MPT series "Maryland Farm & Harvest" debuts Cow Week July 21-28
17 Julio 2024 - 2:30PM
Maryland Public Television's (MPT) original series Maryland Farm
& Harvest will celebrate cute calves, happy heifers, cuddly
cows, bubbly bulls, and the farm families that care for all of them
during Cow Week. From July 21-28, Maryland Farm & Harvest’s
social media channels will share a bevy of original and classic
bovine stories through daily premieres of digital shorts, copious
cow facts, and dozens of stories pulled from the series’ first 11
seasons. Audiences are encouraged to like, follow, and
subscribe to the Maryland Farm & Harvest Facebook page
(@MarylandFarmHarvest), Instagram (@mdfarmtv), and YouTube channel
to keep up with the latest stories throughout the week and engage
in the conversation using the hashtags #CowWeek, #SharksvsCows,
#CowShark, and #BovinePrime. New digital shorts, featuring
content from the series’ upcoming 12th season, will be unveiled
each day. Highlights include:
- Cow
Photography – Marketing cows is hard work! When farmers looking
to sell need to advertise, they call the experts. Meet
professionals such as Don Birk and Dale Stith, renowned
photographers who travel the country snapping bovines on the cow
walk.
- Cow
Cuddling – Believe it or not, hugging an 800-pound steer has
been scientifically proven to calm people down. Visit Clarksville
Cow Cuddling at Mary’s Land Farm in Ellicott City to meet
the team of six therapy cows and watch the “pasture puppies” in
action.
- 2024 Ms.
Agvocate is a Cow Girl – Having grown up on her family’s Church
View Farm in Millersville, Lindsey Jacobs never considered
herself a “pageant” girl. Meet the 2024 Ms. Agvocate USA winner and
learn how ag pageants are helping to create new advocates for
agriculture communities.
Maryland Farm & Harvest: Cow Week Special –
Tuesday, July 23 at 7 p.m.The eight-day initiative is anchored
by a cow-themed special episode of Maryland Farm & Harvest on
Tuesday, July 23 at 7 p.m. on MPT-HD and the MPT livestream. The
episode will also be available to view on demand using the free PBS
App and MPT’s online video player. A preview of the 30-minute
special is available on the Maryland Farm & Harvest webpage at
mpt.org/farm.The July 23 special episode includes the following
segments and locations:
- Cattle
Breeds (Carroll, Frederick, and Harford counties) – More than
65% of U.S. beef cattle are of the Angus breed, but – for various
reasons – many Maryland farmers have chosen to fill their farms
with other breeds. Visit family farm operations in Havre de
Grace, Frederick, and Keysville to discover why
breeds such as Charolais, Belted Galloways, and White Parks are
making headway on cattle farms throughout the
state.
- Caring for
Calves (Carroll County) – Ever wonder why bovines have so many
names and what they mean? See all sorts of bovine and learn what
differentiates calves from heifers and cows from bulls during a
visit to Maryland Delight Beef in Westminster.
- Dairy
Struggles (Carroll and Frederick counties) – Agriculture is a
volatile business. Profits each year depend on factors outside a
farmer’s control, such as market prices and weather. Even among
farmers, milking cows is recognized as one of the most difficult
ways to make a living, and consistently low prices have pushed some
Maryland farmers to sell their herds. Members of the Haines family
of Locust-Ayr Farm in Taneytown and the Grossnickle family
of Ellerton View Farm in Myersville explain why dairy
farming can be so challenging, and why many of them can’t imagine
ever doing anything else.
- The Local
Buy: Misty Meadows Creamery (Washington County) – “The Local
Buy” segment host Al Spoler satisfies his sweet tooth with a visit
to Misty Meadows Farm Creamery in Smithsburg. Farmers Betsy
and David Herbst show how their fresh milk becomes churned ice
cream. The creamery’s other visitors are from Grace Academy Summer
Camp in Hagerstown.
Hosted by Joanne Clendining, Maryland Farm & Harvest 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. More than 16 million viewers have
watched Maryland Farm & Harvest on MPT since its debut in
2013. The series has traveled to more than 450 farms, fisheries,
and other agriculture-related locations during its first 11
seasons, covering every Maryland county, as well as Baltimore City
and Washington, D.C. 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; a grant
from the Rural Maryland Council Maryland Agricultural Education and
Rural Development Assistance Fund; Maryland Agricultural
Resource-Based Industry Development Corporation (MARBIDCO); a grant
from the Maryland Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block
Program; Farm Credit; Maryland Soybean Board; Wegmans Food Markets;
Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts; Maryland
Nursery, Landscape & Greenhouse Association; Maryland Farm
Bureau; The Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment; and a
contribution made by the Citizens of Baltimore County. Other
support comes from the Mar-Del Watermelon Association and Maryland
Agricultural Education Foundation.
# # #
About Maryland Public TelevisionMaryland Public
Television (MPT) is a statewide, public-supported TV network and
Public Broadcasting Service member offering entertaining,
educational, and inspiring content delivered by traditional
broadcasting and streaming on TVs, computers, and mobile devices. A
state agency, it operates under the auspices of the Maryland Public
Broadcasting Commission. MPT creates and distributes local,
regional, and national content and is a frequent winner of regional
Emmy® awards. MPT’s commitment to educators, parents,
caregivers, and learners of all ages is delivered through
instructional events and Thinkport.org. MPT’s year-round community
engagement activities connect viewers with resources on a wide
range of topics. For more information visit mpt.org.
- Maryland Farm & Harvest - Cow Week graphic 1
- Maryland Farm & Harvest - Cow Week graphic 2
Michael MacFee
Maryland Public Television
4105814262
mmacfee@mpt.org