New Summer & Fall Learning Adventures

We have an exciting line up of classes and workshops designed to get you out of your regular routine and into the natural world at the Horn Farm Center.

Starting with our August Foraging and Guided Nature Walk on August 7th, Woodland Steward, Wilson Alvarez will take adventurers through the wilder space on the farm to explore the edible, medicinal, and alternative uses of plants.

In addition to our monthly forgaging and woodland walks, we have a new series of farm & garden programs.

On August 20th, Jon Darby of Wallicks Farm Project is inviting gardeners to bring their gardening questions to Growing Your Garden Knowledge Q&A . Together we will explore your questions about soil biology, plant health, weeds and insects, garden design and more! And, on October 1st Jon will teach a new Hugelkultur Workshop.

On August 27th, Dale Hendricks from Green Light Plants will share his experience with Nutrient Dense Gardening and discuss how gardeners can enhance living soils, encourage robust microbial soil food webs, and grow tastier crops.

Later in the fall, Dale Hendricks will present the fascinating history and story of pioneer agroforester, John Hershey, Friend of Trees.

And don’t forget our fall Backyard Composting classes, which are led by Farm Manager, Andrew Horn in partnership with York County Solid Waste Authority.

Beyond the farm fields, we will discover the creative side of nature appreciation with Butterfly & Floral Nature Photography led by George Kurzik on August 13th.

Back by popular demand, Calyx Liddick of Northern Appalachia School will be leading Women’s Intro to Foraging on August 12th. Led by a woman, for women only, this plant focused class will discuss the essentials of foraging, including plant identification, terminology, safety, medicinal and edible uses of plants, and honorable harvest.

Finally, for those who want to take a deep dive into foraging skills please join us for Foraging Foundations Weekend with Jon Darby of Riverbend Foraging.

For a full list of summer and fall programs, view the program list at the bottom of this page or visit our website via the link below. See you at the farm!

Click here for a list of upcoming programs. 

What’s New at the Farm

What’s a day in the life at Horn Farm these days? Breaking a sweat and beautifying the new (temporary) office space donated earlier this summer by our friends at the Lancaster Conservancy! We’re grateful for the support from our community partners while we undergo the contracting process and begin solidifying plans for our farmhouse reconstruction.

Volunteers Wanted: Pawpaw Festival

The 18th 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.

The York County Pawpaw Festival benefits regenerative agriculture and educational programs at the Horn Farm Center. Please join us to volunteer on September 24th & 25th! Sign up using the link below.

Click here to sign up to volunteer!

Farm To Freezer at Horn Farm

The Horn Farm Center is a hub for local resilience. Despite its best efforts the lightning strike of 2021 did not stop us from leading the way in regenerative farming, ecological education, and community partnership this year. We couldn’t do so without our on-farm partners. After a short hiatus due to the fire, Farm to Freezer is back in the summer kitchen, running their local food business at the Horn Farm. 
The pandemic may have put an end to their popular meal prep sessions, but Farm to Freezer switched gears to a biweekly pick up/delivery service of prepared freezer meals. Customers can select items a la carte or order the whole menu. There is no commitment, order as often as you’d like and skip weeks when you care to.

Add Farm to Freezer’s delicious meals to your weekly meal planning and take the hassle out of finding recipes. The ingredients are locally sourced and freshly prepared – then offered to you as freezer meals that are easy to cook at home. This time of year much of the produce is sourced from right here at the Horn Farm!

For questions or additional information, please contact Mary Ellen Martin, info@FarmToFreezerYork.com

Click here to sign up for Farm to Freezer Mailing List

We Are Growing to Reach Our Goals!

Just as biodiversity is essential to the health of our ecosystems, a rich diversity of board members, staff, and volunteers is foundational to the health and success of our organization. Growing and diversifying the Horn Farm Center team is one of several Strategic Goals outlined in our 2022-2025 Evolutionary Plan.

Our goals are ambitious but we are well on our way. This spring we welcomed five new staff members to the Horn Farm Center team!

Community Engagement Coordinators, Andrew Leahy  and Avary Sassaman are responsible for facilitating meaningful engagement through program coordination, events, and outreach.

Andrew (Rue) Sterner and Logan Kline are assisting our Land Stewardship Team this summer by providing essential farm maintenance and helping with our weekly CSA.

Lori Webster is our Financial Assistant and Bookkeeper, applying her extensive background in accounting, billing, and customer service to support the Horn Farm Center’s financial administration.

The Horn Farm Center team is growing and we couldn’t be happier to be a more capable organization. Together we will grow healthy food, restore our natural ecology, and teach others to do the same.

Click here to learn more about the Horn Farm Center Team

Thank You for Cycling the Solstice!

The 2022 Cycle the Solstice Benefit Ride was a huge success thanks to nearly 100 riders who adventured through the Susquehanna Riverlands to support the Horn Farm Center. Despite the high winds on June 18th, participants had a great time riding and sharing their enthusiasm for cycling, local farms, and healthy lifestyles.

We thank the participating cyclists, volunteers, and Cycle Works of Wrightsville for supporting the Horn Farm Center and our mission!

We also thank the following event sponsors and contributing businesses:

• John Wright Restaurant
• Leg Up Farmers Market
• Shank’s Mare Outfitters
• Hip Bees Honey
• Hempzels
• Flinchbaugh’s Orchard & Farm Market
• Funks Riverview Nursery
• Cabin Creek Farms
• Hell in a Bucket Brewing Company
• Bend the Rails

Land Steward Class of 2022

Congratulations to 8 students for successfully completing the 2022 Land Steward Training Program! During the 16-week course, our new land stewards learned how to transform degraded landscapes into healthy, biodiverse, productive habitats.

While the 2022 Training Programs are complete, a Waiting List is currently available for 2023. If you are interested in enrolling in the Land Steward Training Program for 2023, please register for the Waiting List.

We thank the Powder Mill Foundation for funding the 2022 Land Steward & Ecological Gardener Training Programs. We appreciate their commitment to making a positive impact in our community and environment.

Cycle the Solstice is Here!

This weekend we are celebrating the upcoming Summer Solstice with a scenic bike ride! After a long hiatus due to COVID-19, the 6th Annual benefit bike ride has returned. Join us on Saturday, June 18, 2022 for Cycle the Solstice, hosted by The Cycle Works of Wrightsville to benefit The Horn Farm Center.  All proceeds will help the Horn Farm Center carry out their mission as they continue to recover from the 2021 farmhouse fire.

Cycle the Solstice is a 30- or 62-mile bike ride through York and Lancaster counties that showcases the beauty and the bounty of the Susquehanna river valley. Riders will depart from the Horn Farm Center, located at 4945 Horn Road, York, PA 17406, starting at 8:00am in the morning, riding their chosen loop at their own pace. Along the way, riders will stop at local small business farms and markets for refreshments produced at the farms and other local food and agriculture businesses.

Upon completion of the ride, participants will enjoy a catered lunch by Leg Up Farmers Market and musical entertainment by Bend the Rails, a soulful blend of gutsy folk, blues, and country music.

The cost to ride is $32.00 for the 62-mile ride and $27.00 for the 30-mile ride.

A limited number of lunch tickets are available for those who prefer not to ride but want to enjoy the celebrations at the Horn Farm. Lunch tickets are $15/person and can be purchased on the registration page.

The 2022 Cycle the Solstice Benefit Bike Ride is sponsored by:

• The Cycle Works of Wrightsville

• John Wright Restaurant

• Leg-Up Farmers Market

• Shank’s Mare Outfitters

Click here to learn more and register. 

The Cycle Works of Wrightsville

The Cycle Works of Wrightsville is a locally owned bike shop in Wrightsville, PA. Their aim is to serve you with a smile and to help you have as much fun on your bike as they do. Our friends at the Cycle Works are out for more than the bottom line. Their family-oriented and service-first approach is a reflection of their dedication to customer satisfaction and an extension of their belief that cycling can be so much more than just a hobby.

We thank The Cycle Works of Wrightsville for organzing the annual Cycle the Solstice benefit ride and for supporting the mission of the Horn Farm Center.

Thank You John Wright Restaurant!

This year’s Cycle the Solstice fundraiser couldn’t be possible without the help of John Wright Restaurant, who is sponsoring the event.

John Wright Restaurant always does their best to provide the freshest ingredients possible. They take pride in the quality of their food by purchasing from local farmers. Their personal relationships with farmers ensure that their products are not processed or pre-made. Not to mention, John Wright Restaurant provides a unique dining experience with exceptional service!

Thank you John Wright Restaurant for being a valued member of our community and for supporting the Horn Farm Center!