Get to Know Us
Richvale Farm, LLC is a 6th generation family farm located in the heart of Middletown, MD.
Richvale Farm LLC consists of a partnership, father Mark Ahalt and son Matt Ahalt (pictured). Both Mark and Matt work together in raising cattle and growing crops such as corn, soybeans, wheat and hay. Matt also handles the marketing of hay and straw and Matt’s wife, Beth, is the primary contact in the marketing of freezer beef. Mark’s wife, Marcia, and daughter, Mary, also willingly pitch in when the need arises.
The Ahalt family purchased the farm in 1896. Mark’s father, Richard, originally named the farm 'Richvale' when he started in the dairy business in 1950. Mark and Matt continued milking cows until 2018 and since then have gradually transitioned the farming business in a new direction.
The Ahalts’ make every effort to be good stewards of the land, working with the local Natural Resource and Conservation Service (NRCS) to install conservation practices such as grass waterways, stream buffers, and improved pasture management. Modern barns designed by NRCS provide the storage that allows them to avoid off season manure applications and eliminate the possibility of harm to Maryland’s water quality. Cover crops and no-till farming help to preserve valuable top soil and promote soil health.