Sharp Farm

What Sharp Farm does

Sharp's at Waterford Farm is a 565-acre, family-owned working farm in Brookeville, Maryland (western Howard County), operated continuously by the Sharp family since 1903 and now in its fourth generation under Alan and Julia Sharp, with Alexander Harrell managing the greenhouse. The business operates as a diversified agricultural and agritourism operation spanning seven core product lines: retail and wholesale greenhouse plant sales (vegetables, herbs, and flowers grown on-site using organic soils, on-site compost production, and beneficial insect release programs); curriculum-aligned educational farm tours (seven distinct programs priced $9-$12 per child covering topics from farm animals and worms to ponds, gourds, and Pilgrim history); custom private events such as birthday parties and corporate gatherings with a $300 minimum fee; scheduled open houses targeting toddlers, homeschool groups, and families; seasonal Fall Festivities (late September through early November) including pumpkin picking, hayrides, country store, food trucks, and partner activations; and the Dilly Dally Farm Stay, a 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom historic farmhouse rental listed on Airbnb overlooking a 5-acre pond. The farm also operates a country store selling preserves, honey, crafts, and seasonal decorations, and distributes greenhouse products off-site at Maryland farmers markets and garden festivals including the Baltimore Herb Festival and Greenfest.

The business model is transactional and unit-priced across consumer-facing channels, with the only recurring revenue element being the Airbnb short-term rental. Customer concentration is intentionally diversified across six segments — schools and homeschool groups (weekday tours), families with children (weekend events and fall), wholesale plant buyers (email ordering), home gardeners (retail greenhouse), private event organizers, and farm stay guests — with no enterprise contracts or anchor accounts. Marketing and distribution run primarily through the farm's Squarespace website, organic social media, email RSVP for open houses, and off-farm event presence across Maryland.

Name

Sharp Farm

Legal name

Sharp's at Waterford Farm

Website

https://sharpfarm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1903

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sharp's at Waterford Farm is a 565-acre, fourth-generation family farm in Howard County, Maryland, operating since 1903. It generates revenue through greenhouse plant sales (retail and wholesale), curriculum-aligned educational farm tours, private events, seasonal fall festivities, and an Airbnb farm stay rental.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agritourism and Farm Experiences

NAICS

Other Crop Farming (1119)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Farm Stays & Agritourism Lodges (THAMADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Farmstay B&Bs & Agritourism Inns (THAGAHAG), Agricultural Production & Farm Operations (EDAOAOAA), Farmers’ Markets & Farm Stands (Fresh Food) (CRAHAHAE)

Keywords

• Greenhouse plant sales
• Educational farm tours
• Agritourism experiences
• Fall pumpkin festivities
• Farm stay rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

La Belle, Missouri

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Plant Sales: Retail garden center selling greenhouse-grown plants, vegetables, herbs, and flowers directly to home gardeners. Open seasonal hours with first-come, first-serve service.
2. Wholesale Plant Sales: Commercial market grower supplying greenhouse plants to wholesale customers including vegetables, herbs, cutting flowers, and cool weather vegetables.
3. Educational Farm Tours: School field trips and homeschool group programs with curriculum-aligned educational content. Multiple program types offered seasonally from late April through November.
4. Farm Activities and Events: Custom party packages, open house events, hayrides, creek tours, and seasonal fall festivities including pumpkin picking.
5. Farm Stay Rental: Historic farmhouse rental on the farm available for short-term stays through Airbnb. 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom property overlooking 5-acre pond.
6. Fall Festivities: Fall season events including pumpkin picking, hayrides, country store, food trucks, and weekend activities from late September through early November.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sharp's at Waterford Farm is a family-owned 565-acre working farm that sells greenhouse-grown vegetables, herbs, and flowers to retail and wholesale customers, hosts curriculum-aligned educational farm tours for schools and homeschool groups, runs seasonal agritourism events including fall pumpkin picking and hayrides, hosts private parties and custom events, and rents out a historic farmhouse (Dilly Dally Farm Stay) for overnight stays through Airbnb.

Product overview

Sharp's at Waterford Farm is a 565-acre family-owned working farm in Brookeville, Maryland, operating since 1903. The farm operates as a diversified agricultural and agritourism business offering a portfolio of interconnected products and services. The core offerings include a retail and wholesale greenhouse plant operation (vegetables, herbs, flowers), educational farm tour programs for schools and homeschool groups, and seasonal agritourism experiences including fall festivities with pumpkin picking and hayrides. Additional services include custom party and event hosting, public open house events, and the Dilly Dally Farm Stay vacation rental. The greenhouse grows all plants on-site using organic practices, while the educational programs are curriculum-aligned for various age groups. The farm maintains a country store selling farm products and local crafts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dilly Dally Farm Stay: A farm stay rental property on the farm featuring 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, full kitchen, and overlooks a 5-acre pond. Available for day, weekend, or longer stays.

Products and services

• Greenhouse Plant Sales Greenhouse operation offering plants for wholesale commercial growers and retail home gardeners. Plants include vegetables, herbs, and flowers grown on the farm using organic soils, products, and fertilizers. Composts soil mix for pots and releases beneficial insects in greenhouses.
• Educational Farm Tours School field trips and homeschool group programs offering curriculum-aligned agricultural and environmental education. Programs include Farm Animal Tour, Spring is Growing, Wonderful World of Worms, Birdhouse Gourds, Ponds Puddles and Creeks, Day in the Life of a Farmer, and Pilgrim History.
• Custom Parties and Events Private event hosting including birthday parties, corporate events, scout groups, and church gatherings. Packages include hayrides, campfire experiences, gourd painting, and creek tours with a $300 minimum booking fee.
• Open Houses Scheduled public events for individuals, homeschool groups, toddlers, and families featuring educational activities, farm animal interactions, and seasonal programs such as Toddler Day, Creek Days, Baby Goat Naming, and Bird Club meetings.
• Fall Festivities Seasonal fall attractions including pumpkin picking, hayrides, country store with preserves and crafts, food vendors, and weekend events from late September through early November.
• Dilly Dally Farm Stay Historic farmhouse rental on the 565-acre working farm featuring 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, full kitchen, screened porch, and pond views. Available for short-term stays or longer-term rentals, booked through Airbnb.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• J.Z.'s Brick Oven Pizza Food TruckminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFood vendor present at fall weekend events from 11 A.M. to 5 P.M. every Saturday and Sunday, providing food options for farm visitors during fall season activities.
• Waredaca BreweryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrewery present at fall weekend events from 11 A.M. to 5 P.M. every Saturday and Sunday, serving beer to farm visitors during fall season activities.
• Howard County Iron Bridge Horses & HoundsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEquestrian organization hosting fox chase ride through the farm as a special fall weekend event attraction.
• Gentle GiantsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDraft horse rescue organization, the largest in America, attending fall events with rescued horses from 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM. Located in Mount Airy, Maryland.
• Howard County Police and SheriffminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFirst responder organizations participating in fall events with vehicles including fire truck, police car, and motorcycle for children to explore.
• Mid-Atlantic Turtle and Tortoise SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented by Ray Bosmans, Professor Emeritus UMD and President of the society, for Reptiles beyond farm animals educational open house events.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Butler's Orchard: Multi-generational family farm in Montgomery County, Maryland with pick-your-own produce, fall festivals, school tours, and a farm market. Comparable agritourism model in the same Mid-Atlantic suburban catchment.
• Temple Hall Farm: Working farm in Leesburg, Virginia offering seasonal festivals, school tours, and farm-based educational programming in the same Mid-Atlantic catchment. Comparable agritourism and educational farm tour offering.
• Terhune Orchards: Family-owned New Jersey farm with pick-your-own produce, farm store, school tours, and seasonal festivals. Comparable diversified agritourism and direct-to-consumer farm model serving suburban families.
• Great Country Farms: Family farm in Bluemont, Virginia operating u-pick produce, seasonal festivals, school tours, and farm stays in the broader Washington–Baltimore orbit. Comparable diversified agritourism business model with similar revenue mix.
• Larriland Farm: Family-owned Maryland pick-your-own farm offering seasonal fruit and vegetable picking, hayrides, and school group tours. Directly comparable as a Mid-Atlantic agritourism and farm-tour operator.
• Alstede Farms: Family farm in Chester, New Jersey operating pick-your-own, farm store, school tours, and seasonal events. Comparable Mid-Atlantic agritourism model with multiple revenue streams from a single farm property.
• Homestead Farms: Multi-generation family farm in Poolesville, Maryland offering pick-your-own produce and seasonal farm experiences. Comparable small family-run agritourism operation targeting families in the Washington suburbs.
• Liberty Mills Farm: Virginia agritourism farm offering corn maze, fall festivals, and school tours. Directly comparable as a Mid-Atlantic agritourism operation with similar seasonal programming and educational offerings.
• Clark's Elioak Farm: Family-owned working farm in Howard County, Maryland offering petting farm, hayrides, fall pumpkin patch, and school field trips. Closely comparable as a same-county agritourism competitor targeting families and schools with seasonal outdoor experiences.

Others

• Airbnb: Online marketplace used by Sharp's at Waterford Farm to distribute the Dilly Dally Farm Stay. Comparable as the booking and distribution channel for the farm's short-term rental offering rather than as a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sharp-farm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sharp Farm