Imagine sunlight pouring through the canopy of a forest, birds singing their cacophony of calls as bees buzz from one blossom to another. Branches hang thick with nuts and fruits; you pluck a raspberry as you pass. You come upon a small clearing and dip your feet into ice-cold water, willows and cottonwoods dancing to the slightest breeze. Red-winged blackbirds sway on cattails and as you bend down to flip a rock, crayfish and minnows scurry under the shade and protection of a beaver dam.
This highly productive, highly diverse ecosystem is the future we envision at the Horn Farm. We have broken ground and are ready to plant over 10,000 trees.
We believe that agriculture can regenerate life. At the Horn Farm Center, we employ regenerative practices because the processes for cultivating food have the potential to restore and rejuvenate the health of our ecosystems.
In the past two years, we began the work of transitioning several acres of farmland into multi-functional riparian buffer landscapes. By planting over 17,000 trees on the Horn Farm by 2022, our goal is to produce food and agroforestry products while protecting the health of our waterways – from the Kreutz Creek, to the Susquehanna, and beyond. This work is supported by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership.
This spring, in conjunction with Give Local York, we will install a new multifunctional riparian buffer on 6 acres of farmland. We are calling it the Triple 10K Challenge: Our aim is to plant 10,000 trees, raise $10,000, and triple our impact with $10,000 in matching funds.
Thanks to a generous donor, contributions will be matched 100% up to $10,000 – that means your donation will go twice as far this year. You can truly make a difference by supporting the Horn Farm Center!
While you can donate at any time, the real excitement starts at 12:01am on May 7, 2021 online with Give Local York. We will be accepting donations throughout the day until midnight on the Horn Farm Center’s Give Local York page.
Please consider joining our challenge by contributing financially to the Horn Farm Center, either by check, online at hornfarmcenter.org/donate/, or during the Give Local York event on May 7th.
Imagine the Horn Farm ten, fifty, or even one hundred years from now. Our hope is that our grandchildren can explore and enjoy an educational destination that is teeming with a diversity of life, an abundance of food, and a resilient community. Together we can make this dream a reality.
Please join us in our Triple 10K Challenge by donating to the Horn Farm Center. Thank you for your support.
Click here to accept the challenge!
Horn Farm Center Health and Safety Policy
Due to COVID-19 the Horn Farm Center is offering on-site educational programming with some modifications in order to ensure the health and safety of our visitors, volunteers and staff. All classes will be held outside and are limited to 15 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 it when proper physical distancing cannot be maintained. We have a limited supply on hand if you forget yours.
- Physical distancing of 6 feet must be maintained except in case of family members.
- Do not attend if sick or recovering.
Until further notice, no indoor classes are available at this time. We are offering virtual classroom experiences via zoom.