Harford Legacy Farm Commemorative Book

Harford Legacy Farm | iii

FOREWORD Our Farms...The Tapestry of Our Legacy

For centuries man has been weaving tapestries to tell a story of a period or specific time in history. Farmers have woven their tapestry of life through their farms…each thread represents a person and groups of similar threads depict the picture of a culture within the agricultural community. The types of threads may differ in many ways but they all tell the story of a family of farmers. Susan Crowell, a former Farm & Dairy Editor once wrote, “A farmer who – regardless of farm size, philosophy, commodity or location – works harder than anyone outside the farm circle realizes.” The Harford Legacy Farm is a tribute to the social fabric that the farm community continues to weave. The Legacy celebration is special to all of us because it proudly displays our tapestries that have taken generations to create. This isn’t just for the present generation but also for those who came before us. Many of us were never able to meet the earliest weavers of our tapestry, but the many stories of their works have been woven into the fabric of our lives to be handed down to future generations. Our ancestors left an impression on us that has helped to form the image of who we are today. This is a very special way to recognize their sacrifices and dedication to our lands. Words can never be adequate to express our gratitude to these relatives who persevered to help us attain this milestone. There is a special pride in putting our tapestries on display for everyone to see. The threads weave the story of achievements from past generations that have used the land to make it productive and enhance its quality. The latter generations weave the tale of taking this good farmland and learning how to improve their methods to make it more efficient. Generations are nurturing generations through their experiences, careful planning, and experimentation for this legacy to continue. The threads of our tapestry show the hard work of the farmer. Just as making a tapestry is labor intensive, so is farming. Not only does our work display the tending of land, the caring of animals, the upgrading of buildings, and the changing of machinery, but the underlying threads show the dedication that each generation has passed on to the next. This dedication has led to the survival of these Legacy Farms. The individual threads are well-blended to produce a tapestry of which we are extremely proud. Each has its own story that we are happy to share. Displaying our tapestries during the celebration of 250 years of Harford County’s heritage is very special to us. Receiving this recognition is yet another thread to weave for the work and dedication of family members: past, present, and future. Thank you for sharing our 100 years of family ownership. Deborah Wright Trout and Barbara Wright Lowe