Find a farmer near you
Use the official directories, not a search engine
Searching for local farms turns up aggregator sites with stale listings and farms that closed years ago. The directories below are maintained by agencies, and farms register their own entries.
USDA Local Food Directories, run by the Agricultural Marketing Service, cover several categories nationally: farmers markets, CSAs (community supported agriculture, a subscription to a farm's harvest), food hubs, and agritourism operations. Search them at the USDA Local Food Portal or through the AMS directory pages.
The Maryland Department of Agriculture farmers market directory is an interactive map plus a printable annual guide, searchable by county. It lists location, hours, manager contact information, and — usefully — which food assistance programs each market accepts. MDA reports more than 100 authorized farmers markets statewide. Find it at the Maryland Farmers Market Directory.
What to ask a farmer
Direct questions are normal at a farm stand and nobody minds them:
"Did you grow this?" Some vendors resell wholesale produce. Not a scandal, but worth knowing.
"What's best right now?" The honest answer tells you more about a grower than any sign does.
"How do you handle pests?" Certified organic is one answer among several; plenty of growers use low-spray or integrated approaches without paying for certification.
"What's coming in next?" Useful for planning, and it tells you whether they are growing on a season-long plan.
What buying direct actually does
At wholesale, a farm receives a fraction of the retail price. Buying direct means the farm keeps the margin that would otherwise go to distribution and retail, which is why direct sales are what let small acreage stay viable at all.
If you are in Southern Maryland
SMADC, the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission, maintains a regional farmers' market directory covering the Southern Maryland counties
Meet Charles County, the county's economic development site, publishes a shop-local farms directory
Charles County Tourism maintains agritourism and farmers market listings
Charles County Extension, at 9501 Crain Highway in Bel Alton, knows who is growing what in this county