Whenever I eat ice cream, I almost always get a sundae. That's because, much to the chagrin of you ice cream fans out there, I don't usually find the taste of ice cream on its own to be all that appealing. No lie. To make up for it, sundaes have the added ingredient of hot fudge and whip cream, tastes I can enjoy, while the ice cream itself more of an afterthought. This seemed like a fine practice to maintain, until Errol and I went to Chesapeake Bay Farms. After tasting a bite of their smooth, milky, homemade ice cream, I found it was so good, putting any random topping on it would've been a cardinal sin!

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Blackberries, strawberries, cantaloupes, watermelons, string beans, sweet corn, tomatoes... they have all the fruits and vegetables you need for a balanced diet at Emily's Produce. Paul and Kelly Jackson started this market eleven years ago as a "college fund project" for their daughter, Emily, and it's popularity among the residents in and around Dorchester County has been booming. Every year, the Jacksons add to their farm, growing all of their produce - no reselling - and currently they have 95 tillable acres with three market locations. If all side-projects were this successful, there would be no need for main-projects!

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Evening sun raked across the green leaves, vines and trees growing on the farm of Good Earth Market. Guests were chatting on the deck over wine and fresh lemonade garnished with mint and blueberries as they awaited the word to be seated. It was the evening of the organic feast, and palettes were quivering in the anticipation of what delectable rarities they might come across. The menu read: "deviled eggs with shaved radishes," "Baby zucchini and squash blossom frittatas with heirloom tomato jelly," "Organic roast chicken finished with lemon, herbs, and a light chili salad," "Potato salad with shaved celery, red onion mustard seed and lemon creme fraiche," and several other selections to heighten the awaiting patrons' expectations of what was to come.

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Riding the 25 miles around the Blackwater Refuge it's hard not to imagine the struggle and dedication that Harriet Tubman went through during the years of the Underground Railroad. The land is covered in high grass and muck, a proper marsh. Biting flies and mosquitoes cling to your legs and your arms, reminding you who's in charge. Though the landscape is utterly beautiful and timeless from the safety of the non-congested road that forms the loop around the refuge, it is clear that any trek through this marsh would be an uncomfortable and tedious trek to freedom.

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