Take the challenge and eat at least one Maryland produced product during Buy Local Week.

Summer is the perfect time of the year to enjoy vegetables and fruits fresh from the garden. The Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC) has created a program to connect residents to fresh food produced right here in Maryland. The Buy Local Challenge encourages Marylanders to buy local whenever possible and support the men and women farmers across the state. You can participate by pledging to eat one Maryland grown product each day during Buy Local week, July 18–26, 2020. Visit the Buy Local Challenge website for recipes, virtual farm tours, and guides on where to find specific products near you. 

This year the Buy Local Challenge is even more important to the farmers and producers around the state.

“Since the onset of the COVID pandemic, Maryland farms have been working hard to overcome enormous challenges to keep their fields and businesses in production and to ensure our food supply chain is robust and safe,” said Shelby Watson-Hampton, SMADC director. “Now more than ever, it's important to show support for your local farms and food producers and pledge to buy local.”

Courtesy SMADC

Maryland farms produce almost every type of vegetable and fruit, from mushrooms to peaches. Decorate your tables with fresh-grown flowers, flavor your cocktails with locally distilled spirits, and top your outdoor grill with fresh local meats. Maryland’s farms also produce fresh dairy products including cheese, milk, ice cream, and free-range eggs. 

After you find your local goods, take a picture and share it to social media with the hashtag #BuyLocalChallenge. A few lucky people will win a Buy Local Challenge Prize Pack, and 20 photos will be featured on the SMADC social media pages. Look out for special branded tote bags, hand sanitizers and recipe cards at farmers’ markets around the state.