Happenings

Horn Farm Happenings – May 24, 2019

bull thistle and skyHumans 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.Image may contain: one or more people, grass, outdoor and nature

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!

Horn Farm Happenings – May 17, 2019

CSA pick up dayWe are just two weeks away from CSA season! The first pick up day is Tuesday, June 4 at the farm. We will be sending a special newsletter to subscribers on Mondays starting May 20. There’s still time to sign up! Check out the following offerings:
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


Image may contain: 2 people, people smiling, people standing, tree, outdoor and nature
With CSA season upon us, we’re looking for volunteers to be part of our Tuesday Evening Farm Crew. Ready to get your hands in the soil? We could use your help on the farm between 4 and 7 on Tuesday evenings. Join Field Manager Andrew Horn to be part of the farm community by helping with planting, harvesting, weeding, and mulching. Join us for any or all of the three hours. Please pre-register so we know to expect you!


Upcoming events:
May 18 – Herbal Intensive
May 19 – Healing Power of Plants (Children’s Discovery Series)
May 19 – Mushroom Cultivation (waitlist)
May 21 – Tuesday Evening Farm Crew
May 26 – Seed to Table (Children’s Discovery Series)
May 21 – Tuesday Evening Farm Crew
May 30 – Foraging – May Plant Walk (NEW)
June 1 – Introduction to Plant Communication
June 29 – Foraging – June Plant Walk
June 22 – Cycle the Solstice
June 29 – Raising Insects for Food and Farm
July 13 – Mushroom Cultivation (NEW)
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!

Horn Farm Happenings – May 10, 2019

Spring in the Northern Hemisphere begins when our sun (as viewed from the earth) enters the constellation Aries. The sun will travel through the constellations Aries, Taurus, and Gemini before the sun enters the constellation Cancer and summer begins at the solstice on June 21 this year. (We will be celebrating with our Cycle the Solstice event. Check it out!) Last Sunday, May 6, marked the half way point between spring and summer when the sun reached 15 degrees of Taurus. (Each of the twelve constellations has 30 degrees as the cycle/circle/wheel of the year has 360 degrees).

Image may contain: one or more people, plant and outdoorEverything on the farm follows cycles.  And this week marks the end of our plant selling season. Thank you to everyone who came out on May 4 to find plants for their gardens and to support the Horn Farm Center! This weekend is your last chance to get Horn Farm plants at the MAEscapes plant sale tomorrow, May 11 from 8:30 to 2 at the York County Annex, 112 Pleasant Acres Road, York.


Speaking of last chances, our Herbal intensive begins next Saturday, May 18, and there is still space for you!

monarda and echinacea in palms

Photo: Michelle Johnsen

Join us for 14 full-day sessions over 7 weekends to delve into the world of herbalism from May through November. This course will cover the foundations of herbalism, medicinal herb gardening, processing and preserving, and making plant remedies. Find  out more!


Plant sales may be drawing to a close for the year, but we are about to jump into CSA season! The first pick up day is Tuesday, June 4 at the farm. Check out the following offerings:
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


Image may contain: 1 person, tree, plant, grass, sky, outdoor and natureWith CSA season upon us, we’ve also started looking for volunteers to be part of our Tuesday Evening Farm Crew. Ready to get your hands in the soil? We could use your help on the farm between 4 and 7 on Tuesday evenings. Join Field Manager Andrew Horn for some good old physical labor! Planting, harvesting, weeding, mulching are always needed on the farm, and many hands make light work! Join us for any or all of the three hours. Please pre-register so we know to expect you!


Upcoming events:
May 11 – MAEscapes Native Plant Sale
May 14 – Tuesday Evening Farm Crew
May 18 – Herbal Intensive
May 19 – Healing Power of Plants (Children’s Discovery Series)
May 19 – Mushroom Cultivation
May 21 – Tuesday Evening Farm Crew
May 26 – Seed to Table (Children’s Discovery Series)
June 1 – Introduction to Plant Communication
June 22 – Cycle the Solstice
June 29 – Raising Insects for Food and Farm
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!