Laurel Historical Society Fall Series: Tasting Laurel

Aug. 8, 2012 - PRLog -- Laurel, Maryland…This Fall is a food lovers delight at the Laurel Historical Society with a four-part series  Tasting Laurel: A program series for everyone who has ever enjoyed food. The series includes a farm tour, a program on the history of organic food, the 5th Annual Taste of Laurel and a Community Potluck and Discussion of the Role of Food in people’s lives.

The series kicks off September 8 with a “Tour of Gorman Farms”, 10151 Gorman Road Laurel, Md. starting at 10:00 a.m.  Site of a popular farm stand, the tour will be led by Gorman Farms owner, Dave Liker. .  The farm is also the site of greater Laurel’s only Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). In a CSA like Gorman Farms, each year a limited number of memberships are pre-sold for a share in the coming harvest. Members receive a weekly bounty of fresh produce according to what’s in season.  For its CSA Gorman Farms grows over 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables within 30 - 40 different types of crops per year.  Reservations for the tour are requested since tour space is limited.

October 10, 2012 the focus is on “The Science of Organic Farming.”  Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) has been at the forefront of agricultural research for over 100 years. John Peter Thomas will discuss the history of the National Agricultural Farm, and how it first started exploring organic farming 40 years ago. Thompson serves as a policy specialist and analysts on a range of agricultural, environmental and bioeconomic issues, including sustainability. 7 pm Laurel Library, 507 7th Street Laurel, Md.

The”5th Annual Taste of Laurel” is Sunday, November 4.  This popular event features the best of local Laurel restaurants, and is back for the 5th year.  Entrance this year will cost one canned good that will be donated to Laurel Advocacy and Referral’s (LARS) Food Pantry.  Last year approximately 15 restaurants and more than 250people attended the event.  Among the local food folks who’ve already indicated their interest in participating are Toucan Taco, Soretti’s, Salute, The BBQ House and Fruit Flowers.  The Taste of Laurel begins at the Laurel Museum, 817 Main Street starting at 1:30. For a list of LARS desired food donations, go to http://www.laurelhistoricalsociety.org/pages/documents/LA.... Wrapping up the series on Thursday, November 8, 2012 is ”Tasting Laurel: A Community Conversation.” During a potluck supper community members can talk about the food in our community and how it affects our lives. Location and time will be finalized and announce in the near future.  

According to LHS Executive Director Lindsey Baker “Our hope is that the Tasting Laurel Series will bring our community together around a shared interest: food. Laurel has a lot of great places to eat, but also some really interesting history in how we get our food and our relationship with it. Hopefully this series will bring people together to learn some of that history while enjoying a good bite to eat.”

All Tasting Laurel programs are free and open to the public.  Tasting Laurel is supported by The Maryland Humanities Council and the Main Street Pharmacy.  For more information visit http://www.laurelhistoricalsociety.org or email info@laurelhistoricalsociety.org or call 301-725-7975. The Laurel Historical Society is located at 817 Main Street in Laurel, MD.  It operates the Laurel Museum.  The current exhibit, running through December is True Life:  I Am A Laurel Mill Worker. The Laurel Museum is open Wednesdays and Fridays 10:00 am-2:00 pm and Sundays 1:00-4:00 pm. Group tours by appointment.  The John Calder Brennan library is open Mondays for research. Admission is free