Farms have dotted the Harford County, Maryland landscape for hundreds of years. In colonial times, when Harford was part of Baltimore County until 1774, it was common practice for a land tract to be given a name by its owner. Such land tracts numbered in the thousands and, being an agrarian society, nearly all became farms. The tradition of naming farms was commonplace and continues to this day. At least sixty-five farms have been owned by the same family for 100 years or more, maintained at least 10 acres of the original farm, and continued to be actively farmed. They have officially been designated by the county as Harford Legacy Farms. Some of them have also been recognized by the State of Maryland Department of Agriculture as Century Farms.
This book identifies over two thousand farms in Harford County, Maryland from 1774 to 2024. Information for most of them includes acreage, type of farm (crops vs. livestock), and owners. Many images of farm scenes, barns, signs, and farmhouses are presented. Sources for information have been cited after each entry.
There are less than 600 farms today. The author’s childhood included working on the family tobacco farm in Kentucky in the 1950s. He understands the hard work of farm life, and he created this book in honor of Harford farmers who tilled the soil, grew fruits, vegetables and other crops, raised and cared for cows, cattle, horses and other animals, and bred livestock over the past 250 years.
Henry C. Peden, Jr.
2024, 8.5" x 11", paper, 212 pp.
ISBN: 9780788442490
101-P4249
