Author Archive: Alyson Earl

Field clean up is finished. The barns are organized. The garlic is planted and mulched. Allium Leaf Miner can be a problem on the farm in the garlic, onions, and scallions. We can address this by understanding the insect’s life cycle. The adults emerge from March to May, so we’re planning to protect the garlic with row cover for that period. Remembering that the ground may not yet have thawed in March, Field Manager Andrew placed the hoops before the ground froze. Speaking of ground reminds os of soil! Do you know the connection between soil health and the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere? Check out this publication on Soil Carbon Basics (the layout is a bit wonky as it is meant to be printed and folded as a brochure; read the right-hand column on page one, then page two, then go back to the left-hand and center columns on the first page).

Upcoming programs and events:
Farming Internship
Horn Farm CSA (early bird discount through January 31)
Betsy’s Flower CSA (early bird discount through January 31)
Bread Baking (Bread Baking Basics, Bread Baking 201, Bread Baking Full Day Workshop)

It’s time to take a break–to rest and reflect on the year. Starting December 16, we will be taking time off to celebrate the holidays. We’ll be back in January refreshed and ready to plunge into 2018. If you want to support the work we do, please take a moment to make a financial donation. Thank you!

Happy Holidays! We look forward to seeing you at the Farm!

Snow is in the forecast for tomorrow. The farm is ready to rest. The garlic is planted and mulched. We’ll harvest this garlic around July 4th then hang the garlic to cure in the corn barn. Then we will share the garlic with our CSA members. Interested in being part of our CSA in 2018? Our Community Supported Agriculture program offers you a weekly or biweekly share of produce grown here at the Horn Farm. Early bird discount is available through January 31, 2018. And yes! Gift shares are available! More information here: Horn Farm CSA.

In 2018, we will welcome a new farmer to the farm business incubator. Betsy Dorbian will be growing flowers for local florists as well as a for a Cut Flower CSA.Betsy is offering an early bird discount through January 31 as well. Pick up locations include the Horn Farm as well as locations in Harrisburg and Lemoyne. Click here for more information about Betsy’s Flowers at the Farm.

People often wonder why we leave dead plants standing over the winter. This photo shows a Praying Mantis egg case on a dried plant stalk. The eggs will hatch in the spring just in time for these beneficial insects to start munching on the creatures that eat our lovely vegetables. When we provide places for helpful creatures to spend the winter, we are rewarded when the growing season arrives.

In addition to our insect friends, we rely on people like you to keep the Horn Farm Center running. Our volunteers and donors are the ones who make our work possible. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to the Horn Farm today! Thank you!

See you at the Farm!

Frost has pushed us into fall clean up mode on the farm.  The 2017 CSA season is behind us.We hope you enjoyed your shares as much as we enjoyed ours! Early bird discounted registration for 2018 is available here. We are harvesting the last of the root crops: carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, dandelion and burdock root. The last of the garlic will be planted in those beds this week. We will still be foraging for wild edibles in December. Join us on December 2 for a field walk at the farm.

We are pleased to have been offer more than 65 classes and workshops in 2017 in the categories of Farming and Gardening, Cooking, Wilderness Skills, and Ecological Design.  Our last formal educational offering for 2017 is our favorite ecological design tool: permaculture. It’s the tool we use constantly on the farm and within the nonprofit business. Permaculture is a design practice that calls for deep observation, understanding relationships, and identifying goals. Learning to model our designs on the interconnectedness of healthy ecosystems allows us to meet our needs and those of future generations while respecting and caring for the Earth–our home. Introduction to Permaculture on December 9

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank you for being part of our community!

See you at the farm!