Horn Farm Center for Agricultural Education

Author Archive: Alexis Campbell

Horn Farm Happenings – October 17, 2025

Coppice Agroforestry: Resprout Silviculture for a 22nd Century with Dave Jacke

Tonight, Friday, October 17th at 7pm, join us at Franklin & Marshall College, for an informative and inspiring lecture on the art and science of coppice agroforestry. For a deeper dive, there’s still some room to participate in a hands-on workshop at the Horn Farm, tomorrow, Saturday, October 18th from 8:30AM-5PM, to learn more about this ancient practice of managing trees for renewable materials and resilience.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to learn from Dave Jacke, renowned ecological designer and author of Edible Forest Gardens. Space limited—register soon!

Fall Foraging Focus: Black Walnuts

What’s your relationship with black walnut? One person’s rolled ankle is another person’s dye, food, and more!

HFC foraging educator Andrew Leahy shares a kernel of black walnut’s offerings as we prep for our new class—Black Walnut: Foraging & Botanical Dyeing—coming up on October 25th!

With the help of natural dye artist Chelsea from earthencolor we’ll learn all the ways we can appreciate this abundant tree, from its place in the ecosystem to the gifts it provides for wildcrafting, natural color, and local, seasonal sustenance.

Register for Black Walnuts Class

Planting Seeds for Future Abundance

This week, we celebrated six graduates of the Horn Farm Center’s inaugural Regenerative Grower Training Program!

Over the past 22 weeks, this dedicated group of students grew not just food, but lasting connection with the land, plants, and each other. As a ceremonious way to wrap up our time together, we took to the field for one last planting: garlic.

Garlic is a crop that comes full circle. With each clove tucked into the soil, this year’s students sowed the seeds that next year’s cohort will harvest, enjoy, and plant again.

Indeed, planting garlic is an act of good will for future abundance. This year’s cohort has set the foundations for the next community of learners, just as people have passed down garlic across generations.

We’re grateful to finish this growing season with a harvest of memories, skills, and new friendships–some of the many gifts that come from the land that connects us!

Applications for 2026 Open Today!

Learn more and see if you can next year’s Regenerative Grower Training Program, starting February 17th, 2026!

Apply for the 2026 Regenerative Grower Training Program

Fall is a Bountiful Season for Foraging!

Whether you’re a seasoned forager or brand new to the practice, we invite you to join us in the field this fall to explore nature’s abundance.

Together, we’ll rediscover the ancient art of gathering from the land—deepening our connection to the world around us and remembering our place within it.

Join us, as we explore with our senses and discover nature’s abundance this season!

New Wilderness Skills Series: Elements of Survival

Reconnect with the natural world through a new three-part, hands-on series exploring the essential forces of Water, Earth, Air and Fire.

Learn practical outdoor skills for resilience and self-reliance—like building shelter, making fire, and purifying water—while creating useful “make and take” tools. Each Saturday session blends indoor instruction with guided practice in the woods. Join for one class or the full series and gain lasting confidence to thrive in the great outdoors!

Led by Kaden Stetler of Stetler Survival, classes will be held from 1pm-4pm November 8th, 15th & 22nd at the Horn Farm Center.

Register for Elements of Survival

Horn Farm Happenings – October 3, 2025

The Ancient Art of Coppice Agroforestry with Special Guest, Dave Jacke

This month, we are excited to host a rare opportunity to explore the art of coppice agroforestry with Dave Jacke, a leading voice in ecological design and agroforestry.

During a special two-part workshop, we will learn how to manage resprouting trees and shrubs for renewable materials, homestead use, and small farm resilience.

As an educator and author of Edible Forest Gardens, Dave’s teachings have had a profound impact here at the Horn Farm. Both Executive Director Alexis Campbell and Farm Manager Jon Darby have been longtime students of his work. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the world’s foremost forest gardening experts!

Friday Evening Lecture
October 17 |  7–9 PM
Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster PA
Dave will trace the history, culture, and biology of woody resprouts, setting the stage for a deeper dive into coppice systems and their possibilities.

Saturday Hands-On Workshop
October 18 |  8:30 AM–5 PM
Horn Farm Center, York PA
Spend the day learning directly from Dave in the field. Explore coppice biology, carbon storage, and resprout capacity, while assessing Horn Farm’s coppice species and envisioning practical applications for your own agroforestry systems.

Join us Friday night, or jump in for the full experience: Attend the lecture on Friday, then get hands-on in the field on Saturday. Space limited—register soon!

Fall Foraging: Finding Our Fungal Friends

You don’t always have to head deep into the forest to find tasty mushrooms—some, like the meadow mushroom (Agaricus campestris), pop up in the most unexpected places… even our demonstration gardens at Horn Farm!

Our Farm & Agroforestry Manager, Jon Darby, shares tips for identifying and enjoying this close relative of cremini and portobello mushrooms.

Discover more about mushrooms this October with Wild & Cultivated: Find, Taste & Grow Your Own Mushrooms and other foraging classes at the Horn Farm!

Wrapping Up the Summer, Wild & Uncommon Style!

We’re still beaming from September’s unmatched abundance: local flavors, creative makers, and more than 2,000 people who traveled from near and far to celebrate the pawpaw in the Susquehanna Riverlands!

This year’s Pawpaw Festival showcased how the pawpaw—North America’s largest edible tree fruit—is so much more than a fleeting flavor. It’s an invitation to connect with the land, savor the season, and celebrate together as a community.

Thank you to everyone who came out to learn, explore, and experience the ecosystem that the pawpaw calls home. We’re especially grateful to the vendors, musicians, educators, and 70+ volunteers who made the weekend possible. Like the wild pawpaws thriving in the forests of the Lower Susquehanna, we found ourselves in truly bountiful company!

A big round of gratitude goes to our 2025 partners and sponsors, whose support helped bring this year’s Wild & Uncommon Weekend to life.

As we wave goodbye to summer and welcome fall, we’re already dreaming of the pawpaw’s return in 2026. In the meantime, explore all the ways to stay connected with nature through every season!

Partnering for Learning: Endangered Species Coalition

In recent years, Horn Farm Center has partnered with the Endangered Species Coalition to support hands-on learning experiences through the Ecological Gardener Training Program.

Thanks to their support this year, 15 students designed and installed a new 600 sq. ft. native plant and pollinator garden that will serve as a teaching and demonstration space for years to come. The planting transformed an area in our demonstration field that was overgrown!

Taught by Elyse Jurgen of Waxwing EcoWorks, the Ecological Gardener Training program teaches how to create and care for biodiverse native habitats that benefit both wildlife and people. The program covers native plant selection, lawn conversion methods, scaled landscape design, and seasonal management techniques.

Our partnership with Endangered Species Coalition will continue to grow this winter with a collaborative webinar – stay tuned – more information coming soon!

Read More: Endangered Species Coalition Blog

Susquehanna River in PA, USA on a summer autumn day. It is the longest river on the East Coast of the United States that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, via the Chesapeake Bay.

Land & Peoples Series Returns!

Back by popular demand! Explore the natural forces and human activities that have shaped our region—from ancient Indigenous lifeways to the transformation of forests into farms, towns, and suburbs. This four-session course offers a fast-paced journey through geology, archaeology, and history, guided by Dr. Ed Wilson and regional experts.

Engage with the past, share personal insights, and deepen your appreciation for the world. Register for individual sessions or enjoy the full course at a discounted rate.

Register for Land & Peoples

Horn Farm Happenings – September 18, 2025

Wild & Uncommon Weekend Starts Today!

Kick-off your Wild & Uncommon Weekend off with fun in the sun!
Today through Saturday pick-your-own Farmer’s Feast at Flinchbaugh’s Orchard & Farm Market.

Can’t get enough local flavor? Head over to Leg Up Farmers Market – THE Local Food Hub –  for a unique selection of goods from York County farmers and artisans, 10% off all weekend long!

Or, relax and treat yourself at Firefly Hollow Wellness Center with a special massage package featuring a limited-edition pawpaw-inspired cream, handcrafted just for Wild & Uncommon Weekend. Spaces are limited—call (717) 814-9136 to book now!

And today only from 5:30-8:30pm – don’t miss The Gardener of the Own Valley’s Meet the Makers Market at John Wright Restaurant—a lively showcase of local artists during the Pawpaw Experience.

Tomorrow, on Friday from 5-7pm, get outside for a guided hike at Wizard Ranch with the Lancaster Conservancy. Explore native forests, savannahs, and meadows while learning about ecological restoration techniques and the natural history of this special preserve.

Don’t forget – you can top off any of these Wild & Uncommon adventures with a cold one at Collusion Tap Works – their limited-edition pawpaw beer is on tap all weekend—while supplies last!

Goldenrod: Friend or Foe?

Got hay fever? Don’t be fooled — goldenrod isn’t the culprit! In fact, this bright wildflower has long been celebrated as a natural ally for easing seasonal allergies and supporting wellness. Whether for its healing properties or simply its beauty, goldenrod is a plant worth knowing.

Click the video link above and discover how solidago elevates our wellness and lifts our spirits in the late summer season.

From Fields to Forest: Volunteers Are Making an Impact at the Horn Farm 

Volunteers are at the heart of the Horn Farm Center’s mission — supporting ecological health while learning, connecting, and growing in community.

Through programs like our Community Crew and Tree Tending Days, volunteers gain hands-on skills, make friends, and have a direct impact on regenerating ecosystems—over 17,000 trees planted so far!

Join an upcoming Tree Tending Workday or our Community Crew Training on Sunday, October 12th to deepen your roots with us!

Upcoming Volunteer Days

Wild & Uncommon Weekend wouldn’t be possible without our generous sponsors:

Pawpaw Festival is This Saturday….And There’s So Much More! 

Pawpaw Festival is this Saturday—tickets are selling out fast! We can’t wait to see you at the Horn Farm Center for our 21st annual celebration of this unique native fruit! Whether you’re joining us at the Festival or not, there’s so much more to see and do throughout the day across the Susquehanna Riverlands this Saturday!

  • Weird Fish & Fishing Weirs | Register Here
    • Sat, 10:30am | Susquehanna National Heritage Area
  • Service Learning Adventure | Register Here
    • Sat, 3pm | Graham Nature Preserve, Lancaster Conservancy
  • It’s All About Trees | Information Here
    • Sat, 10am–3pm | Kreutz Creek Library & Hellam Township EAC
  • In Search of the Old Ones: Author Talk | Register Here
    • Sat, 10:30–11:30am | Kreutz Creek Library & Hellam EAC
  • Party by the River | More Information
    • Sat, 12pm-Evening | Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper
  • Wildly Made & All Things Elderberry | More Information
    • Sat, 9am-5pm | White Clover Farm

Plan Your Wild & Uncommon Weekend

Can’t Get Enough Pawpaw?

After the Pawpaw Festival on Saturday, you can keep the party going at Leg Up Farmers Market and Mill Creek Falls Nature Preserve!

Join Liza Naylor of Locally Seasoned with York Pawpaw Festival founders, Judy & Dick Bono, for Cooking with Pawpaws on Sunday from 11am-1pm (registration required). This tasty cooking demonstration will explore the rich edible landscape of the Lower Susquehanna—featuring pawpaws and other native ingredients. Plus, every attendee takes home a copy of Judy’s Pawpaw Recipes cookbook!

Then at 1pm, head over to Mill Creek Falls Nature Preserve to enjoy guided hike with Lancaster Conservancy. Explore the magical area along Mill Creek that includes multiple short waterfalls as well as ferns and rhododendrons that take advantage of the cool, damp microclimate along the stream.

Giving Back to Celebrate Community

Known worldwide for their advanced refrigeration solutions, Klinge Corporation also makes a local impact by generously sharing their parking lot for the Pawpaw Festival. With over 1500 attendees each year (an likely more this Saturday) we couldn’t host this uncommon community happening without Klinge!

We’re grateful for their innovation, community spirit, and support of Horn Farm Center’s mission! A big thank-you to Klinge Corporation for sponsoring Wild & Uncommon Weekend!