The Horn Farm Center & 7group Present the 17th Annual York County Pawpaw Festival

Celebrate local food and regenerative agriculture at the 17th annual York County Pawpaw Festival, presented by the Horn Farm Center for Agricultural Education and 7group, on September 18 & 19, 2021 from 10:00am-3:00pm, located at the Horn Farm, 4945 Horn Road, York, PA 17406. 

The York County Pawpaw Festival is an outdoor, family-friendly festival celebrating York County’s beloved pawpaw. Pawpaws are the largest edible fruit native to the Eastern United States. This delectable fruit grows in abundance right here in the Susquehanna River region. Pawpaws are only in season for a few weeks in September and until mid October. 

The main attractions of the event are the pawpaw fruit, both wild and cultivated varieties, and pawpaw trees, which will be available for purchase. Other pawpaw related items will be available including pawpaw cookbooks, books, and t-shirts.  In addition, the festival will feature local food vendors, artisans, and community organizations. Fresh produce from the Horn Farm, native plants, jams, jellies, honey, and more will be for sale. Visitors will also enjoy tours of the farm and pawpaw orchard. 

The York County Pawpaw Festival is part of York County Watershed Week in partnership with the Watershed Alliance of York. Watershed Alliance volunteers will be leading a tree planting activity at 1:00pm each day of the festival. Visitors are encouraged to get their hands dirty by planting trees in the Horn Farm Center’s new riparian buffer. 

Admission is free. A $5.00 pawpaw tasting box, which will include up to 6 different pawpaw varieties, will be available for those who would like to taste test various pawpaw varieties. All proceeds support local regenerative agriculture practices and education programs at the Horn Farm Center. This event will be held rain or shine and all pawpaws, tasting boxes, produce, and products will be available while supplies last. For more information visit hornfarmcenter.org/pawpawfest/

In order to ensure the health and safety of our visitors, vendors, volunteers and staff, we ask that all participants bring and wear masks, especially when 6 ft. social distancing is not possible. We will have masks on hand if you forget yours. Hand sanitizer and hand washing stations will also be available on site. If you are sick or recovering, please stay home. 

2021 Pawpaw Festival Vendors Include:

• The Gardener of the Owl Valley 
• Horn Farm Center 
• Heartwood Nursery
• Gino’s Nursery
• Locally Seasoned
• Noble Earth Kombucha
• Bee Bees All Natural
• Watershed Alliance of York
• Kilgore Family Farm
• Betsy’s Flowers at the Farm
• The Fertrell Co.
• Ort Family Farm
• Alpacas of York
• Dough & Arrows (Sunday Only)
• 4 Herbs & 7 Spices Ago (Sunday Only)

The 2021 Pawpaw Festival is supported by local businesses who believe in our mission to connect soil, food, and people in ways that improve the health and resilience of our community. We thank the following sponsors for supporting regenerative agriculture and education at the Horn Farm Center:

The 2021 York County Pawpaw Festival is Sponsored by:

• 7group
• Richards Energy Group
• UPMC
• Fertrell Ag Supply
• Specialty Tree Service
• John Wright Restaurant
• Lemon Street Market
• Wise Printing Company
• The Wenger Group
• Barton & Associates, Inc. 

The event is also supported by:

• Shank’s Mare
• Evolution Power Yoga
• Stauffers of Kissel Hill
• Knaper’s Stop & Go

Click here for more information.

Help Wanted: Volunteers Needed

The 17th Annual York County Pawpaw Festival is right around the corner and we could use your help.  We are looking for volunteers to help with many activities during the event including setting up, parking, and helping at the registration table. If you are able to volunteer that weekend, please sign up!

Click here to volunteer

UPDATED: Horn Farm Center Health and Safety Policy

The Horn Farm Center is offering on-site educational programming with some modifications due to COVID-19. Multiple hand sanitizer stations are available. We will adjust as needed as time passes and things change.

In order to ensure the health and safety of our visitors, volunteers and staff, participant expectations are as follows:

• Participants are required to bring a mask and wear it when indoors, unless you are fully vaccinated.
• Do not attend if sick or recovering.

In the News: K10 Partnership in Action Blog

Click here to read the article

Summer of Learning & Exploration

The summer of 2021 was a hot one but that didn’t stop us from creating immersive learning experiences here at the Farm. This year we were fortunate to have three college interns working and exploring along side us in various capacities. In addition to completing a number of important projects, our summer interns also had a chance to learn from our instructors and community partners.

In late July, Mark Flaharty from the York County Conservation District visited the farm to share his work with our interns. Using the Horn Farm Center as a classroom, the students learned about the challenges and successes of conservation work in York County and discussed various career paths in county conservations districts.

Each intern also worked on their own projects. Tess Wilson, a senior at the College of the Atlantic, gave three public talks on coyotes and assisted with many other educational activities around the farm. You can find some of her work outside the farmhouse in the form of a visitor map, a trail map, and a pamphlet on beneficial predators for agricultural farms.

Jessica Bock, also a student from the College of the Atlantic, shared her artistic talents by creating unique illustrations for a new volunteer program at the farm. The program will be launched in 2022 – stay tuned!

Lee Matthews, a senior at Franklin & Marshall College, served as a Research & Development intern and completed a marketing plan for several agroforestry products. She also contributed to a number of organizational development projects.

We are so thankful that we had the opportunity to work with these bright, young students. We looking forward to seeing the impact they will each make in their academic and professional careers.

Help Wanted: Volunteers Needed

The 17th Annual York County Pawpaw Festival is right around the corner and we could use your help.  We are looking for volunteers to help with many activities during the event including setting up, parking, and helping at the registration table. If you are able to volunteer that weekend, please sign up!

Click here to volunteer

UPDATED: Horn Farm Center Health and Safety Policy

The Horn Farm Center is offering on-site educational programming with some modifications due to COVID-19. Multiple hand sanitizer stations are available. We will adjust as needed as time passes and things change.

In order to ensure the health and safety of our visitors, volunteers and staff, participant expectations are as follows:

• Participants are required to bring a mask and wear it when indoors, unless you are fully vaccinated.
• Do not attend if sick or recovering.

Volunteer Spotlight: Cindy Pizziketti

Dedicated. Passionate. Joyful. These are the words that best describe Cindy Pizziketti.

Cindy has been volunteering at the Horn Farm Center for about a year, and in this short time, her impact has been significant. Since last September, Cindy has been working on the new riparian buffer on the eastern side of the farm. Along with other volunteers, Cindy has planted hundreds of trees this spring. She also visits the farm regularly to tend to new trees to make sure that they are thriving.

Cindy is a Master Watershed Steward with the Penn State Cooperative Extension. The Horn Farm’s riparian buffer project is one of several projects for which she volunteers. Other projects include rain garden installations, stream cleanups, stream chemical and biological health monitoring, and clean water education. Cindy’s favorite activity is macroinvertebrate surveys in local streams with children. She loves working with young people because they are curious and open to new things.

Cindy’s passion for environmental stewardship runs deep. She says that planting trees has a special place in her heart because of the role they play to protect our waterways by providing shade, helping to filter out pollutants, and preventing erosion. Cindy is so enthusiastic about planting trees, that we often call her the Lorax!

“Sometimes I go out and hunt for new volunteer trees to protect. It is so much fun! It is like an Easter egg hunt, but instead of candy – it is giving trees a chance at life without deer predation,” says Cindy. “I also just enjoy the great conversations I get into with other volunteers. Wilson always has some new bit of information for my brain: Did you know that at one time bison roamed the grasslands of Pennsylvania? I love being able to support the Horn Farm and all the staff are warm, welcoming, and fun to work alongside.”

We are so thankful for Cindy’s passion and dedication to making a difference. Her enthusiasm is inspiring and infectious! When asked what motivates her to volunteer, Cindy replied: “There are a lot of environmental concerns for the earth right now, and much of it seems so vast that I cannot begin to make an impact. But I can help a little piece of the environment at Horn Farm.”

In the News: Horn Farm Community Garden

Click here to read the article

Farm Stand Now Open Weekly

The Horn Farm Center Farm Stand, located in the red corn barn, is now open every Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, & Thursday from 9:00am to 6:00 pm.

The stand is self-serve and features fresh organically-grown produce and flower arrangements from our partner farmers: Kilgore Family Farm & Betsy’s Flowers. Cash Only. Stop by and enjoy what local, regenerative farming has to offer.

Help Wanted: Can You Pitch In for Pawpaw?

The 17th Annual York County Pawpaw Festival is right around the corner and we could use your help.  We are currently seeking sponsors and in-kind donations from local businesses who believe in the Horn Farm Center’s mission. Business support will allow us to continue to provide this wonderful community celebration and will support our educational programs at the farm.

If you are interested in sponsoring or donating to the Pawpaw Festival, please contact our Executive Director at executivedirector@hornfarmcenter.org.

We are also in need of volunteers!  We are looking for volunteers to help with many activities during the event including setting up, parking, and helping at the registration table. If you are able to volunteer that weekend, please sign up!

UPDATED: Horn Farm Center Health and Safety Policy

The Horn Farm Center is offering on-site educational programming with some modifications due to COVID-19. Multiple hand sanitizer stations are available. We will adjust as needed as time passes and things change.

In order to ensure the health and safety of our visitors, volunteers and staff, participant expectations are as follows:

• Participants are required to bring a mask and wear it when indoors, unless you are fully vaccinated.
• Do not attend if sick or recovering.