sara. We will be moving back to Frederick at the end of the upcoming growing season to start our own small farm in the heart of downtown. We're calling the project Farm Frederick and we're planning on starting it as a small CSA that sells it's overages to local restaurants in the downtown area. We plan on implementing educational programs for the surrounding community and creating innovative ways to bring food to those in need.

Latest greatest meal cooked at home:: We just finished Thanksgiving at my wife's family's home. Everyone there can really throw down in the kitchen. My father-in-law made dates, stuffed with blue cheese and wrapped in prosciutto. Sara, my wife, made cheddar scalloped potatoes filled with fried onions and wild mushrooms.

Currently reading:: The Good Food Revolution - Will Allen

Currently listening to:: So much music. I just got into Communist Daughter and Release The Sunbird.

My latest DIY project:: I'm about to redesign my tiny Baltimore backyard in an attempt to increase my output this year. I will document the process.

How did you find HOMEGROWN.org?: The Internet

Web site I recommend:: http://www.slowfoodbaltimore.com

Farm Frederick's Photos

Farm Frederick's Blog

One Step At A Time - Learning To Take It Slow

My normal tendency, in just about everything I've ever done, is to jump right in, feet first and just start. No questions asked... just get the ball rolling, get on top of it and try not to fall off. As crazy as that sounds, this method has helped me accomplish a lot of things in my life. Things I would have never done had I thought it through. I was a Marine, for example, when I was 18... I'd never do that now! Mostly because I'm older and I get tired quicker and the thought of people…

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Posted on December 5, 2013 at 10:41am — 2 Comments

New Beginnings - Starting a Small Farm in Downtown Frederick

I've been in love with farming since 2008, when I started hanging out with Loran Shallenberger, a great guy and a very talented farmer who was living near the base of Sugarloaf mountain at the time. I started helping Loran, who had just begun his own farm project called North Comus Acres on a rented piece of farmland. Loran raised hogs, chickens and grew vegetables, and we became good friends. I helped Loran, alongside my daughter Amber, who was 7 or 8 at the time for the better part of 2…

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Posted on November 11, 2013 at 11:00am — 3 Comments

Doing Things The Hard Way Never Felt So Good

Historically, I've done things the hard way. It's my nature. I joined the Marine Corps my junior year of high school because it was the "hardest" of the armed forces. After 4 years of struggle and stories upon stories to tell my grandchildren some day I got out of the Marines and plunged right into a career as a stand-up comic. That's harder than being a Marine, take my word for it. And after a decade in the performing arts, I decide to be a farmer?! What the hell is wrong with me? I could…

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Posted on April 13, 2012 at 5:05pm

Season 3 - The Next Chapter

It has been a long time since I've added a post to this blog or even checked in on this page. As last season ended I believed that I would no longer be gardening our beautiful plot of land at Virgate Farm in Mt. Airy, Maryland. With a move to Baltimore and a new job I had put the garden behind me a blazed ahead as I always do. Last week I made a pit stop into my old stomping grounds at Cafe Nola to see some familiar faces and enjoy a delicious cup of Illy coffee. While I was there, I heard…

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Posted on February 28, 2012 at 1:23pm — 5 Comments

Comment Wall (2 comments)

At 2:46pm on March 30, 2010, Cornelia said…: Doug, we're honored that you've decided to make HOMEGROWN.org your home base for sharing your new farm adventures. Please let me know if I can help answer any questions and I'll do my best to let people know about the good work that you're doing. Good luck!!