The Grove wins Best in Category for community and economic development
May 17—The National Association of Counties (NaCo) named The Grove Best in Category for Community and Economic Development, receiving its highest 2022 award.
The Grove at Harford is an agribusiness incubator for local farmers, artists and food processors to sell their products directly to consumers, and to promote local agriculture commerce and sustainability. Vendors lease space in The Grove's barnlike open-air building with eight interior stalls, two kiosks and available exterior stands.
"A lot of these vendors are kind of incubators," County Executive Barry Glassman said. "The whole philosophy behind The Grove is to have the people starting business having to rent a commercial and expensive space to come here. We rent them a stall and so they start small and get people."
The Grove also hosts special events that make it a destination for residents to gather in the heart of Harford's farming community and enjoy food, entertainment and shopping.
The Grove's site includes a location for local ag offices and meeting rooms, a preserved historic home displaying farm-themed artifacts, an ag-themed playground and walking trails that will soon connect to an ag-themed library that is under construction.
Although many questioned what The Grove was going to become during its construction in 2020, The Grove seems to have become the incubator Glassman intended for it to be. The Grove is open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., from April through Dec., except on holidays. Fourth Fridays take place from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The Grove is at 3519 Conowingo Road in Street.
Additionally, three other NACo Achievement Awards were given to Harford County programs that support first-responders in the opioid epidemic, help disabled recipients navigate Medicare and improve land preservation using technology. Harford County has earned a total of 20 NACo awards during the Glassman administration.
"NACo awards matter because they focus on programs that really help people and can be replicated by other jurisdictions," Glassman said. "I am proud that Harford County continues to be a leader in this area, and I would like to thank my staff for bringing these programs to our citizens and businesses."
The Aegis: Top stories
Harford County's 2022 award-winning programs are:
Understanding First Responders' Role in Recovery
Understanding First Responders' Role in Recovery is a two-hour training that informs first responders about the disease of addiction and identifies opportunities for them to encourage treatment and provide resources to family members in the home. The training includes information on the first responder's own risk of substance use disorder due to PTSD, long hours, repetitive traumatic calls and little sleep or downtime. Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems for required continuing education units as well as other state agencies was approved as a best practice.
ALVIN — The Agricultural Land Valuation Index
ALVIN: The Agricultural Land Valuation Index, is a computer software program to establish a monetary value for land placed in agricultural preservation. The program evaluates soil productivity, land quality, development potential, site location and other factors to develop a valuation. It calculates a competitive ranking score to prioritize the parcels evaluated for inclusion in the county's agricultural preservation program.
Transitioning to Medicare
Harford County's Transitioning to Medicare educational folder for the under-65 disabled population is a step-by-step resource to help them meet deadlines and navigate the transition from Medical Assistance to Medicare in a more informed and organized manner. This population has limited choices that supplement Medicare and deadlines that are many times unmet because access to timely information and resources can be sporadic and confusing. The resources contained in the folder allow recipients to follow the transition steps to become properly insured and able to make informed choices as their circumstances change.
