Author Archive: Alyson Earl

We planned to get them planted sooner, but today we are putting these beautiful willows in the ground! Thanks to a DCNR (Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) Stream ReLeaf grant, we are planting another agroforestry system close to one of our three streams. Soon we will be able to harvest the branches for ornamental use, for making baskets, and for restoration projects on other parts of the farm. These willows come in all sorts of different, colors, shapes, and even scents!

We learned more about one of our friends the red-winged blackbirds this week. Even though there is plenty of work to do on the farm, we recognize the vital importance of taking time to simply observe. Observing from a single place over time can reveal patterns that remain hidden to a mere passerby. Here’s an example. This year, we have deliberately decided to stop mowing certain areas of the farm in order to create more diverse habitat and to save resources like time and fossil fuel. When we take the time to observe, we discover that there are many more creatures moving through and within the landscape. There is more habitat, there are continuous corridors for safe passage, and, in some cases there are particular structural elements needed by certain species. The wooden stakes that we put into the ground next to the newly planted trees have doubled as perches for blue birds who need a stable perch from which to hunt. The male red-winged blackbirds, on the other hand, don’t mind a perch that moves in the breeze, and they have moved in to the field where the tall stalks of yellow dock grow intermittently amongst the grasses. They perch there and sing letting others know whose territory belongs to whom! Check out the call here: red-winged black bird. We couldn’t get close enough for a photo of the birds, but, while trying, also noticed that the mate of the male bird fed on the dock seeds while he chased other females away. There’s so much to see and learn!

Upcoming events:
June 22 – Cycle the Solstice
June 29 – Foraging – June Plant Walk
June 29 – The Ayurvedic Kitchen
July 13 – Mushroom Cultivation
July 13 – The Ayurvedic Kitchen
July 18 – Where the Wild Things Grow (Youth Program)
July 23 – Introduction to Canning: Peach Jam
July 29 to 31 – Building Backyard Habitats (Junior Naturalist Training)
July 29 to 31 – Building Community Habitats (Junior Naturalist Training)
August 8 – Introduction to Canning: Tomato Sauce
August 10 – The Ayurvedic Kitchen
August 20 – Roasted Vegetables
September 7 – The Ayurvedic Kitchen
September 10 – Introduction to Canning: Applesauce
September 28/29 – Pawpaw Festival
October 12 – Bread: Rising to the Next Level
October 15 – Woodland Steward Training Program

See you at the farm!

This summer, we are very excited to be offering two ecological design courses for kids interested in becoming ‘Junior Naturalists’!

Junior Naturalist Training: Building Community Habitats for ages 12-14.

In this three day adventure, we will design a simulated “Horn Farm village” community master plan that meets the habitat needs of wildlife and the people that call it home. Conduct a bioblitz scavenger hunt on the Horn Farm grounds to gather baseline biodiversity
data of the area. Then, propose a solution for improving the ecological health of the property, while also meeting the humans’ food, water, and shelter needs for the simulated village. Learn skills that budding city planners, landscape architects, naturalists, and dedicated community members will need to reshape how our communities coexist with the needs of wildlife. Come ready to think deeply and solve real-life problems facing today’s communities!

And for kids 9 to 11, Building Backyard Habitats In this three day adventure, explore the Horn Farm Center through the eyes of your favorite critter (mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, insect, etc.). Will a Red-backed salamander or Monarch butterfly be able to find food, water, shelter, and places to raise young for their survival? Through gathering found materials on the Horn Farm grounds, you’ll design a model of all the needed elements of your critter’s habitat. Then, take the skills you learned from this week to start supporting wildlife in your own backyard!

Photo from: “Eat Well, Be Well: Ayurveda Cooking for Healthy Living” by Lois Leonhardi

Starting June 29, we are offering a series of monthly classes at the Horn Farm: The Ayurvedic Kitchen. Ayurveda is an ancient form of healing developed in India and has been practiced for more than 5,000 years. It is a system of daily living which promotes physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.

In Ayurveda, the five elements (ether, air, fire, water and earth) are present in each individual but the proportions and combinations vary from person to person. When these elements are in balance, the result is good health. When these elements are out of balance, the result is illness or disease. Ayurveda treats the whole individual, not the illness or disease in isolation.

In these classes, you will learn how to cook seasonally, how to use the six tastes in your daily cooking and how to make simple, but tasty and satisfying meals. All recipes are vegetarian, gluten and lactose free. Even though Ayurveda originates from India, this is not an Indian cooking class. Find out more and register here: The Ayurvedic Kitchen.

Upcoming events:
June 1 – Introduction to Plant Communication
June 4 – Tuesday Evening Farm Crew
June 5 – Wednesday Woodland Workers
June 6 – Thursday Woodland Workers
June 22 – Cycle the Solstice
June 29 – Foraging – June Plant Walk
June 29 – Raising Insects for Food and Farm
June 29 – The Ayurvedic Kitchen
July 13 – Mushroom Cultivation
July 13 – The Ayurvedic Kitchen
July 18 – Where the Wild Things Grow (Youth Program)
July 23 – Introduction to Canning: Peach Jam
July 29 to 31 – Building Backyard Habitats (Junior Naturalist Training)
July 29 to 31 – Building Community Habitats (Junior Naturalist Training)
August 8 – Introduction to Canning: Tomato Sauce
August 10 – The Ayurvedic Kitchen
August 20 – Roasted Vegetables
September 7 – The Ayurvedic Kitchen
September 10 – Introduction to Canning: Applesauce
September 28/29 – Pawpaw Festival
October 12 – Bread: Rising to the Next Level

Woodland Steward Training Program

See you at the farm!

Humans have an innate ability to communicate with plants, though we have mostly forgotten how to do this. On Saturday, June 1, join us for a fun and informative workshop: Introduction to Plant Communication, as we begin to remember how to communicate with the plants as we once intuitively did.

Plant communication enhances our well being, offers solutions, guides us on our soul’s path and helps us deepen our relationship with nature. When you attend this delightful workshop, you’ll learn:

The key to good communication with all beings
Plants are conscious beings who learn, have memory, and respond to their surroundings including our emotions
Humans and plants have a deep bond
Communicating with plants is a tool for our individual and collective evolution and healing
In addition, our presenter will facilitate a Music of the Plants concert. Experience the plants singing and interacting with us through the Music of the Plants device, the technology which turns the electric impulses of plants into music. You will surely have a memorable experience and will look at the plant kingdom in a different way.

Music of the Plants (or, MOTP) must be experienced in order to appreciate just how magical it is. Doing so will change the way you relate to your plants, trees, flowers, grass, and nature in general. This experience may possibly change your life forever! Space is limited  Register now!

Many people first visit the Horn Farm during our annual Pawpaw Festival (which will be held September 28 and 29 this year). This year we are planting lots of pawpaw trees as part of our agroforestry systems (agriculture that includes trees) and our stream corridor restoration projects.

In order to increase the diversity of trees and shrubs found on the farm, we are also planting lots of Northern Catalpa, Black Locust, American Plum, Speckled Alder, Black Elderberry, American Sycamore, Honey Locust, Black Tupelo, River Birch, Black Cherry, Swamp White Oak, Sweet Gum, Osage Orange, Boxelder, Northern Hackberry, Red Mulberry, Washington Hawthorn, Eastern Redbud, Chickasaw Plum, Chokecherry, Silky Dogwood, Spicebush, Black Chokeberry, Grey Dogwood, Common Ninebark, American Hazelnut, and Witch Hazel. All of these trees used to be commonly found in our Pennsylvania woodlands. Today our landscapes are so simplified that many of us have never even seen these trees and shrubs. All of this to say, we have lots of trees to plant and we need your help!! For those of you with flexible morning schedules, we have set up two weekly volunteer events: Wednesday Woodland Workers and Thursday Woodland Workers from 8 to noon. If you can donate an hour or two or more, we’d love to have you join us! Let us know you plan to help by registering for the events: Wednesday Woodland Workers and Thursday Woodland Workers. Thanks!

Upcoming events:

May 26 – Seed to Table (Children’s Discovery Series)
May 28 – Tuesday Evening Farm Crew
May 29 – Wednesday Woodland Workers
May 30 – Thursday Woodland Workers
May 30 – Foraging – May Plant Walk
June 1 – Introduction to Plant Communication
June 4 – Tuesday Evening Farm Crew
June 5 – Wednesday Woodland Workers
June 6 – Thursday Woodland Workers
June 22 – Cycle the Solstice
June 29 – Foraging – June Plant Walk
June 29 – Raising Insects for Food and Farm
July 13 – Mushroom Cultivation
July 18 – Where the Wild Things Grow (Youth Program)
July 23 – Introduction to Canning: Peach Jam
July 29 to 31 – Building Backyard Habitats (Junior Naturalist Training)
July 29 to 31 – Building Community Habitats (Junior Naturalist Training)
August 8 – Introduction to Canning: Tomato Sauce
August 20 – Roasted Vegetables
September 10 – Introduction to Canning: Applesauce
September 28/29 – Pawpaw Festival
October 12 – Bread: Rising to the Next Level

2019 Horn Farm Vegetable CSA
Betsy’s Flowers at the Farm Flower CSA
Hippy Homestead Gourmet Mushroom CSA
Chicken CSA through Mirror Image Farms
Rising Locust Farm Meat, Egg, Shiitake CSA
Sentient Sisterhood Wild Foods & Medicine CSA
Regenerative Farming Internship
Woodland Steward Training Program
Herbal Intensive
Foraging Intensive

See you at the farm!