
A Very Merry Maryland!
‘Tis the season for celebrating holidays! If you and your family celebrate Christmas, then we bet you have a tree tradition. To celebrate all our Maryland Christmas Tree Farms, we’re giving a tree to three lucky families this year (up to $75 value). Starting November 17, follow the Maryland’s Best page (Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter @mdsbest), and like and comment on one of our giveaway posts with your families’ tree tradition. Don’t forget to shout out the local farm you buy from! To see a full list of Maryland Christmas Tree farms, check out: MarylandChristmasTrees.org or search our database. For full details and rules please see the link. — Maryland farmers offer some of the freshest holiday trees available, including the popular Fraser fir and Canaan fir as well as the Douglas fir, Concolor fir, Scotch pine, White pine, and Blue spruce. According to the 2017 Census of Agriculture for Maryland, there are more than 185 Christmas tree growers in the state with nearly 2,200 acres in production. Nationally, there are more than 15,000 Christmas tree growers in the U.S. and the fresh-cut Christmas tree business generates nearly $377 million in sales, according to the latest agriculture census. Not only […]

Wild-Caught Chesapeake Blue Catfish
Eat more wild-caught Chesapeake blue catfish! Wild caught by Waterman in the Chesapeake Bay rivers in Maryland, this delicious-tasting fish is quickly becoming a Maryland seafood favorite. Blue Catfish are versatile and can be easily prepared by baking, frying, sautéing and more. Show your support for Maryland watermen and order blue catfish from the menu of your favorite seafood restaurant or pick some up from your local grocery store to prepare at home. You can find Wild-Caught Chesapeake blue catfish at the following grocery stores: 🐟 Giant 🐟 Harris Teeter 🐟 Mom’s Organic Market 🐟 Safeway 🐟 Wegman’s 🐟 Whole Foods If you are a buyer interested in looking into wholesale wild-caught Chesapeake blue catfish contact matthew.scales1@maryland.gov. Want to try before you buy? Check out these local restaurants: 🍽️Preserve in Anne Arundel County 🍽️The Tillery in Baltimore County 🍽️ Gertrude’s in Baltimore City 🍽️ True Chesapeake in Baltimore City 🍽️ Thatcher & Rye in Frederick County Know a restaurant that serves it or are you a restaurant or store that serves it? Fill out the form below and we’ll add you to the website! Try out one of our blue catfish recipes in the link below! Blue Catfish Recipes.

Celebrate the Holidays the Maryland’s Best Way!
At Maryland’s Best, we celebrate the many wonderful, seasonal foods available in our backyard this Thanksgiving and encourage you to buy local and enjoy the best Maryland has to offer during this holiday season! During this time of giving thanks, we are thankful for the farmers who continue to provide food for our community. Buying locally is one of the many ways we can show our thanks and gratitude for the nourishment they provide to our families. To help with making your locally bought Thanksgiving meal easy to pull off, Maryland’s Best has put together regional lists of where to purchase ingredients including the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving table, fresh turkey. We have also provided delicious recipes featuring fresh, local ingredients you can still buy in Maryland throughout November. Make this a Thanksgiving to remember while supporting our Maryland farmers! For more locations of products, use the search function on our home page. You can also consider joining year-long CSAs like Norman’s Farm Market, Moon Valley Farm, Floating Lotus Farmstead or Breezy Willow Farm to get in season produce (and more!) year-round. We have also included a list of local wines, spirits or beers to add to your celebration. Happy Thanksgiving! Appetizers Main Course Sides Desserts Regional Farms and Farmers Markets Western & […]

Maryland’s Best Expo 2024
Maryland’s Best Expo Scheduled for January 9, 2024 Opportunity for Maryland Farmers, Seafood Producers, and Processors to Connect with Buyers The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) will host the Maryland’s Best Expo on Tuesday, January 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. Returning for its 20th year the Maryland’s Best Expo provides an opportunity for Maryland farmers, seafood producers, and processors to connect with buyers from grocery retailers, restaurants, schools, food distributors, and other venues. Over the past two decades, MDA’s Marketing Program, Maryland’s Best, has promoted our state’s agricultural and seafood products, and expanded markets for our farmers and producers. The 2023 Maryland’s Best Expo attracted more than 400 attendees. Participants included farmers, producers, watermen, aquaculturists, processors, grocery store retailers, restaurants, schools, institutions, distributors, economic development officials, University of Maryland Extension (UME) agents, and regional agricultural marketing officials. Due to popular demand, this year’s event will again take place at the Akerson Tower located at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, 550 Taylor Avenue, Annapolis. Registration is required. The deadline to be included in the expo directory has been extended to December 20, 2023, and the last day to sign up […]

Sign up for a Maryland CSA
Maryland Department of Agriculture Encourages Marylanders to Participate in National Community Supported Agriculture Farms Week ANNAPOLIS, MD (Feb. 17, 2023) – The Maryland Department of Agriculture is encouraging Marylanders to participate in National Community Supported Agriculture Farms Week from February 20- 26. During the week, Marylanders are encouraged to join a community supported agriculture farm, also known as a CSA, to obtain fresh produce and support local farmers. “CSAs present a great opportunity to get fresh, local food—direct from a farmer,” said Maryland Department of Agriculture Acting Secretary Kevin Atticks. “This is the perfect time to sign up with a CSA farm so you don’t miss out on any of the season’s fruits and vegetables”. By purchasing local food, consumers keep dollars in Maryland and strengthen its economy. Community supported agriculture members pay a subscription to farmers in return for a share of the season’s harvest, which is usually provided weekly. For convenience, many CSAs deliver to central locations for pick up closer to subscribers’ home or work. Still others have special rates if a subscriber helps with the harvest on the farm. According to the most recent agricultural census completed in 2017 by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, […]

Got Oysters? A Maryland Oyster Guide
Guide to Buying, Cleaning & Shucking Maryland Oysters Maryland oysters are available year-round! Use the videos and links below to learn the best ways to buy, clean and shuck this tasty seafood! How to Buy Oysters Buying Guide- Maryland Oysters How to Clean Oysters Wild oysters may need a quick rinse if they’re muddy, scrubbing with a brush if needed before you shuck, as Chef Gwyn demonstrates! (Using a hose outdoors is a great idea too!) Watch the video linked below. Cleaning Oysters Video How to Shuck Oysters Opening oysters is a snap once you get the hang of it. Make sure to wear a glove or wrap your hand with a towel before beginning. Watch the video linked below to see a proper technique of how to shuck an oyster without losing the juice that gives them their delicious taste! How to Shuck an Oyster Video