Ag Center, Storage Among Ideas Generated By West Friendship Park Focus Group

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — The West Friendship Park Agricultural Focus Group Report has been released by the county.

The report was compiled by a focus group tasked with evaluating potential agricultural programs and uses at the 380-acre county-owned West Friendship Park.

"This collaborative effort reflects our commitment to enhancing the agricultural landscape of West Friendship Park, fostering community engagement and promoting agriculture for future generations. We look forward to continuing our dialogue with stakeholders as we develop a strategy to fund and implement this vision," said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball.

Comprised of 23 individuals, including agricultural leaders, engaged residents, elected officials and representatives from agricultural-related county agencies, the focus group convened over three meetings between April and May 2024. During their initial gathering, the focus group brainstormed potential agricultural initiatives.

The second meeting featured a tour of the park, allowing the focus group to connect their ideas with the landscape. In their final session, the group divided into smaller teams to review and prioritize the suggestions generated in previous discussions. They categorized their recommendations into three key areas: agricultural support, agricultural education and agricultural recreation, ranking each proposal by its significance.

“Our agricultural community is multifaceted. This focus group leveraged the perspectives of a variety of sectors to develop a comprehensive set of recommendations,” said James Zoller, Administrator, Office of Agriculture. “I am impressed with the creative and innovative proposals put forth by our community.”

Recommendations to enhance support for agriculture include building an agricultural center to create space for agencies and the agricultural community to gather and host programs, providing freezers and cold storage for farmers to store meat and produce, and leasing land to new and beginning farmers to set down roots.

“West Friendship Park presents an opportunity to improve awareness of agriculture and to assist Howard County's farmers,” said Barb Glenn, vice president of the Howard County Farm Bureau. “This focus group brought many interests together and the plan is a first step in the park's future for all Howard Countians, rural and urban.”

The focus group’s report suggests agricultural education be supported at the park with dedicated space for 4-H and Future Farmers of America youth programs to raise pigs, goats and sheep. The group also recommends using the park to administer agricultural workshops and awareness programs, and emphasizes creating a farm-focused tourism destination for the public.

Horseback riding trails and room for camping also are encouraged under the banner of agricultural recreation. The focus group further recommends programming to celebrate the history of Howard County agriculture.