Farming in Howard County for Over 120 Years
Early 1900’s
Emma Day was a Howard County native of many generations but she decided to leave Maryland for the adventure of teaching in the Oklahoma territories. There she met Asa Sharp and homesteaded. In the early 1900s the Sharps returned to Howard County and settled at Knollwood in Howard County, on the present day Sharp Road in Glenelg. After they returned to Howard County, Emma and Asa had 7 children.
1940’s - 1960’s
Emma and Asa’s son, Lawton continued the legacy with his wife, Frances. Lawton and Frances had 5 children: Turner, Robert, Charles, Leslie and Nicholas. Four of the children still live in Howard County. Turner, the eldest was a forester in West Virginia. Only Charles (Chuck) pursued farming full time. When the children were young, they worked on the family dairy.
1970’s - 1990’s
In 1972, Chuck returned from the Army and took over the family farm. He started raising beef cattle and hay. In the early 1980s, Denise and Chuck married and expanded the operation to include produce, greenhouses, and educational tours. They lived in the family farm house on Sharp Road. They sold their produce and U-Pick strawberries from the old barn on Sharp Road and grew their tomatoes and melons along Sharp Road.
In the mid-1980s, the Sharps’ began to farm at Waterford Farm on Jennings Chapel Road, where they continue to farm today. The produce expanded to include sweet corn, Christmas trees, melons and tomatoes. They were blessed with a son, Alan Sharp, who has enjoyed farming all his life.
Tour curator, Cheryl Nodar, began farm tours conducted with tractor rides among the beef cattle on the bucolic Waterford Farm.
2000 - Present
Alan left for college to study aviation management but returned to the farm after college. Denise, Chuck and tour manager Cheryl Nodar have retired but can often be found around the farm and are always up for providing tips plants, agriculture and everything farming.
Alan married Julia Sharp in 2015 and they blessed the family farm with two children, Audrey and Charlie Sharp who can often be found running around the farm when not in school. Alexander Harrell joined us as the greenhouse manager and continues to provide quality plants to local wholesale and retail customer. He has a passion for the outdoors as well as his band which he plays with when not in the greenhouse with his dog, Echo. Julia has taken over tour management with Cheryl’s retirement while Cheryl enjoys her grandchildren and beautiful water views.
Alan, Julia and Alexander continue the tradition of opening the farm to visitors each spring and fall for educational tours. Naturally grown herbs and vegetables still fill the greenhouses and the dinner table. See you on the farm!
