Nonprofit works to transform farm into classroom
Autism Society, Howard EcoWorks and Transition Howard County are already underway and others are in the works, she said.
D’Amore acknowledged there is a lot of overlap among the various green nonprofits in Howard County, such as the Howard County Conservancy and Patapsco Heritage Greenway.
“Each organization has its own niche focus,” she said, “so the more we come together and collaborate, the better.”
Credit for bringing D’Amore and Shaw together goes to Kathy Johnson, director of agriculture business at the Howard County Economic Development Authority.
Johnson sent out an exploratory email last summer stating she’d heard D’Amore was looking to buy a farm for her nonprofit and that she knew of a property that would fit the bill.
“Mr. Shaw had asked for her help in finding someone to commit to keeping the land in agriculture,” recalled D’Amore, who hadn’t yet contacted a real estate agent or begun seriously searching for land when she was contacted by Johnson.
“We all went out to the farm the next day, and I felt compelled to save it from the first time I set foot on the property,” she said.
Shaw Farm is too small to qualify for agricultural preservation, Johnson said, so this arrangement holds real promise for meeting the needs of both parties.“The farm is one of those little gems that there are fewer and fewer of in eastern Howard County,” Johnson said.
“Chiara is a go-getter who has a real grasp of what she needs to do to purchase the farm and develop it into a teaching center,” she added. “I believe in fate and think this will all work out.”
Shaw Farm was founded by Shaw in1982 when he was 24. Now 61, he said he plans to retire after the farm is sold.
In1981, armed with a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from the University of Maryland, College Park, Shaw bought what was then a vacant, overgrown lot and his parents and siblings helped him clear the land, he wrote in an email.
The Shaw family sold organic produce for years at county farmers markets and donated thousands of pounds of vegetables and fruit to people in need, he said. They also sold produce in a community-supported agriculture program and later worked with food banks.
“Having been involved intimately with this land for almost 38 years, it is very important to me to find new stewards for the farm,” he stated.“Working with Chiara and the other members of the Community Ecology Institute will ensure that my family’s values of clean air, water, soil and food — and putting people ahead of profits — will continue,” he wrote.
Shaw is not D’Amore’s only fan.
Beverly White-Seals, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Howard County, took a February meeting with D’Amore, even though she was unfamiliar with the nonprofit.
By the time the meeting ended, White- Seals had offered to host the April 4 gathering.
“Chiara comes in here cold, and by the time we’re done talking, I’m opening up my home to her. She’s amazing,” she said.
White-Seals praised D’Amore’s mission to educate people on what can be done to stem the tide on such issues as global warming and climate change.
“The role that nature plays in making us healthy really resonates with me,” she said.
When D’Amore organized her first Columbia Families in Nature outing five years ago, 100 people turned out and then kept showing up for other events, she recalled.
That’s when she knew she was on to something.
“There have been dozens and dozens of studies on the importance of getting outside when you’re young, having a role model teaching you about nature, and participating in an organization where you can see impact,” she said.
D’Amore also started Roots and Wings, an experiential learning program for homeschooled elementary-age kids that operates out of a room in an Owen Brown church.
“I’ve been planting seeds for a long time and now they’re starting to grow,” she said.
“The energy and momentum around us are really good right now. Being at the farm will help focus and ground all of our work.” janeneholzberg76@gmail.com
D’Amore acknowledged there is a lot of overlap among the various green nonprofits in Howard County, such as the Howard County Conservancy and Patapsco Heritage Greenway.
“Each organization has its own niche focus,” she said, “so the more we come together and collaborate, the better.”
Credit for bringing D’Amore and Shaw together goes to Kathy Johnson, director of agriculture business at the Howard County Economic Development Authority.
Johnson sent out an exploratory email last summer stating she’d heard D’Amore was looking to buy a farm for her nonprofit and that she knew of a property that would fit the bill.
“Mr. Shaw had asked for her help in finding someone to commit to keeping the land in agriculture,” recalled D’Amore, who hadn’t yet contacted a real estate agent or begun seriously searching for land when she was contacted by Johnson.
“We all went out to the farm the next day, and I felt compelled to save it from the first time I set foot on the property,” she said.
Shaw Farm is too small to qualify for agricultural preservation, Johnson said, so this arrangement holds real promise for meeting the needs of both parties.“The farm is one of those little gems that there are fewer and fewer of in eastern Howard County,” Johnson said.
“Chiara is a go-getter who has a real grasp of what she needs to do to purchase the farm and develop it into a teaching center,” she added. “I believe in fate and think this will all work out.”
Shaw Farm was founded by Shaw in1982 when he was 24. Now 61, he said he plans to retire after the farm is sold.
In1981, armed with a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from the University of Maryland, College Park, Shaw bought what was then a vacant, overgrown lot and his parents and siblings helped him clear the land, he wrote in an email.
The Shaw family sold organic produce for years at county farmers markets and donated thousands of pounds of vegetables and fruit to people in need, he said. They also sold produce in a community-supported agriculture program and later worked with food banks.
“Having been involved intimately with this land for almost 38 years, it is very important to me to find new stewards for the farm,” he stated.“Working with Chiara and the other members of the Community Ecology Institute will ensure that my family’s values of clean air, water, soil and food — and putting people ahead of profits — will continue,” he wrote.
Shaw is not D’Amore’s only fan.
Beverly White-Seals, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Howard County, took a February meeting with D’Amore, even though she was unfamiliar with the nonprofit.
By the time the meeting ended, White- Seals had offered to host the April 4 gathering.
“Chiara comes in here cold, and by the time we’re done talking, I’m opening up my home to her. She’s amazing,” she said.
White-Seals praised D’Amore’s mission to educate people on what can be done to stem the tide on such issues as global warming and climate change.
“The role that nature plays in making us healthy really resonates with me,” she said.
When D’Amore organized her first Columbia Families in Nature outing five years ago, 100 people turned out and then kept showing up for other events, she recalled.
That’s when she knew she was on to something.
“There have been dozens and dozens of studies on the importance of getting outside when you’re young, having a role model teaching you about nature, and participating in an organization where you can see impact,” she said.
D’Amore also started Roots and Wings, an experiential learning program for homeschooled elementary-age kids that operates out of a room in an Owen Brown church.
“I’ve been planting seeds for a long time and now they’re starting to grow,” she said.
“The energy and momentum around us are really good right now. Being at the farm will help focus and ground all of our work.” janeneholzberg76@gmail.com
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