ANNAPOLIS, MD (February 6, 2025)– Maryland Public Television’s (MPT) original series Maryland Farm & Harvest, now in its 12th season, will feature farms and locations in Frederick, Howard, and Prince George’s counties and Baltimore City during an episode premiering on Tuesday, February 11. This marks the popular TV series’ 150th episode since its debut on the statewide public TV network in 2013.
Since then, more than 16 million viewers have watched Maryland Farm & Harvest on-air and via MPT’s streaming platforms. The series has traveled to more than 500 farms, fisheries, and other agriculture-related locations during its 11-plus season run, covering every Maryland county, as well as Baltimore City and Washington, D.C.
Maryland Farm & Harvest airs on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. on MPT-HD and online at mpt.org/livestream. Episodes are also available to view live and on demand using the free PBS app and MPT’s online video player. A preview of the new episode can be found on the series’ webpage at mpt.org/farm.
The popular weekly series takes viewers on a journey across the Free State, telling engaging and enlightening stories about the farms, people, and technology required to sustain and grow agriculture in Maryland, the state’s number one commercial industry.
With introductions filmed at Willowdale Farm in Reisterstown (Baltimore County), the February 11 episode features the following stories:
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Libertas Estates (Frederick and Howard counties) – After a vineyard became besieged by spotted lanternflies, an unlikely hero waddled to the rescue. Viewers join Michael J. Raupp, Ph.D., professor emeritus, University of Maryland, on a survey of the spotted lanternfly population around Lake Kittamaqundi in Columbia. Then, James Ewing, farm manager at Libertas Estates Winery in Mt. Airy, shows how he’s been able to limit the presence of the invasive species by enlisting the help of an army of Indian runner ducks.
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OlaLekan Farm (Prince George’s County) – From growing ginger to okra, peppers, and other staples, 26-year-old Tolu Igun is on a mission to make fresh and culturally rich foods accessible to her neighbors while fostering a farming community of her own. Having established Olalekan Farm at the Urban Farm Incubator at Watkins Regional Park in Upper Marlboro, the first-generation farmer and Nigerian immigrant mentors budding farmers hoping to follow in her footsteps.
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Farm to Skillet: Chef Spike Gjerde (Baltimore City) – James Beard award-winning chef Spike Gjerde of Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore leads viewers through the 32nd Street Farmers Market in Waverly, where he finds rabbit and bacon from Liberty Delight Farms (Reisterstown), peaches from Black Rock Orchard (Lineboro), and purslane and shallots from One Straw Farm (White Hall). With the fresh, locally produced ingredients in tow, Gjerde returns to Woodberry to create a delicious braised rabbit stew. The recipe will be available to download at mpt.org/farm.
Encore broadcasts of Maryland Farm & Harvest air on MPT-HD on Thursdays at 11 p.m. and on Sundays at 6 a.m. Episodes also air on MPT2/Create® on Fridays at 7:30 p.m. Past episodes can be viewed on the free PBS app and MPT’s online video player, while episode segments are available on the series’ YouTube channel at youtube.com/c/MarylandFarmHarvest/featured.
Audiences are invited to engage with the series on social media @MarylandFarmHarvest on Facebook and @mdfarmtv on Instagram.
The Maryland Department of Agriculture is MPT’s co-production partner for Maryland Farm & Harvest. Major funding is provided by the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board.
Additional funding is provided by Maryland’s Best; MARBIDCO; a grant from the Maryland Department of Agriculture, Specialty Crop Block Program; Farm Credit; Maryland Soybean Board; Maryland Nursery, Landscape & Greenhouse Association; Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts; Maryland Farm Bureau; The Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment; Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation; and by the citizens of Baltimore County.
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