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Mission Statement
Conserve, steward, and advocate for the unique rural landscape of the Eastern Shore.

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Factory F Tag

ESLC drops crowdfunding video for The Packing House

Early in 2016, the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy identified a vacant factory building in downtown Cambridge Maryland steeped in local history. The 60,000 square foot former manufacturing facility, known throughout the 1900’s as the Phillips Packing Company’s “Factory F”, is all that remains of the vegetable and food packing empire that once employed thousands in Cambridge. In addition to employing and housing much of Cambridge, the canning operation also served as the largest supplier of K-rations to American troops during World War II. The Phillips name was synonymous with the Eastern Shore of Maryland, purchasing millions in local agricultural product from surrounding farms. The company closed in the 1960’s, and the building has been deteriorating ever since. Now, in partnership with Baltimore’s Cross Street Partners – a real estate firm focused on re-building communities by creating vibrant, mixed-use neighborhoods built on a foundation of innovation and entrepreneurial activity – ESLC has focused its efforts on transforming the run-down Phillips Factory into The Packing House, a vibrant food, farming, and innovation exchange. While the word and excitement is spreading about The Packing House and its kitchen incubator, oyster bar, fresh foods market, shared innovation hub, microbrewery, and community events space, work cannot begin until ESLC raises the money necessary to begin Phase 1 of the development process. Phase 1 includes the stabilization of the Phillips Packing Co.’s iconic smokestacks. Visible from Rt. 50 by all who travel to and from the beach, these pillars of history are visibly crumbling and are in dire need of being saved. This is where YOU come in. With a donation of $5, $25, $100, or WHATEVER amount you are able to contribute, ESLC can help come up with the necessary funding needed to get the smokestacks repaired and ready to move onto phase 2 of this historic revitalization. With a legacy of

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Food and the Phillips Factory F

Have you heard about what's going on with the Phillips Factory F project in Cambridge, MD? There's a lot of conversation being generated around food production needs such as community kitchens, incubators, distribution, and co-packing. In an effort to bring all of these ideas, needs, and desires together, we are initiating the first of several community input sessions to determine the viability of a kitchen incubator/accelerator space as part of the Food and Farming Exchange reuse of the Phillips Packing Company, Factory F. Please join us on Tuesday, October 18th, 6:00—7:30 pm or Wednesday, October 19th 8:00— 9:30am at Chesapeake College, (Cambridge location) 416-418 Race Street, Cambridge, MD 21613. If you cannot attend but would like to share your thoughts or be informed about future meetings. Please feel free to email rroman(at)eslc.org. We want to make sure we hear from as many folks as possible during this discovery!

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