Media
Maryland Public Television: Maryland Farm and Harvest
The REED Center was proudly featured on Maryland Farm and Harvest, showcasing our Earth Day tree planting event with 500 volunteers working across 150 acres. This recognition highlights the growing impact of our permaculture farm and the community’s dedication to sustainable agriculture. Being featured on such a prominent statewide platform underscores the significance of our mission and the importance of our work in Maryland's agricultural future. Watch the episode to see how we're making a lasting impact on our local ecosystems and food systems.
PBS: A Food Revolution led by Native Americans
Join Dr. Troy Wiipongwii and The REED Center’s Ben Friton as they explore the power of food sovereignty and sustainable agriculture in this inspiring feast. As collaborators and co-instructors at The College of William and Mary, Institute for Integrative Conservation, they bring together Indigenous leaders, chefs, and agricultural experts to reclaim traditional foodways and promote resilient ecosystems. Watch how this movement is transforming our relationship with food, land, and community.
Articles
A Community Project: REED Center combines ancient farming practices with new scientific knowledge to bring agro-innovation to the Middletown Valley
The Frederick News-Post published an article highlighting the REED Center's innovative approach to agriculture, blending ancient farming practices with modern scientific knowledge. In the piece, our founder, Ben Friton, discusses how integrating traditional methods with contemporary science can enhance sustainability and community engagement.
Students Plant Trees at The REED Center
Local students from Middletown High School had the opportunity to get their hands in the soil at the REED Center, contributing to a unique reforestation effort that blends ancient agricultural wisdom with modern ecological design. In the Neighbors of Middletown Magazine article, founder Ben Friton shares how these student-planted food forests mimic natural ecosystems, producing sustainable crops like acorns, kiwis, and blackberries without the need for irrigation or fertilizers.
Food Forests Bring Fruit Harvests and Deeper Connections to Land
The REED Center’s work is featured in a Maryland Department of Natural Resources article on food forests, emphasizing their environmental and community benefits. Ben Friton is quoted discussing how these ecosystems can provide food, enhance biodiversity, and foster a deeper connection to the land. His insights highlight how permaculture practices, like those at the REED Center, can play a significant role in creating sustainable agricultural systems.
How to Farm a Forest - and Feed a Neighborhood
Utilizing the fertility of agroforestry to provide a calorie-rich diet with minimal environmental impact. Featuring mention of Ben Friton, REED Center founder and previous business partner of the organization Forested LLC.
Forest Garden Bearing Fruit as Both Food Producer, Water Filter
Using agroforestry in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed as a means of producing high-yielding crops within the diverse and sustainable environment of a naturally occurring forest. The article credits the work of Forestry LLC, of which REED Center founder Ben Friton is a previous business partner.
Forest-to-Table: A Permaculture Experiment Thrives
An overview of how forest-based agriculture can produce a quantity of food-per-acre comparable to major crops, with reference to Forested LLC and Ben Friton’s own visions of expanding agroecology into monocultural fields and riparian-buffer programs.
In 40-by-10 inches, A Vertical Garden Can Fit
Holley Simmons of The Washington Post highlighted our founder, Ben Friton, in an article exploring the power of vertical gardening to transform small spaces into thriving food sources. In the piece, Ben shares how these compact, soil-based systems can maximize yields and increase access to fresh food, even in urban environments.