|From growing vegetables to raising animals to selling quality pork

Six generations ago our ancestor, John Langenfelder, emigrated from Germany in the late 1840’s and settled in Baltimore County Maryland. At first, the small family farm produced vegetables and raised animals for his family’s use. As the farm passed down to the next generations, the family grew vegetables to sell at the nearby Baltimore City markets. Horse drawn wagons were used through the early 1900’s to transport the vegetables, later switching to small trucks after World War I. Fields were tilled using mule drawn plows until the late1940’s when the 4th generation, Conrad Sr., purchased the first tractor. To supplement their income during the Great Depression, the family began to raise extra pigs and sell the meat to neighbors and friends. Based on old family recipes, Conrad and his wife, Martha, began to make and sell sausage and scrapple which became so popular that they began to receive requests for more.

To meet the demand, more pigs were raised and the Langenfelder family farm gradually evolved from growing vegetables to raising animals and field crops. Direct meat sales were discontinued in the late 1950’s, but the family maintained the tradition of sausage and scrapple making. Thirty years ago, the Dutch and Pat Langenfelder and their children, Jennifer, Bill and Kristen, the 5th and 6th generations, relocated the family farm to Kent County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore to continue the legacy.

Today Jennifer, Bill and Kristen are evolving the family legacy with a farm to table brand – Langenfelder Pork.  Their pork is used by chefs in several quality restaurants in the DC, Baltimore and Annapolis areas.  They offer their pork products at select farmers’ markets and local food venues as well as for direct purchase by those who want a quality local pork product.