Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally think food shortages are going to be an issue in our lifetime or our children’s. Currently a ridiculous amount of our food comes from California .. with climate change, fires and droughts, how low can that continue? And the food coming from other countries? How long will that continue as they face shortages and political instability? We need more food grown in lots of different places and ideally closer to home than what we currently have. I don’t think the MoCo Ag preserve is being super well utilized at the moment but at least it is there if we need to repurpose it.

MD is too cold outside the summer to provide produce year round. CA is warm enough year round to provide produce, even in the winter.

I grow vegetables and fruit here in the summer, for like 3 maybe 4 months total, and fall fruits only last for like 2 weeks. I grew tomatoes in CA from early March until November.

-40 year CA resident who misses fresh produce year round.

Apples and squashes definitely last for longer than 2 weeks, if you store them properly. And no, Maryland is not too cold outside to provide produce year round. Have you been to farmers' markets?

There is no farmers market year round.

And I was referring to picking the fruit off of trees. The fruit is only ripe for like 2 weeks before they start to become overripe or drop.

https://www.centralfarmmarkets.com/bethesda

what kind of locally grown produce do they have at that farmers market? Where are they growing berries, tomatoes in the winter? Is there a hothouse?

The only vegetables that grows in January/February in maryland are mushrooms. radishes and peas.. Rye, barley, and other cereal grains are planted for Fall/Winter.

Here is a list of what is grown by month, but it's not all inclusive.

https://www.thespruceeats.com/maryland-season...d-vegetables-2217184

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally think food shortages are going to be an issue in our lifetime or our children’s. Currently a ridiculous amount of our food comes from California .. with climate change, fires and droughts, how low can that continue? And the food coming from other countries? How long will that continue as they face shortages and political instability? We need more food grown in lots of different places and ideally closer to home than what we currently have. I don’t think the MoCo Ag preserve is being super well utilized at the moment but at least it is there if we need to repurpose it.

MD is too cold outside the summer to provide produce year round. CA is warm enough year round to provide produce, even in the winter.

I grow vegetables and fruit here in the summer, for like 3 maybe 4 months total, and fall fruits only last for like 2 weeks. I grew tomatoes in CA from early March until November.

-40 year CA resident who misses fresh produce year round.

Apples and squashes definitely last for longer than 2 weeks, if you store them properly. And no, Maryland is not too cold outside to provide produce year round. Have you been to farmers' markets?

There is no farmers market year round.

And I was referring to picking the fruit off of trees. The fruit is only ripe for like 2 weeks before they start to become overripe or drop.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally think food shortages are going to be an issue in our lifetime or our children’s. Currently a ridiculous amount of our food comes from California .. with climate change, fires and droughts, how low can that continue? And the food coming from other countries? How long will that continue as they face shortages and political instability? We need more food grown in lots of different places and ideally closer to home than what we currently have. I don’t think the MoCo Ag preserve is being super well utilized at the moment but at least it is there if we need to repurpose it.

MD is too cold outside the summer to provide produce year round. CA is warm enough year round to provide produce, even in the winter.

I grow vegetables and fruit here in the summer, for like 3 maybe 4 months total, and fall fruits only last for like 2 weeks. I grew tomatoes in CA from early March until November.

-40 year CA resident who misses fresh produce year round.

Apples and squashes definitely last for longer than 2 weeks, if you store them properly. And no, Maryland is not too cold outside to provide produce year round. Have you been to farmers' markets?

There is no farmers market year round.

And I was referring to picking the fruit off of trees. The fruit is only ripe for like 2 weeks before they start to become overripe or drop.

https://www.centralfarmmarkets.com/bethesda

what kind of locally grown produce do they have at that farmers market? Where are they growing berries, tomatoes in the winter? Is there a hothouse?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally think food shortages are going to be an issue in our lifetime or our children’s. Currently a ridiculous amount of our food comes from California .. with climate change, fires and droughts, how low can that continue? And the food coming from other countries? How long will that continue as they face shortages and political instability? We need more food grown in lots of different places and ideally closer to home than what we currently have. I don’t think the MoCo Ag preserve is being super well utilized at the moment but at least it is there if we need to repurpose it.

MD is too cold outside the summer to provide produce year round. CA is warm enough year round to provide produce, even in the winter.

I grow vegetables and fruit here in the summer, for like 3 maybe 4 months total, and fall fruits only last for like 2 weeks. I grew tomatoes in CA from early March until November.

-40 year CA resident who misses fresh produce year round.

Apples and squashes definitely last for longer than 2 weeks, if you store them properly. And no, Maryland is not too cold outside to provide produce year round. Have you been to farmers' markets?

There is no farmers market year round.

The only vegetables that grows in January/February in maryland are mushrooms. radishes and peas.. Rye, barley, and other cereal grains are planted for Fall/Winter.

Here is a list of what is grown by month, but it's not all inclusive.

https://www.thespruceeats.com/maryland-seasonal-fruits-and-vegetables-2217184

And I was referring to picking the fruit off of trees. The fruit is only ripe for like 2 weeks before they start to become overripe or drop.

https://www.centralfarmmarkets.com/bethesda

what kind of locally grown produce do they have at that farmers market? Where are they growing berries, tomatoes in the winter? Is there a hothouse?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally think food shortages are going to be an issue in our lifetime or our children’s. Currently a ridiculous amount of our food comes from California .. with climate change, fires and droughts, how low can that continue? And the food coming from other countries? How long will that continue as they face shortages and political instability? We need more food grown in lots of different places and ideally closer to home than what we currently have. I don’t think the MoCo Ag preserve is being super well utilized at the moment but at least it is there if we need to repurpose it.

MD is too cold outside the summer to provide produce year round. CA is warm enough year round to provide produce, even in the winter.

I grow vegetables and fruit here in the summer, for like 3 maybe 4 months total, and fall fruits only last for like 2 weeks. I grew tomatoes in CA from early March until November.

-40 year CA resident who misses fresh produce year round.

Apples and squashes definitely last for longer than 2 weeks, if you store them properly. And no, Maryland is not too cold outside to provide produce year round. Have you been to farmers' markets?

There is no farmers market year round.

And I was referring to picking the fruit off of trees. The fruit is only ripe for like 2 weeks before they start to become overripe or drop.

https://www.centralfarmmarkets.com/bethesda

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally think food shortages are going to be an issue in our lifetime or our children’s. Currently a ridiculous amount of our food comes from California .. with climate change, fires and droughts, how low can that continue? And the food coming from other countries? How long will that continue as they face shortages and political instability? We need more food grown in lots of different places and ideally closer to home than what we currently have. I don’t think the MoCo Ag preserve is being super well utilized at the moment but at least it is there if we need to repurpose it.

MD is too cold outside the summer to provide produce year round. CA is warm enough year round to provide produce, even in the winter.

I grow vegetables and fruit here in the summer, for like 3 maybe 4 months total, and fall fruits only last for like 2 weeks. I grew tomatoes in CA from early March until November.

-40 year CA resident who misses fresh produce year round.

Apples and squashes definitely last for longer than 2 weeks, if you store them properly. And no, Maryland is not too cold outside to provide produce year round. Have you been to farmers' markets?

There is no farmers market year round.

And I was referring to picking the fruit off of trees. The fruit is only ripe for like 2 weeks before they start to become overripe or drop.

https://www.centralfarmmarkets.com/bethesda

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally think food shortages are going to be an issue in our lifetime or our children’s. Currently a ridiculous amount of our food comes from California .. with climate change, fires and droughts, how low can that continue? And the food coming from other countries? How long will that continue as they face shortages and political instability? We need more food grown in lots of different places and ideally closer to home than what we currently have. I don’t think the MoCo Ag preserve is being super well utilized at the moment but at least it is there if we need to repurpose it.

MD is too cold outside the summer to provide produce year round. CA is warm enough year round to provide produce, even in the winter.

I grow vegetables and fruit here in the summer, for like 3 maybe 4 months total, and fall fruits only last for like 2 weeks. I grew tomatoes in CA from early March until November.

-40 year CA resident who misses fresh produce year round.

Apples and squashes definitely last for longer than 2 weeks, if you store them properly. And no, Maryland is not too cold outside to provide produce year round. Have you been to farmers' markets?

There is no farmers market year round.

And I was referring to picking the fruit off of trees. The fruit is only ripe for like 2 weeks before they start to become overripe or drop.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Considering the county has a hard time finding new space for schools, I think the Ag reserve and other green spaces should be on the table for new school construction. MoCo cant on one hand keep green lighting housing projects then claim there is no land to build new school to absorb the new students. They need to find a way to make it happen and it might involve some hard choices.

Hard disagree. Our agricultural lands should be protected forever. You build a school then you have a parking lot. You have roads leading up to it and housing be gets built up around it. This is not a good idea.

Other option might be to stop allowing overdevelopment in close-in areas, preserving remaining parks, stopping the trading of county-owned properties there for that owned by developers farther out, requiring area infrastrucute coincident with area development (as opposed to as an afterthought), etc.

What constitutes "overdevelopment"? Which parks aren't being preserved? Would you prefer for the development to be in far-out areas on former farmland?

Oh, look! It's the "earnest truth seeker" question-only poster from the MCPS forum coming to cast doubt on others' suggestions and setting up straw men without providing anything substantive for critique in return. Funny meeting you here!

Of course I'm not advocating for mushroom developments on far-flung farmland. I'd advocate for more responsible consideration of development in those higher-density areas, though. You know, school capacity and such.

We're all in favor of responsible consideration. We don't all mean the same things when we use the term "responsible consideration", though. Which is why it can be helpful to explain specifically what you mean. If that's truth-seeking, ok, seeking truth is good, though I'd settle for just some basic clarification.

Let's see...from the posts already:

Schools (capacity, upkeep, etc.)
Parks (preserve open space in built-out communities)
Public facilities (stop swapping government-owned sites away)

Not sure why you would suggest that those weren't clear enough for the purposes of a public discussion board. Folks can contribute their own thoughts as to what responsible development might look like.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Considering the county has a hard time finding new space for schools, I think the Ag reserve and other green spaces should be on the table for new school construction. MoCo cant on one hand keep green lighting housing projects then claim there is no land to build new school to absorb the new students. They need to find a way to make it happen and it might involve some hard choices.

Hard disagree. Our agricultural lands should be protected forever. You build a school then you have a parking lot. You have roads leading up to it and housing be gets built up around it. This is not a good idea.

Other option might be to stop allowing overdevelopment in close-in areas, preserving remaining parks, stopping the trading of county-owned properties there for that owned by developers farther out, requiring area infrastrucute coincident with area development (as opposed to as an afterthought), etc.

What constitutes "overdevelopment"? Which parks aren't being preserved? Would you prefer for the development to be in far-out areas on former farmland?

Oh, look! It's the "earnest truth seeker" question-only poster from the MCPS forum coming to cast doubt on others' suggestions and setting up straw men without providing anything substantive for critique in return. Funny meeting you here!

Of course I'm not advocating for mushroom developments on far-flung farmland. I'd advocate for more responsible consideration of development in those higher-density areas, though. You know, school capacity and such.

We're all in favor of responsible consideration. We don't all mean the same things when we use the term "responsible consideration", though. Which is why it can be helpful to explain specifically what you mean. If that's truth-seeking, ok, seeking truth is good, though I'd settle for just some basic clarification.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally think food shortages are going to be an issue in our lifetime or our children’s. Currently a ridiculous amount of our food comes from California .. with climate change, fires and droughts, how low can that continue? And the food coming from other countries? How long will that continue as they face shortages and political instability? We need more food grown in lots of different places and ideally closer to home than what we currently have. I don’t think the MoCo Ag preserve is being super well utilized at the moment but at least it is there if we need to repurpose it.

MD is too cold outside the summer to provide produce year round. CA is warm enough year round to provide produce, even in the winter.

I grow vegetables and fruit here in the summer, for like 3 maybe 4 months total, and fall fruits only last for like 2 weeks. I grew tomatoes in CA from early March until November.

-40 year CA resident who misses fresh produce year round.

Uh, nope. You have no idea what you are talking about.

- MD farmer

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally think food shortages are going to be an issue in our lifetime or our children’s. Currently a ridiculous amount of our food comes from California .. with climate change, fires and droughts, how low can that continue? And the food coming from other countries? How long will that continue as they face shortages and political instability? We need more food grown in lots of different places and ideally closer to home than what we currently have. I don’t think the MoCo Ag preserve is being super well utilized at the moment but at least it is there if we need to repurpose it.

MD is too cold outside the summer to provide produce year round. CA is warm enough year round to provide produce, even in the winter.

I grow vegetables and fruit here in the summer, for like 3 maybe 4 months total, and fall fruits only last for like 2 weeks. I grew tomatoes in CA from early March until November.

-40 year CA resident who misses fresh produce year round.

Apples and squashes definitely last for longer than 2 weeks, if you store them properly. And no, Maryland is not too cold outside to provide produce year round. Have you been to farmers' markets?