Gardeners’ Gourmet

In 1946, Cinda Sebastian’s grandfather R.L. Sebastian Sr. purchased the 300-acre dairy farm from Western Maryland College. The farm passed to Cinda’s father, who began an egg operation. In 1979, Cinda started growing vegetables in their small garden on the farm and selling them roadside. Since then, their operation has expanded to 40 acres and a 7,000-sq. ft. of greenhouse space. The farm was entered in the federal agricultural easement program in 1984 to permanently protect it from development pressures. Gardeners’ Gourmet specializes in gourmet, European and heirloom varieties of vegetables and herbs. The farm products are grown using a minimum of pesticides, Bay-friendly farming practices and certified-organic seed whenever available. Cinda is a fervent advocates of local, sustainable food production. Cinda says, ‘Local buying uses less fossil fuels than flown-in processed foods, and it supports the farmer’s intrinsically valuable work. We are in the business because we like to grow things.’ Gardener’s Gourmet sells at the Dupont Circle FRESHFARM Market and at other farmers’ markets and restaurants in Baltimore, MD, Washington, DC, and VA.