Elkton Maryland

From Farm to Freezer

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Splitting a Half Steer from Sunnybrook Farm & Apiary

If you know me, you know I like to keep my freezer stocked and support local farms whenever I can. There’s just something satisfying about knowing exactly where your food comes from — and that it was raised with care.

Recently, my cousin and I decided to go in on half a butchered steer from Sunnybrook Farm & Apiary in Elkton, Maryland. Their beef is processed and packaged by ClarkCo Meats in Pennsylvania, and the quality really shows. Everything came vacuum-sealed, clearly labeled, and ready for the freezer. My cousin and I split it evenly, and now I’ve got about 115 pounds of fresh, local beef stuffed in my freezer.

Sunnybrook Farm & Apiary is a gem in the area; they sell beef, pork, eggs, and honey, all produced right on the farm. You can truly taste the quality and care in their products.

The first cut I decided to try was a tri-tip, and oh my goodness — it was delicious! Tender, juicy, and full of flavor. There’s nothing quite like grilling up a piece of beef that was raised just a few miles away. It feels great to support local farmers while stocking the freezer with something wholesome and genuine.

I love the sense of self-sufficiency that comes with this — knowing I have a good supply of quality meat for the months ahead. If you’re near Elkton, MD, I definitely recommend checking out Sunnybrook Farm & Apiary. Local farms like theirs are what keep communities strong, healthy, and connected.

✅ What Caught My Eye

Sunnybrook Farm & Apiary really stood out to me for several reasons:

  • They offer grass-raised, grass-finished beef with no hormones or vaccines.
  • The farm is located right here in Elkton, Maryland.
  • They also raise heritage pork, produce honey from their own apiary, and provide animal feed and farm supplies.
  • Founded in 2018 by Chris and Stephanie Dodds, along with their son, they’ve built a strong family-run operation rooted in quality and care.

Sunnybrook Farm & Apiary
360 Williams Road
Elkton, Maryland 21921
(302) 650-4688
https://sunnybrook.ag/

Getting Back to Canning and Sourdough: My New Kitchen Adventure

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I’ve recently found myself wanting to dive back into two of my favorite kitchen pastimes: canning and sourdough bread making. There’s something so satisfying about creating something from scratch, whether it’s preserving fresh fruits and veggies or crafting a perfect, tangy loaf of sourdough.

To make this journey a little easier—and a lot more fun—I’ve started collecting some gadgets and kits to help me along the way. One of my first purchases was the M11 Electric Mason Jar Vacuum Sealer Kit. It comes with wide and regular mouth mason lids and makes vacuum sealing my jars a breeze. Perfect for keeping my canned goods fresh for longer.

For my sourdough adventures, I grabbed the Gluten Free Sourdough Starter Kit. This is a 100+ year old dehydrated heirloom-style starter that promises to give my bread that authentic, tangy flavor I’ve been craving. To help manage and stir the starter, I got the Skinny Spurtle Teak Wooden Kitchen Utensil—perfectly crafted for sourdough enthusiasts.

And for shaping and proofing my dough, I invested in the Wood Pulp Banneton Bread Proofing Basket Set. This set comes with everything I need: a 9” 2.2LB round banneton basket, proofing bowl, cover, dough whisk, lame, and scraper.

Now that I am no longer living at high altitude, making gluten-free sourdough should be a lot easier at sea level here in Elkton, Maryland. Here’s hoping that having the right tools—and a little lower altitude—helps me achieve the best sourdough bread yet.

Here’s to getting back to the joy of canning and baking, and to a kitchen filled with the warm smells of homemade goodness!

From the Bay of the West Coast to the Bay of the East Coast: My Journey Across the Country

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I grew up in the vibrant Bay Area of California, in San Jose, a bustling city with a population of over 839,000 in the 1990s. Life there was full of energy and activity, but I’ve come to realize that I feel far more content in smaller towns.

At 24, I moved to Ocean City, Maryland, a lively beach resort town with a smaller population of just 5,168 at the time, for an internship. Ocean City sits where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Isle of Wight Bay, right at the start of Highway 50. Living there gave me my first taste of East Coast life, and I began to appreciate the charm of small-town living.

After my internship ended, I returned to California, this time to South Lake Tahoe, a resort town perched at 6,250 feet in the Sierra Nevada Mountains along Highway 50 as well, right on the California–Nevada border. In 1998, the population was 23,378. It was there that I got married and welcomed my three children, who were born and raised amidst the snow, lake, mountains, and fresh mountain air.

For 15 years, we lived in Gardnerville, Nevada, a small town with a population of around 5,656, just a 30-minute drive from Tahoe. After my marriage ended, I moved back full-time to South Lake Tahoe because that’s where my heart was at the time. Having lived more than half my life in the Sierra Mountains, I knew I would never feel at home in a large city like San Jose again.

Eventually, Maryland quietly tugged at my heart, drawing me back to the East Coast. At age 52, my children, our animals, and I moved to Elkton, Maryland, a town of 16,064 and right outside the college town – literally just ten minutes from the University of Delaware. My oldest son just started 11th grade, my youngest son started 9th grade, and my daughter is beginning her first semester of college here.

Each place I’ve called home has shaped me in unique ways, teaching resilience, adaptability, and the beauty of embracing change. From coast to coast, from mountains to bays, and from resort towns to college towns, I’ve learned that home isn’t just a place; it’s the journey, the people you love, and the life you build along the way.

Elkton Fall Fest 2025 – A First-Time Experience

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This past Saturday, my daughter, her boyfriend, and I walked from my home to downtown Elkton to check out the annual Fall Fest. It was my first time attending, and while the event was smaller than I expected, it had a welcoming hometown feel.

We arrived around lunchtime, which turned out to be a quieter part of the day. The streets weren’t crowded, so it was easy to stroll along, visit the vendors, and take in the atmosphere. While it was hot outside, the lighter crowd made it more enjoyable to move around without feeling rushed.

The festival had a full lineup scheduled, including live music, a petting zoo, a rock wall, and more. Somehow, we completely missed a section of the event called Adventure Zone, which is where the animals and rock wall were located. I’ll definitely make a point to explore that area next year.

Even though we missed some activities, I still enjoyed browsing the vendor booths and came home with a couple of unique finds. My favorite purchase was a wooden and enamel crab sign that says “Maryland” across it, perfect for my dining room. Later, I also found out that chair massages were happening while we were there, which I unfortunately overlooked. Next time!

Overall, the Fall Fest was a nice community event with plenty to do. While timing (and maybe a better sense of direction) would have made our visit even better, I’m glad we went. Now that I know what to look for, I’m excited to experience even more of Elkton’s Fall Fest next year.

☕ Support the Journey

If this post resonated with you or made you feel a little less alone on your own path, you’re always welcome to support my writing with a cup of coffee. Your kindness helps me keep sharing real stories and new chapters, one step at a time: 👉 coff.ee/smalltownmichele

Review: Pat’s Select Pizza | Grill – Elkton, MD

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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Food & Staff)

We ordered gluten-free pizzas from Pat’s Select Pizza | Grill, and I’m so glad we did! They use a cauliflower crust as their gluten-free option, and it was cooked perfectly — not overdone or burnt, which can sometimes happen at other places. The pizzas came out in a timely manner, and they were delicious. My kids really enjoyed their orders, and I was happy to finally find a spot where we can all enjoy a good pizza together. Definitely a great option for families who need gluten-free!

Pat’s Select Pizza | Grill
224 S Bridge St
Elkton, MD 21921
Website

Little by Little, We’re Getting Closer

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The kids and I arrived in Maryland on June 17, and honestly? The drive across the country was a complete blur. We left California on a Saturday and rolled into Maryland by Tuesday, 2700 miles in 4 days. Alex and I were driving 12+ hours some days. She and I were trading off after I started getting tired. Then all of us were sleeping in the car at Travel Rest Stops with it still running, just so we could leave the AC on, thanks to all the rain and humidity we hit in most states.

We were cramped in the car each night, tired, and trying to stay sane… with three kids, two cats, a dog, and a tortoise all packed in.

It was definitely an adventure — one I hope I never have to repeat in this lifetime.

But we made it.

Since getting here, we’ve been knocking out task after task. The boys got their Maryland IDs. Alex and I paid for our driver’s licenses, which should be arriving soon. Medical insurance has been switched over. Prescriptions transferred. The boys are officially registered for high school, and Alex is set for college.

I’m still working on getting the car registrations finished — and trying to fully change our mailing address from California to Maryland. It feels never-ending some days, but we’re doing it.

I’ve also applied for a few school district jobs, but so far, no calls for interviews. I’m doing my best to stay patient and positive. I came to Maryland without a job lined up — just faith, determination, and a whole lot of hope that something will come through soon.

Love, light, and prayers for a job.

Nevertheless, I’m proud of us. Even with a long list of “to-dos” still ahead, we’re here and that’s what matters.

☕ Support the Journey

If this post about moving, waiting, and starting over resonated with you or made you feel a little less alone on your own path, you’re always welcome to support my writing with a cup of coffee. Your kindness helps me keep sharing real stories and new chapters, one step at a time: 👉 coff.ee/smalltownmichele