More than five years ago, we embarked on a journey to grow a new kind of agriculture—one  where the way we farm helps to revitalize the health of our landscapes.

The seeds of that vision have taken root and our ecological farm system is starting to bloom.

With knees on the ground and hands in the soil – 468 community members came together between 2021 and 2023 to plant over 17,000 saplings at the Horn Farm. Today, those trees are growing strong, bearing hazelnuts, elderberries, live stakes, and a world of possibilities for creative collaboration and learning.

Each tree stands as a living testament of what we can accomplish when people come together to care for the land. These trees are also the foundation of our new agroforestry program.

Agroforestry—what we like to call “Farming Like an Ecosystem”—is a powerful way to grow food while caring for the planet. 

By growing trees and shrubs as crops, we build healthier soil, protect our waterways, create wildlife habitat, and even help to remove carbon from the atmosphere.

Even with all its benefits, agroforestry is used on just 1% of farms in the United States. At the Horn Farm Center, we’re working to change that by:

• Helping gardeners, farmers, and aspiring growers learn to cultivate food sustainably for themselves and their communities through our signature training programs – like the new Regenerative Grower Training Program, launching this month.
• Creating York County’s first community “Forest Garden” alongside our vegetable beds, transforming our demonstration field into a learning space and farming ecosystem.
• Adding new classes and workshops about agroforestry, like how to grow mushrooms in the woods, the basics of making your own elderberry syrup, and basket-making.

There are so many fun, hands-on ways to explore how trees and farming can work together. We are just getting started. 

Through practices like agroforestry, we’re helping people rediscover essential skills, understand their role in the natural world, and take part in the regeneration of our local ecosystems — growing stronger, more resilient communities.

Together with your support, we can ensure that everyone in York, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and beyond has the opportunity to get their hands in the soil, learn from the land, and become part of a more hopeful, regenerative future.

Please consider donating to the Horn Farm Center to support our new agroforestry program. 

This year, from May 1st to 2nd, you can double your impact during Give Local York. Thanks to over $13,000 in matching funds from our Annual Sponsors and our Board of Directors, every dollar you donate will go twice as far.

Contributions will be matched online starting May 1st at 9:00pm and will continue for 24 hours—until 9:00pm on May 2nd. You can make your donation on our Give Local York page, or if you prefer, by mailing a check to the Horn Farm Center.

Together, we can continue to grow this vision of regenerative agriculture and create a lasting impact for our community and environment. We are so grateful for your support and belief in our mission.

With deep gratitude,

Alexis Campbell, Executive Director

P.S. – I know you’ve heard from us recently as we work to complete the final stages of fundraising for the farmhouse. If you’ve already contributed to the Building Fund—thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Your generosity has carried us through!

As construction wraps up this year, we’re so close to opening a new chapter. If you’re able, we invite you to also support the programs and mission that will fill this space with life—education, restoration, and deep connection to the land. Let’s keep growing together!

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2025 Annual Report: Rebuilding & Growing for a Regenerative Future