Happenings

Can you name this insect? The majority of insects that surround us in the garden (and out) are either beneficial or harmless to human endeavors. Learning to identify the common insects in your area is an essential skill in the gardener’s toolbox. Only then can you begin to recognize and support the beneficial insects that are making your job easier and mitigate and prevent the damage from their less helpful counterparts. Join us Sunday, June 24 for Insect Identification and Management. This class will be co-taught by Jon Darby and Jason Reed. We will cover the three major kinds of pest management, how to diagnose a pest problem, and recommended treatments. This workshop will be primarily classroom based and we’ll examine some live examples and do a field walk weather permitting. (It’s an Assassin Bug nymph. Pselliopus spp. do not feed on plants–they hunt on them!)

On Saturday, June 23, we will be welcoming riders from near and far who enjoy bicycling the country roads of York and Lancaster counties. Please join us for our fourth annual Cycle the Solstice fundraiser for the Horn Farm Center! Thank you to our sponsors: Lemon Street Market and Pennsylvania Truck Centers!! 

CSA Shares
Here is what we plan to include in this week’s CSA shares:
mini Chinese cabbage
scallions
garlic scapes
Swiss chard
spinach
arugula (or red leaf amaranth)
snap peas
radishes
oregano
spearmint
lovage
Enjoy!
Not a CSA member? There’s still time to join. Click here for more information.

Upcoming events:
June 12 – Tuesday Evening Work Crew
June 16 – Monthly Farm Tour – Third Saturday
June 16 – Introduction to Plant Communication
June 19 – Tuesday Evening Work Crew
June 23 – Cycle the Solstice
June 24 – Insect Identification
June 26 – Tuesday Evening Work Crew
June 30 – Monthly Foraging
July 14, 15, 28, 29 – Bowmaking
July 26 – Preserving Herbs
July 31 – Knife Skills for the Home Cook
August 21 – Seasonal Eat & Meet

See you at the farm!

This is the week we start distributing CSA shares! Farm interns Kelsey and Laura are harvesting peas this morning for tomorrow’s pick up. Sometimes we have to make last minute changes–that’s the nature of farming, but based on our walk around the farm this morning, this is what we plan  to include in the shares:
strawberries
Swiss chard
spinach
arugula
snap peas
radishes
oregano
spearmint
lovage
Lovage is a little known plant that can be used in any dish where you’d usually use celery. The flavor is more intense than celery, so use it in smaller quantities. Enjoy!
Not a CSA member? There’s still time to join. Click here for more information.

We still have space for you in tomorrow’s Introduction to Permaculture class. 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.

On Saturday, June 23, we will be welcoming riders from near and far who enjoy bicycling the country roads of York and Lancaster counties. Please join us for our fourth annual Cycle the Solstice fundraiser for the Horn Farm Center!

Upcoming events:

June 2 – Introduction to Permaculture
June 5 – Tuesday Evening Work Crew
June 12 – Tuesday Evening Work Crew
June 16 – Monthly Farm Tour – Third Saturday
June 16 – Introduction to Plant Communication
June 19 – Tuesday Evening Work Crew
June 23 – Cycle the Solstice
June 24 – Insect Identification
June 26 – Tuesday Evening Work Crew
June 30 – Monthly Foraging
July 14, 15, 28, 29 – Bowmaking
July 26 – Preserving Herbs
July 31 – Knife Skills for the Home Cook
August 21 – Seasonal Eat & Meet

See you at the farm!

Education can send ripples of positive change through the community. When a job trainer at a local high school found out about the Woodland Restoration Project at the Horn Farm Center, he arranged to bring a group of high school students to work in the woods each week as part of their vocational training experiences. When the students first came to the Horn Farm they acted withdrawn and unenthusiastic and were reluctant to participate. As they learned about the ecology of the forest and how to restore it with proper use of simple hand tools, both they and the woodland were transformed. On Wednesday these students got to share the project with their classmates and teachers. Jared explained how to read the landscape and how best to build the next stretch of trail. Michael explained how they built steps and bridges using materials they found in the woods.

By working with the land, they have moved into relationship with this particular place. Their connection to the land has spread into care and concern for other places. One of the teachers shared that more than once she has seen these kids intervene where their peers are needlessly breaking branches of trees or kicking plants. This is why we do the work we do at the Horn Farm Center: to restore the mutually beneficial relationships between human beings and the Earth.Before leaving for the day, everyone got to choose a plant from our table of seedlings. It was delightful to watch teenagers carefully deciding whether to choose a tomato, sweet pepper, hot pepper or herb to take home.

This reconnection to the land is powerful for adults as well. On Wednesday, eight UNFI sales people spent a day volunteering at the Horn Farm Center. Some pulled thistle, some dug sunchokes, and some extended the trail in the woods. This work was very different than the typical sales persons’ tasks. In fact, one man in his mid-50s had his first experience working in the woods. City born and raised, this was a completely new experience for him. To his complete surprise, he loved it! He said working with hand tools to build a trail was satisfying in such a different way than making a sale by making a phone call. Being able to see the tangible results of his efforts meant a lot to him. Volunteering at the Horn Farm Center helps people discover new things about themselves and the land while helping us accomplish our mission. If your group is interested in participating in our work, please contact us at (717) 757-6441 or info@hornfarmcenter.org! No time to volunteer? Please support us financially by donating today!

Upcoming Events:

May 29 – Tuesday Evening Work Crew
June 2 – Introduction to Permaculture
June 5 – Tuesday Evening Work Crew
June 12 – Tuesday Evening Work Crew
June 16 – Monthly Farm Tour – Third Saturday
June 16 – Introduction to Plant Communication
June 19 – Tuesday Evening Work Crew
June 23 – Cycle the Solstice
June 24 – Insect Identification
June 26 – Tuesday Evening Work Crew
June 30 – Monthly Foraging
July 14, 15, 28, 29 – Bowmaking
July 26 – Preserving Herbs
July 31 – Knife Skills for the Home Cook
August 21 – Seasonal Eat & Meet

See you at the farm!