Urban Farm Incubator Open House

Join ECO City Farms, The Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission and partners for an Open House of The Urban Farm Incubator (UFI) at Watkins Regional Park! We invite you to this family-friendly event to learn about the goals of the recently established farm incubator and meet the farmers cultivating the land.

 Activities:

• Free Seeds & Seedling Giveaway by the Prince George’s Soil Conservation District 
• Seedling and fresh produce sales 
• Farm tours with farmer meet and greet
• SoilSHOP workshop by The Capital Market, Prince George's Soil Conservation District, and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Bring a soil sample for a free lead screening (Please read the sampling instructions below).
• Kid activities - exploring vermicomposting worms
• Healthy food cooking demos
• Learn about other gardening, agriculture, healthy eating and conservation resources, initiatives, and opportunities from partner organizations in Prince George’s County

Background of the UFI project:

Launched in 2021, the Urban Farm Incubator is a land access project designed to make it easier for beginner farmers to start their farm businesses.  The site provides multiple farmers with increased support through shared infrastructure, utilities, equipment, mentoring, and technical assistance.  You can learn more about the UFI on our website: https://www.ecoffshoots.org/urban-farm-incubator/

Partners:

• M-NCPPC, Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County
• The Capital Market
• Prince George’s County Food Equity Council
• Prince George's Soil Conservation District
• ECO City Farms

Instructions for Collecting a Single Soil Sample

(Note: For more than one sample, repeat steps 1-5.)

Step 1: Identify an area of interest for your soil sample.

Step 2: Collect Soil – For a large area, collect soil from 5-10 random spots in that area, and combine in a clean container. For a small area, collect soil from 3 random spots and combine in a clean container. (See table below for sampling depth per spot.)

Step 3: Mix soil well in a clean container.

Step 4: Remove pebbles, rocks, and roots, and air dry. Do not use a flame, oven or hairdryer to dry the soil!

Step 5: Transfer 1 – 2 cups of the mixed soil into a clean one-quart Ziplock bag. Please label the bag with your name and contact information (clearly print both phone and email)!

Rinse your container between samples. Limit of 3 sample bags/person.

Area of InterestSampling Depth for Each Random SpotUrban Farm or Garden AreaCollect soil from the surface down to 6-8 inches deepPlay Area (non-garden)Collect all soil from the surface down to 1-2 inches deep

Host or Publisher ECO City Farms