Page 34 - MNLGA Free State Summer 2024_WEB

FEATURED MEMBER

Seaberry Farm

ichard Uva, originally from maritima), a species of plum native company, flavored a whiskey cocktail
Massachusetts, and his to the East Coast. A member of the product with last year’s crop.
Rwife, Wenfei, who is from rose family, beach plum is drought Peach trees were also planted, but
Taipei, Taiwan, met as students at tolerant, salt spray tolerant and will are now used more for branches
Cornell. Both earned their doctorates grow in degraded soils. Rick had than fruit. The trees now serve more
there before moving in 2007 to grown up with beach plums in New as a windbreak. Still, the Maryland
Federalsburg, Maryland, where they England and researched them as Food Bank picked 5,000 pounds of
established Seaberry Farm, which part of his doctoral work. He had also peaches this year.
grows specialty horticultural products worked with several farms in New
for wholesale and special events. Jersey and Massachusetts to develop A third fruit crop was pawpaws, a

The couple had visited the area for a a production system for them. The native fruit with a tropical taste like
banana and the texture of custard.
wedding and decided the Delmarva flavorful fruit can be consumed fresh The trees were grown from seed
Peninsula would be a good place to but is commonly used for the making obtained from Deep Run Pawpaw
have the farm that Rick and Wenfei of jam and jelly, even wine. The beach Orchard in Westminster, Maryland.
wanted. plum has showy white flowers in
spring, so the branches can be sold The unique fruit is difficult to find in
The 36-acre farm they found is close for ornamental use. a grocery store because if picked
to markets in major cities and had before the fruits start to soften,
good soil and water where they could Recently, Rick welcomed to Seaberry they never ripen. Once they have
grow woody cut stems. There was Farm the Maryland State Horticultural softened, pawpaws bruise easily,
also a good agricultural focus in the Society Summer Tour, led by Chuck discoloring the fruits, so that makes
area, and the land was affordable. Schuster, University of Maryland transportation a challenge. And their
Extension senior agent emeritus. Rick
They planted shrubs for their woody shelf life is limited. Once fully ripened,
demonstrated how he uses a device
branches, such as those used they last only two to three days, or
to shake the beach plum trees so the
by florists that have decorative five to seven days if refrigerated.
plums fall to ground when ready for
characteristics including branching, Pawpaws are harvested in September
harvest.
flowers, leaves or berries such as curly and are sold at farm stands in the
willow, forsythia and holly. They also “We had a poor fruit set this year Washington, D.C. area. Rick said they
planted a fruit orchard, then added because we didn’t get to prune the blow up like a balloon when ripe, and
herbaceous flowers on the open trees,” he said. The plums ripen in the roughness of the skin goes away.
land to sell at farmers markets. They August. Rick said they harvest branches of
reasoned flowers would bring in cash Eventually, their emphasis switched cherry, peach, plum and beach plum
while waiting for the other plants to from edible fruit to flowering in February and March to force for
mature. branches, but the Uvas still sell beach sale in grocery stores.

One of the fruits Rick wanted to plum jelly, made in small batches. (continued on next page)
grow was beach plums, (Prunus Dogfish Head, a Delaware distilling

34 SUMMER 2024 • Free State News