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From the Field Week of Oct 11, 2026

The Old Rule About Oysters and the Letter R

The old rule about oysters and the letter R is one of those pieces of folk wisdom that sounds like superstition until you learn what it's actually tracking. September through April, eat oysters. May through August, leave them alone. People have been saying this along the Chesapeake for generations, and before mechanical refrigeration it carried real weight. Warm water spoils shellfish fast, and a bad oyster can put you on your back for days. Watermen knew which months were safe not because they had thermometers and food safety charts, but because they had experience, and the rule was a clean way to pass that knowledge along without explaining the whole biology lesson.

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This week's picks

Farmers Markets

Sunflower Farm, Lisbon, MD

Howard County ·

Sunflowers of Lisbon turns 14 acres of Howard County farmland into a late-season destination, with rows of cutting flowers you can harvest yourself starting in late September. Admission includes stems to take home, ranging from 3 for young kids to 10 for the Sunflower Lover ticket, and the field stays open daily through the fall, with weekend hours starting at 9am. Food trucks and kids' activities round out the visit.

Adkins Farm Market

Adkins Farm Market in Wicomico County runs through the seasons with something worth the drive at each turn: bedding plants and herbs in spring, homegrown fruits and vegetables through summer, and eggs and honey available alongside the produce. Come fall, the farm shifts into full harvest mode with mums, decorating supplies, and a corn maze for families. Find them off Mt. Herman Road just outside Salisbury.

This week's picks

CSA Shares

Montgomery County

One Acre Farm sits on 34 acres along Wasche Road in Dickerson, offering weekly and biweekly CSA subscriptions built around seasonal vegetables grown with regenerative practices. Members in the Rockville and DC areas can choose between farm pickup and home delivery, making it one of the more accessible Montgomery County options for getting a regular box of local produce. It's a solid entry point for households looking to eat closer to the farm calendar.

Side by Side Farm

Side by Side Farm works three Certified Naturally Grown acres in Freeland, just north of Baltimore in Frederick County, producing a broad range of vegetables and herbs without chemical pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. Their CSA mix runs from everyday staples like carrots and tomatoes to specialty crops including baby ginger and shiitake mushrooms. Members can also find their produce at local farmers markets and on menus at select area restaurants.

This week's picks

Local Meats & Seafood

All Star Processing

All Star Processing in Hampstead has built a following among Carroll County hunters for their deer processing work, but the shop handles much more than wild game , beef, pork, and chicken all come through as well. They've recently added pork and chicken sausages to their offerings, and will sharpen your knives while they're at it. It's a locally owned operation that does the kind of hands-on butchery work that's increasingly hard to find close to home.

HalalCo Meats Farm

Located in Carroll County, this provider specializes in halal meats, ensuring quality and compliance with dietary needs.

This week's picks

Dairy & Eggs

Derwood Farmers Market

The Derwood Farmers Market sets up every Saturday morning from May through mid-October in the front yard of the Neighborhood Church of Rockville on Redland Road, running rain or shine from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Vendors bring local produce, meats, cheeses, baked goods, and handmade soaps alongside vintage artists and live music, making it a genuine neighborhood gathering as much as a shopping stop. It's a reliable weekly anchor for the Derwood and North Rockville community through the growing season.

Craft Beverages & Coffee

1623 Brewing Company

2nd Wave Coffee & Social

Read the full issue: Week of Oct 11, 2026 → All issues

In Season: October

Full calendar →

Apples

Peak season ✦

Pumpkins

Peak season ✦

Winter Squash

Peak season ✦

Blue Crab

Season ending

Oysters

Season opens

Sweet Potato

Harvest ✦

Kale & Greens

Fall planting

Turnips

Fall harvest

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