On Saturday, November 17, 2012, HBF hosted the inaugural meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Network of Farm Based Educators. Twenty eight farm educators from Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia launched the regional chapter of the international Farm-Based Education Association (FBEA). This exciting new agricultural adventure parallels the creation of MAEOE (Maryland Association for Outdoor and Environmental Educators), which AFF has supported since its beginning in 1985.Like MAEOE’s national affiliation with NAAEE (North American Association of Environmental Education) our regional organization has the support of the parent organization, FBEA, headquartered at Shelburne Farms in Vermont.
The day was filled with enthusiasm and ideas, highlighted by local food and tours of the HBF barnyard and Children’s Agricultural Garden. Under the guidance of Peggy Eppig of MAEF (Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation) and Karen Fedor (Maryland Department of Agriculture) this fledgling organization has great plans to reach out to farms, schools, and the community to increase awareness of the benefits of local food, formal and non-formal agricultural education, and build aged networks within the region. See more about this new organization at http://www.farmbasededucation.org/group/maryland-network.