Growing New Farms
Established in 2022, the Urban Farm Incubator at Watkins Regional Park is a collaboration among ECO City Farms, M-NCPPC Parks and Recreation Department, the Prince George’s Soil Conservation District (PGSCD), Prince George’s Food Equity Council (FEC), and The Capital Market of 20743. By opening up county land to be used by smaller scale and/or footprint farmers, the aim is to provide access to land and resource support for beginning farmers to launch new farm-based businesses in Prince George’s County using regenerative, certified naturally-grown, and organically-grown agricultural best practices. This experience will be a training ground to help the farmer decide if they have a viable business plan, as well as determine their land and infrastructure needs when looking to purchase farmland. The Urban Farm Incubator will support multiple farmers and provide greater opportunities for increased support through common infrastructure, equipment, mentoring, and technical assistance to help launch their businesses successfully.
In addition to supporting new farm businesses in Prince George’s County, this program is an opportunity to share the importance and benefits of soil and water conservation in Prince George’s County. The District was awarded a 2021 Urban Agriculture Conservation (UAC) Grant through a partnership with the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to boost conservation technical assistance for this project.
For more information on the Urban Farm Incubator at Watkins Regional Park, including the current farmers and application process for new farmers, visit ECO City Farms’ website.
Urban Ag Conservation Program
Urban Ag Conservation Planning