Volunteer Spotlight: Ellen Gibb

For many of you, Ellen Gibb needs no introduction. As a long-time volunteer, former board member, and dedicated supporter of the Horn Farm Center, Ellen’s impact can easily be seen and felt at the farm – especially in the Summer Kitchen!

Ellen’s journey with the Horn Farm began over 10 years ago in 2010 when she answered the call to help with Tomato Fest, one of the Horn Farm’s founding community events. While Ellen started as an event volunteer, her service to the organization blossomed over the years from helping with office work and teaching classes to leading the renovation of the summer kitchen and eventually serving on the board. Here are some of the activities that Ellen has dedicated her time and energy to over the years:

• Tabling at local events and organizing outreach events to promote the Horn Farm Center
• Serving as a member and Chair of the Education Committee
• Presenting for Homestead Education Day and kitchen classes
• Leading food and summer kitchen presentations at HFC events
• Co-chairing the renovation of the summer kitchen – which involved recruiting volunteers, sourcing equipment, attending auctions, helping with design and getting paperwork for inspection, helping with grant writing, and providing blood, sweat and tears during construction!
• Coordinating classes in the summer kitchen with Education Director
• Serving as 2^nd vice president
• Serving as a member of the Nominating Committee for 3 or 4 years
• Working the Farm Stand
• Providing recipes for the community gardeners and CSA members
• Helping to recruit, track, and schedule volunteers

Ellen was inspired to become a volunteer at the Horn Farm Center because it connected her with her childhood. She grew up on a dairy farm in Minnesota and moved to Pennsylvania after college for a job. The Horn Farm Center was also a place of respite after her husband passed away, especially since there was always something that needed to be done!

When asked about her favorite memory at the farm, Ellen answered “watching people become passionate about food, the land and each other!” She also feels as though the most rewarding thing about volunteering at the Horn Farm is helping to make the world a better place by helping people and children get in touch with our roots.

When Ellen isn’t getting her hands dirty at the Horn Farm Center she volunteers at the York County History Center and serves as Treasurer for her church. Ellen also enjoys spending time with her two wonderful children-Abby and Jason; 2 awesome grandchildren -Elaina and William; and a great daughter in law -Angelica.

We thank Ellen for her many and continued years of service to the Horn Farm Center!

Interested in volunteering? Click here for more information about how to join our team.

Over 4000 trees planted, 6000 more to go!

This past Sunday we were INSPIRED by more than 45 students and volunteers who planted over 1000 trees at the Horn Farm! We thank The Stone Independent School and the student organizers of The Big Do for working with us to reach our shared goals. For more information on this amazing effort to plant 5,000 trees visit thebigdo.org

Horn Farm Center Health and Safety Policy

Due to COVID-19 the Horn Farm Center is offering on-site educational programming with some modifications in order to ensure the health and safety of our visitors, volunteers and staff. All classes will be held outside and are limited to 15 participants per class. If more than one class occurs on the same day, start times will be staggered to reduce the number of individuals arriving at the same time. Multiple hand sanitizer stations are available. We will adjust as needed as time passes and things change.

Participant expectations are as follows:

• Participants are required to bring a mask and wear it when proper physical distancing cannot be maintained. We have a limited supply on hand if you forget yours.
• Physical distancing of 6 feet must be maintained except in case of family members.
• Do not attend if sick or recovering.

Until further notice, no indoor classes are available at this time. We are offering virtual classroom experiences via zoom.

You Gave Local and We Thank You!

We are humbled by our community. Last Friday, thanks to YOUR gifts and service, and with the help of $10,000 in matching funds and prizes from 7group, we reached and surpassed our goals for Give Local York! Here’s what our friends and supporters accomplished as part of the Horn Farm’s #Triple10KChallange:

• Raised a total of $22,875
• 121 donors – nearly doubling the number of donors for Give Local York since 2020!
• Ranked #34 on the Give Local York Leaderboard
• 15 volunteers helped to plant over 600 trees at the Horn Farm on Friday, May 7^th
• Over 60 volunteers have helped to plant nearly 2,000 trees at the Horn Farm this spring – achieving 20% of our goal of planting 10,000 trees!

In addition to supporting the completion of our 6-acre multifunctional riparian buffer project, your contributions will allow us to develop management practices and educational programming for this new agroforestry system.

To all our donors, volunteers, friends and supporters – we can’t thank you enough for your investments of time and resources into Horn Farm. Together we are redefining agriculture and making a positive impact on the health of our local ecosystems.

Over 2000 trees planted, 8000 more to go!

A HUGE THANKS to our dedicated volunteers who have come out on sunny, rainy, and windy days to help plant trees at the Horn Farm. Together we are installing a 6-acre multifunctional riparian buffer that will protect our waterways and revolutionize the way we practice farming in York County. We couldn’t do this work without you!

Horn Farm Center Health and Safety Policy

Due to COVID-19 the Horn Farm Center is offering on-site educational programming with some modifications in order to ensure the health and safety of our visitors, volunteers and staff. All classes will be held outside and are limited to 15 participants per class. If more than one class occurs on the same day, start times will be staggered to reduce the number of individuals arriving at the same time. Multiple hand sanitizer stations are available. We will adjust as needed as time passes and things change.

Participant expectations are as follows:

• Participants are required to bring a mask and wear it when proper physical distancing cannot be maintained. We have a limited supply on hand if you forget yours.
• Physical distancing of 6 feet must be maintained except in case of family members.
• Do not attend if sick or recovering.

Until further notice, no indoor classes are available at this time. We are offering virtual classroom experiences via zoom.

What is your reason to give local this year?

For our dedicated supporters, the reasons to give to the Horn Farm vary widely – from our ecological and community impact to our diverse programming that serves over 650 participants each year. Regardless of their reasons, each supporter has one thing in common – a love for the Horn Farm!

Become a champion of local regenerative agriculture by taking our Triple 10K Challenge on Friday, May 7th for Give Local York! On this day, the Horn Farm Center joins more than 300 other non-profits in York County to recognize all of the important work done by the non-profit sector.

This year we have two ways to give: by donating or volunteering to plant trees at the Horn Farm. Our goal is to raise $10,000 – which will be matched dollar for dollar by a local donor – doubling your support up to $20,000!

Add on our challenge to plant 10,000 trees this spring and we will truly make an impact together for generations to come.

When you support the Horn Farm Center, every dollar you give goes towards improving the health of our community and our natural environment. If you plan to give the Horn Farm this spring, please consider giving on May 7th!

We also invite you to join us for our in-person Give Local York Open House & Tree Planting event from 11am-4pm on May 7th at the Horn Farm Center . Stop by the farm at 4945 Horn Road for a tour or to get your hands dirty!

Learn More    I    Donate Now    I   Register to Volunteer

Over 500 trees planted, 9,500 more to go!

A HUGE THANKS to our dedicated volunteers – including students from York County School of Technology, local Mater Watershed Stewards, and our friends from the York Conservation District – who have come out to our volunteer days on Sunday and Wednesday afternoons. We couldn’t do this work without you!

Horn Farm Center Health and Safety Policy

Due to COVID-19 the Horn Farm Center is offering on-site educational programming with some modifications in order to ensure the health and safety of our visitors, volunteers and staff. All classes will be held outside and are limited to 15 participants per class. If more than one class occurs on the same day, start times will be staggered to reduce the number of individuals arriving at the same time. Multiple hand sanitizer stations are available. We will adjust as needed as time passes and things change.

Participant expectations are as follows:

• Participants are required to bring a mask and wear it when proper physical distancing cannot be maintained. We have a limited supply on hand if you forget yours.
• Physical distancing of 6 feet must be maintained except in case of family members.
• Do not attend if sick or recovering.

Until further notice, no indoor classes are available at this time. We are offering virtual classroom experiences via zoom.