July 6, 2007

NRCS Maryland Proposal for Featured Customer 1

Name:
Chapel’s Country Creamery -- Eric and Holly FOSTER family farm

Location:
Easton, Talbot County, Maryland (DelMarVa Peninsula on Eastern Shore)

Type of Operation:
Family-owned farm that includes a dairy herd of 100 Jersey and Holstein cows, cheese-making enterprise, and poultry house operations. Family is very active and enterprising in diverse agriculture to include aggressive marketing of products and educational uses of conservation practices on their 42-acre farm. The all-natural, artisan cheese products are marketed through direct business contacts and on the farm’s website, www.chapelscreamery.com. What began as a small-side business, the cheese-making operation is now the focus of the farm operation.

Conservation Summary: Honored by local Soil Conservation District as Conservation Cooperative Farm of the Year in 2004 for their environmentally friendly ag operation and commitment to protecting soil, air and water quality concerns. Eric Foster grew up on a dairy farm and trains race horses for a living in addition to managing the family farm. Holly began a small cheese-making operation, which has blossomed into a farm-fresh product line sold and used in farmers markets, gourmet shops, and upscale restaurants in Maryland, Washington, DC, Delaware, and New York City and featured at food trade shows, wine festivals and the annual International Waterfowl Festival held in Easton.

Relationship with NRCS: The Foster’s participate in EQIP and CSP and use technical assistance provided by NRCS. They are open to trying innovative practices and support the use of demonstration projects and walking tours of their farm. They are active members of the Talbot Soil Conservation District.

Relationship with Partners:
Holly Foster works with Amish cheese-makers in Pennsylvania to produce cow’s milk cheese. What began as a way to supplement the farm income, has now become the heart of the family farm. The Foster’s are working to open their own cheese-making operation on their farm. The Foster’s raise their own dairy herd to control the quality of the milk used in their artisan cheese-making operation. The Foster’s are active members of the Maryland Farm Bureau and the local 4-H Chapter often hosting educational tours on their farm, to include the annual Farm Tour for all 5th graders in Talbot County. Members of “Maryland with Pride” local farm products organization and Talbot County Chamber of Commerce.

Diversity:
The family is “agriculturally diverse” by embracing alternative agriculture and value-added practices to sustain the farm with their gourmet cheese-making business which they market to agri-tourism, commercial and educational enterprises.

Photographs:

Updated 07-06-07