The Legacy and Evolution of Dodon Farm
Dodon is a 555-acre working farm located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, deeply rooted in history and preserved through intentional stewardship. Owned by the Dodon Land Trust—formed in the 1980s by the Pittman family to protect farmland—the property is governed by strict rules: a supermajority of trustees (seven siblings) must agree on any significant changes. Additionally, a conservation easement with the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation limits land use to agriculture, safeguarding its rural character from development.
The land’s story begins long before European settlement. Indigenous peoples from the Piscataway nation likely occupied the area 8,000 to 10,000 years ago, living in small nomadic family groups that followed seasonal food sources. Farming of crops like maize, squash, and tobacco appeared in the region about 1,000 years ago, although these were initially supplementary foods rather than staples.
European contact began in the late 1600s. In 1671, Dr. Francis Stockett received a land patent for what would become Dodon. A Royalist supporter during England's civil wars, Stockett named the farm perhaps after the French “Dieu Donné” ("God-given") or after a religious site in France. His family members also received land nearby, and their legacy is echoed in the naming of Stockett’s Run, a stream that flows through the property.
In the 18th century, George Hume Steuart, a Scottish immigrant, acquired the farm, expanding it significantly over the years to more than 4,000 acres. Horses and tobacco shaped the early economy of Dodon. Steuart famously imported a horse named Dungannon that won Maryland’s first recorded oval-track race in 1743. The farm’s modern-day wines still bear names like “Dungannon” and “Oronoco” to reflect this heritage.
Tobacco farming, particularly the strong-scented Oronoco variety introduced from the Caribbean, became the dominant crop. However, the tobacco boom degraded soil health and drove the inhumane system of slavery. By the mid-1800s, Dr. Richard Sprigg Steuart owned 130 enslaved individuals. The wealth generated by slavery eventually faded, and financial troubles plagued the family. Dr. Steuart’s debts led to the loss of the farm, although his sons helped retain it for their sisters, who eventually donated it to the Catholic Church in 1890.
For nearly 40 years, the farm served religious orders, including the Marists and Redemptorists, functioning as a seminary and retreat. The Church held annual fairs and considered using the land for a railroad line, a plan that was ultimately abandoned. In 1929, Annette Steuart Wise and her son, Ernest Pittman, bought back 344 acres from the Church for $15,000, returning it to family hands.
The land remained central to the family's life. Steuart Pittman Sr., Ernest’s son, later repurchased more land to block development and preserve the farm’s integrity. His efforts expanded the farm to its current size. Dodon today includes woodlands, pastures, croplands, vineyards, and farm infrastructure.
The vineyard and winery were established in the northeastern corner of the farm beginning in 2010. Now spanning 17 acres, they produce wines named in homage to the farm’s history. The family also engaged in equestrian pursuits—most notably through Polly’s brother Steuart’s program to retrain retired racehorses. One of his horses, Salute the Truth, inspired the name of a dessert wine created from a difficult 2018 harvest.
As the eighth generation raises children on the property, the family remains mindful of its complex legacy—one of natural beauty and historical injustice. They are committed to preserving the land and addressing social inequities, acknowledging that the farm’s past, like the nation’s, holds both greatness and pain. Through sustainable agriculture and community engagement, the family at Dodon continues to honor its responsibility to the land and society.
