It’s the brightest spot of the Olney Farmers Market, even on a dreary day. We’re talking about the M&M Plants stand. Here’s a look behind the scenes.
M&M Plants began 12 years ago when Mark & Madgie McGaughan found a 5-acre property near Sugarloaf Mountain where they could pursue their interest in horticulture. Madgie worked at Plantmasters and Mark was in construction, but grew up on a horse farm. They used their knowledge to create a farm with dozens of varieties of plants and flowers, a hot house and high tunnels, all built by Mark.
There is an old stable, but used for storage, not horses. Per their membership in the Monocacy Valley Flower Co-op, a walk-in cooler holds flowers from M&M and five other local farms. Madgie coordinates the co-op and makes weekly deliveries to wholesalers.
The high tunnels, also known as hoop houses, are structures that allow flowers to grow year-round. They keep the wind out and the warm air in. On sunny days, the warmth is trapped by the plastic. This extends their season by 1 month at the beginning and 1 at the end.
There is always something going on in the hot house. Seedlings are grown in April, potted arrangements are created and stored, and wreaths are made for the holidays.
The Olney Farmers and Artists Market is lucky to have M&M Plants since 2008, all year long. Visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/M-and-M-Plants-197156990304267/ And be sure to say hello when you visit the Olney Farmers Market!
