Photo Essays | Katina Zentz Photography

PHOTO ESSAY:
IN THE FIELD

Family farms are an integral part of Frederick County’s agricultural identity. The county leads the state of Maryland in both the number of farms and family farms, according to the most recent data available in the USDA’s 2022 Census of Agriculture. Of the 1,367 farms in the county, 95% are family farms.Three family farms — Shafdon Farms, Rocky Glade Farms, and Tuscarora Creek Farm — are in different areas of Frederick County, Maryland. Though the farms have different focuses and backgrounds, the presence of family is an important part of each of their stories.

Shafdon Farms

Nestled in Jefferson, Md., is Shafdon Farms, a dairy farm. Brent and Dee Shafer are both a third generation to farm on this property. They work there with their children, Atley Shafer, 16, and Aubree Shafer, 13, Denny and Teresa Shafer, Brent’s parents, and some employees. According to Brent and Dee, working with family is not only an essential part of getting work done on the farm, but it's time they get to spend together. Atley and Aubree have fond memories of growing up on the farm and now work with their family, too.

Rocky Glade Farms

In Woodsboro, Md., Rocky Glade Farms is formerly a dairy farm that switched to beef and direct-to-customer meat sales in the last year. The Hildebrand family has been on the land for nearly 100 years. Jessica Wiles and her brother, Allen Hildebrand, grew up on the farm and work on the land with their families. Jessica recalls the memories at Rocky Glade, like playing with her cousins on the land, or helping her grandmother cook. Some things on the farm have changed over the years, but the presence of family has remained. The family now watches the next generation of children make new memories on the farm.

Tuscarora Creek Farm

In 2021, the Reeder family — Rachael and Luke Reeder and their daughter Erin — decided to make a change in their lives and buy a farm. On their 30-acre hobby farm in Frederick, Md., they have goats and a couple of horses. The family’s cats and dog live in the house, too. Both Erin and Rachael started riding when they were children and share a passion for horses. The first year came with a few struggles, but the Reeders have gained footing and are still learning day by day. They each found their ways of doing their part on the farm while balancing either work or school. One of the family's favorite things is seeing relatives, friends and neighbors enjoy time on the farm. The Reeders hope to keep the farm in the family for a long time.

Family members eat together at Rocky Glade Farms in Woodsboro, Md., on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024.

The words "I Love You" are shown on a car as Peyton Koontz, 5, writes at Rocky Glade Farms in Woodsboro, Md., on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024.

Samantha Hildebrand, right-center, waits as her children Peyton Koontz, 5, left, Quinn Koontz, 5, left-center, Emilee Koontz, 6, center, and her nephew Marshall Wiles, 7, right, pile into a vehicle at Rocky Glade Farms in Woodsboro, Md., on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024.

Emilee Koontz, 6, left, Marshall Wiles, 7, center, and Connor Wiles, 9, play together in the pool as a cow watches at Rocky Glade Farms in Woodsboro, Md., on Wednesday, July 31, 2024.

Marshall Wiles, 7, wears American flag boots while gathering eggs at Rocky Glade Farms in Woodsboro, Md., on Wednesday, July 31, 2024.

Emilee Koontz, 6, left, gathers eggs as her cousin Harvey Rhoderick, 5, reacts to the chickens at Rocky Glade Farms in Woodsboro, Md., on Wednesday, July 31, 2024.

From left: Quinn Koontz, 5, Peyton Koontz, 5, and Emilee Koontz, 6, run together at Rocky Glade Farms in Woodsboro, Md., on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024.

A cow rests in the yard next to children's swing set in the early morning hours at Shafdon Farms in Jefferson, Md., on Friday, July 12, 2024.

A calf looks forward as Atley Shafer, 16, right, does farm work at Shafdon Farms in Jefferson, Md., on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. Atley and her sister, Aubree, have many memories of spending time with the animals on the farm over the years.

Atley Shafer, 16, left, milks cows with her parents Brent Shafer, center, and Dee Shafer in the early morning hours at Shafdon Farms in Jefferson, Md., on Friday, July 12, 2024. They started milking at 5 in the morning.

Atley Shafer, 16, right, carries a plate of food in Jefferson, Md., during a family Labor Day picnic on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024.

Dee Shafer, left, and Brent Shafer spend time together at their home in Jefferson, Md., on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. The two were relaxing after working at the farm.

Erin Reeder, 17, puts on shoes while preparing to ride a horse at Tuscarora Creek Farm in Frederick, Md., on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024.

Erin Reeder, 17, left, rides Finn as her mother Rachael Reeder, right-center, and Richard Nehring, Erin's step-grandfather, right, watch at Tuscarora Creek Farm in Frederick, Md., on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024. Richard goes to many of Erin's horse shows and has helped the Reeders out with various farm-related things.

Erin Reeder, 17, left, rides Finn and her mother Rachael Reeder rides Sailor at Tuscarora Creek Farm in Frederick, Md., on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. Both Erin and Rachael have been riding horses since they were children and they both share a passion for horses.

PHOTO ESSAY: IN THE FIELD