Harden Family Farms

Our farming practices recognize the interconnection of the living soil, woods, aquifers, and wildlife supports biodiversity and enhances environmental resiliency. We raise heritage chickens, old English Southdown sheep, Nigerian dwarf goats, and Italian honey bees. We also produce a wide variety of organic fruits and vegetables.

Feed the soil and the soil will feed us. At Harden Family Farms, our approach to farming is rooted in certified organic and regenerative practices that nurture the land and build long-term biodiversity. We enrich our fields with compost, biochar, and natural amendments such as worm casings. Pollinator habitats, wildlife corridors, and over 1,000 newly planted native trees help restore balance to the ecosystem, while our heritage chickens, sheep, and goats graze rotationally to naturally fertilize and improve the pastures.

Sharon grew up in California, but it was the rolling hills of Carroll County that truly captured her heart.  She is dedicated to caring for the land and promoting healthy ecosystems while drawing abundant harvests to provide clean food for our family and neighbors. Sharon is also the creative spirit behind the farm’s artisanal goods, crafting premium small batch jams, goat milk and tallow soaps, hand-poured soy and beeswax candles, and other farm-made products that connect people to the land. To Sharon, farming is more than growing food—it’s about stewardship, pollinator protection, and building a community grounded in sustainability and shared values.

Dave grew up just down the road, raising chickens on his family’s small farm and learning the deep connection between hard work and the land. After serving in the Peace Corps in Botswana—where he once again raised chickens and worked alongside rural farmers—Dave spent his career in public service as a senior U.S. Foreign Service Officer. He oversaw America’s Food for Peace Program, leading efforts to feed millions of people facing hunger around the world. Today, Dave has come full circle, returning to his boyhood soil to once again raise chickens, grow healthy food, and serve his community through Harden Family Farms.

Together, Sharon and Dave have built a farm rooted in Maryland’s agricultural heritage, dedicated to regenerative practices, and committed to feeding neighbors near and far—from local families who visit the farmstand and area farmers markets to food-insecure households served through partnerships with the Maryland Food Hub, Westminster Rescue Mission, and Carroll Food Sunday.

At our farm, everything starts with the soil – rich, healthy, and nurtured without synthetic chemicals or harmful pesticides. As a USDA Certified Organic farm, we take pride in producing food the way nature intended: clean, sustainable, and bursting with flavor.