E. Griffith and Son Farm, southern Anne Arundel County
Farming is a major part of my life and has led me to where I am today. My parents and grandparents own a 400-acre farm in Southern Maryland. The farm had been a tobacco farm since the 1880's and tobacco remained the main cash crop until we took the Maryland Tobacco buyout in 2001. I was fortunate to help with farm work during the time of tobacco and remember every aspect vividly. We are now a no-till grain and hay farm. The transition from tobacco to no-tilled grains sparked my interest in soil science and conservation, and is the reason I now study agroecology and soil science. My experiences on the farm with no-till, cover crops, buffer zones, and other conservation practices have motivated me to research new practices and help farmers implement these practices. I am extremely fortunate to have found such a great opportunity at the University of Maryland and to be able to come back to help on the farm I love so much. I hope to use this opportunity to inform scientists about the challenges and rewards of farm work, and to give farmers an idea of what scientists do on a daily basis. Please follow my blog for more details!