“Flowers lift the spirit and refresh the soul.” -Martha Lever
Our resident flower farmer Betsy believes we could all use a bit of a “Flower Lift”, so she is offering a 5-week Bouquet CSA beginning on July 7. Pick up day and time is Tuesdays from 2:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. at the Horn Farm. Find more information here: Betsy’s Flowers at the Farm.

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Join Field Manager Andrew Horn for some time in the farm fields! Every Tuesday from 4 to 6 starting June 30, Andrew will be holding an ‘open field day’ called Tuesday Afternoon at the Farm. There will be time for getting to know each other, discussing what’s happening in the fields and on the farm, plus there will be opportunities to help with the farm work.
Planting, harvesting, weeding, and mulching are always needed on the farm, and many hands make light work! Join us for any or all of the two hours. Depending on the week, we may have projects with which children could help. If you plan to bring a child younger than 12, please contact Andrew in advance, at fieldmanager@hornfarmcenter.org, to make sure we will be able to provide a positive experience for you and your child(ren). Thanks! The event is free, but pre-registration is requested so that we know to expect you.

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York County has moved into the green phase, so we are resuming some on farm classes with some modifications. Classes will be held outside and are limited to 10 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. Participants are required to bring a mask and wear when proper social distancing cannot be maintained.
Social distancing of 6 feet must be maintained except in case of family members.

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Registration is now open for The Living Landscape! Come learn about the land by looking through the eyes of the species that inhabit wild spaces! On the first Saturday of each month (the second Saturday in July because of the holiday, this ecological adventure walk through the woodlands and the meadows of the Horn Farm Center will spark your sense of wonder and teach you about all aspects of the land we call home. We’ll focus on broad patterns of landscape as well as diving deep into the details of the micro-ecosystems under rocks, inside dead trees, beneath the soil, and beyond. Every month’s class will be different in response to what the land presents and what questions you bring to the group. Classes will be led by Horn Farm Center Woodland Steward, Wilson Alvarez.

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Registration is now open for foraging classes! Foraging is the act of finding and gathering wild foods. For the majority of our existence on this planet, human beings lived as hunter-gatherers. By engaging in this age-old practice, we can provide ourselves with healthy and free food and medicine, become more self-reliant, and connect on a much deeper level to the landscape in which we live. Classes are led by Horn Farm Education Director, Jonathan Darby.

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The Horn Farm Center for Agricultural Education is seeking a new Executive Director to continue our important work and to move the organization into the next chapter of its life.  The best candidate will have a regenerative mindset and will have had experiences with stewardship of natural spaces, the growing of food, and the management of non-profit organizations.  We are looking for someone who is more than familiar with sustainable and regenerative philosophies when it comes to agriculture.  You’ll be open to observing what the organization and its home has to tell you.  From those observations and through collaboration with employees and board members you’ll help to shape its future.  Our new Executive Director will have the opportunity to lead an organization that is composed of thought leaders in the regenerative movement and is an active and significant player in changing the way humans view and interact with the community of life that supports them. Our new Executive Director will have the opportunity to work within a site that is living proof that the damage done to our land and water can be changed for the better and you will have the opportunity to provide the philosophies, skills, and wisdom for MANY others. If you feel invigorated by this opportunity and want to know more about the position, please find it on our website: https://hornfarmcenter.org/job-postings

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Upcoming Events:
Tuesday, June 30: Tuesday Afternoon on the Farm
Tuesday, July 7: Tuesday Afternoon on the Farm
Thursday, July 9: Summer Foraging – July Plant Walk
Saturday, July 11: The Living Landscape
Saturday, July 11: Oil Infusions and Salves
Saturday, July 25: Tincture Making
Saturday, July 25: Summer Foraging – July Plant Walk
Saturday, August 1: The Living Landscape
Saturday, August 8: Creating an Herbal First Aid Kit
Saturday, August 8: Summer Foraging – August Plant Walk
Thursday, September 3: Foraging for Wild Teas & Drinks
Saturday, September 5: The Living Landscape
Saturday, September 12: Foraging for Wild Teas & Drinks
Saturday, October 3: The Living Landscape
Saturday, October 10: Foraging Wild Roots for Coffee and More
Saturday, November 7: The Living Landscape
Saturday, December 5: The Living Landscape

See you at the farm!

Check out this virtual tour of the Horn Farm!

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As York County has moved into the green phase, we are resuming some on farm classes with some modifications. Classes will be held outside and are limited to 10 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 when proper social distancing cannot be maintained.
Social distancing of 6 feet must be maintained except in case of family members.

---

Registration is now open for The Living Landscape! Come learn about the land by looking through the eyes of the species that inhabit wild spaces! On the first Saturday of each month, this ecological adventure walk through the woodlands and the meadows of the Horn Farm Center will spark your sense of wonder and teach you about all aspects of the land we call home. We’ll focus on broad patterns of landscape as well as diving deep into the details of the micro-ecosystems under rocks, inside dead trees, beneath the soil, and beyond.

Every month’s class will be different in response to what the land presents and what questions you bring to the group.

Classes will be led by Horn Farm Center Woodland Steward, Wilson Alvarez and take place on the following dates:

July 11, 2020
August 1, 2020
September 5, 2020
October 3, 2020
November 7, 2020
December 5, 2020

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Registration is now open for foraging classes! Foraging is the act of finding and gathering wild foods. For the majority of our existence on this planet, human beings lived as hunter-gatherers. By engaging in this age-old practice, we can provide ourselves with healthy and free food and medicine, become more self-reliant, and connect on a much deeper level to the landscape in which we live.

Plants and humans have always had a special relationship – plants create compounds that work to heal and support human body systems, and humans help propagate plants through seed dispersal and ecosystem interaction. Over time the use and understanding of plants as medicine was forgotten by more and more people until the knowledge was held by very few. As many of us turn towards learning skills of resiliency and methods of subsistence, we can share the information within our communities and help each other learn how to connect with the wisdom of the plant world again.

We are presenting four online classes covering the Foundations of Plant Medicine. These classes will meet via Zoom, which is an interactive, online meeting software. To participate, you’ll need internet access and a computer, tablet, or phone. Zoom link and other details will be sent to you before the class meets. Class sizes are limited to allow for participant questions and interaction.

On Saturday, June 20: Water Infusions and Plant Journals

On Saturday, July 11: Oil Infusions and Salves

On Saturday, July 25: Tincture Making

On Saturday, August 8: Creating an Herbal First Aid Kit

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“Flowers lift the spirit and refresh the soul.” -Martha Lever
Our resident flower farmer Betsy believes we could all use a bit of a “Flower Lift”, so she is offering a 5-week Bouquet CSA beginning on July 7. Pick up day and time is Tuesdays from 2:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. at the Horn Farm. Find more information here: Betsy’s Flowers at the Farm.

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The Horn Farm Center for Agricultural Education is seeking a new Executive Director to continue our important work and to move the organization into the next chapter of its life.  The best candidate will have a regenerative mindset and will have had experiences with stewardship of natural spaces, the growing of food, and the management of non-profit organizations.  We are looking for someone who is more than familiar with sustainable and regenerative philosophies when it comes to agriculture.  You’ll be open to observing what the organization and its home has to tell you.  From those observations and through collaboration with employees and board members you’ll help to shape its future.  Our new Executive Director will have the opportunity to lead an organization that is composed of thought leaders in the regenerative movement and is an active and significant player in changing the way humans view and interact with the community of life that supports them. Our new Executive Director will have the opportunity to work within a site that is living proof that the damage done to our land and water can be changed for the better and you will have the opportunity to provide the philosophies, skills, and wisdom for MANY others.

If you feel invigorated by this opportunity and want to know more about the position, please find it on our website: https://hornfarmcenter.org/job-postings

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Upcoming Events:
Saturday, June 20: Water Infusions and Plant Journals
Tuesday, June 30: Tuesday Afternoon on the Farm
Tuesday, July 7: Tuesday Afternoon on the Farm
Thursday, July 9: Summer Foraging – July Plant Walk
Saturday, July 11: The Living Landscape
Saturday, July 11: Oil Infusions and Salves
Saturday, July 25: Tincture Making
Saturday, July 25: Summer Foraging – July Plant Walk
Saturday, August 1: The Living Landscape
Saturday, August 8: Creating an Herbal First Aid Kit
Saturday, August 8: Summer Foraging – August Plant Walk
Thursday, September 3: Foraging for Wild Teas & Drinks
Saturday, September 5: The Living Landscape
Saturday, September 12: Foraging for Wild Teas & Drinks
September 19 & 20: Pawpaw Festival
Saturday, October 4: The Living Landscape
Saturday, October 10: Foraging Wild Roots for Coffee and More
Saturday, November 1: The Living Landscape
Saturday, December 1: The Living Landscape

See you at the farm!

Starting in July, we are happy to announce that we will be resuming classes and workshops at the farm! We will be limiting class size and will only be offering outdoor classes so that we can adhere to required safety protocols. We are still working out the details. Look for more information on our website and Facebook page nest week.

In addition we are presenting four new online classes covering the Foundations of Plant Medicine. These classes will meet via Zoom, which is an interactive, online meeting software. To participate, you’ll need internet access and a computer, tablet, or phone. Zoom link and other details will be sent to you before the class meets. Class sizes are limited to allow for participant questions and interaction.

On Saturday, June 20: Water Infusions and Plant Journals

Plants and humans have always had a special relationship – plants create compounds that work to heal and support human body systems, and humans help propagate plants through seed dispersal and ecosystem interaction. Over time the use and understanding of plants as medicine was forgotten by more and more people until the knowledge was held by very few. As many of us turn towards learning skills of resiliency and methods of subsistence, we can share the information within our communities and help each other learn how to connect with the wisdom of the plant world again.

One helpful tool in learning about plants and their medicinal characteristics is a simple plant journal created to keep track of plants and herbs, personal observations about medicinal uses and plant behavior, and others experiences with the same. The plant journal becomes both a living reference book, and a recipe book, tailor made to the herbalist/student who has created it.

In this 2 hour class, participants will learn techniques for starting and keeping a plant journal based on the simple practice of direct observation and the sampling of water based infusions. With an organic approach, learning about plants can feel more like getting to know a whole world of new friends than like a school assignment with a test at the end. In other words, this class is about learning to transform the ancient art of making a cup of tea into the basis of your plant studies and research.

On Saturday, July 11: Oil Infusions and Salves

There are many ways to prepare plant medicines so we can use them to heal and support our body systems. One common way that is an easy skill for the beginner to master is to make a salve. Salves begin with an oil infusion, which is then mixed with beeswax and other ingredients to create a healing salve or balm. Salves are a staple in the herbal household and a foundational element of an herbal practice.

In this class, participants will learn about specific plants and herbs that are particularly useful when applied topically, and learn the process, from start to finish, of turning them into oil infusions and simple salves.

On Saturday, July 25: Tincture Making

When herbalists want to create a plant medicine with an extended shelf life, they often make a tincture, which is an infusion using alcohol, vinegar, or vegetable glycerin as the base substance. Tinctures are very effective in extracting medicinal compounds from plants, last longer than a water infusion or decoction, and are an easy way to ingest less palatable herbs, or those remedies that require higher and more frequent doses.

In this class, participants will learn the basic principles of tincturing, including plant and herb preparation, ratios, and infusion mediums. We will explore some useful plants to tincture and discuss when and how to use them.

On Saturday, August 8: Creating an Herbal First Aid Kit

Every home should have a simple, yet comprehensive first aid kit. With a little knowledge and some preparation, so much that ails us on a day to day basis- body pain, digestive upset, headache, cramps, scrapes, burns, stings- can be easily and simply treated at home using herbal and natural remedies.

In this course we’ll discuss common injuries and health issues, the types of herbs and supplies you need to safely treat them at home, the types of herbal remedies that are helpful to include in your herbal first aid kit, and how to make and use those medicines.

This is a perfect class for parents, caregivers, teachers, activists, first responders, herbalists, gardeners, homesteaders, and anyone with an interest in healthy living and basic emergency preparedness.

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Last month we announced the resignation of Executive Director Alyson Earl. Today we are beginning our search for a new leader of the organization.

The Horn Farm Center for Agricultural Education is seeking a new Executive Director to continue our important work and to move the organization into the next chapter of its life.  The best candidate will have a regenerative mindset and will have had experiences with stewardship of natural spaces, the growing of food, and the management of non-profit organizations.  We are looking for someone who is more than familiar with sustainable and regenerative philosophies when it comes to agriculture.  You’ll be open to observing what the organization and its home has to tell you.  From those observations and through collaboration with employees and board members you’ll help to shape its future.  Our new Executive Director will have the opportunity to lead an organization that is composed of thought leaders in the regenerative movement and is an active and significant player in changing the way humans view and interact with the community of life that supports them. Our new Executive Director will have the opportunity to work within a site that is living proof that the damage done to our land and water can be changed for the better and you will have the opportunity to provide the philosophies, skills, and wisdom for MANY others.

If you feel invigorated by this opportunity and want to know more about the position, please find it on our website: https://hornfarmcenter.org/jobpostings

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Upcoming Events:
Saturday, June 20: Water Infusions and Plant Journals
Saturday, July 11: Oil Infusions and Salves
Saturday, July 25: Tincture Making
Saturday, August 8: Creating an Herbal First Aid Kit
September 19 & 20: Pawpaw Festival