Friendship Community
Volunteers from Friendship Community have visited the farm regularly for years and we cherish their dedication and good nature. Here they are cleaning amaranth in the fields.
Conestoga Valley High School
CVHS's Transition Center and IMPACT Club students led by Jay Grisafi went to work today digging up sweet potatoes. Assisting Jay and Farmer Andrew were CV IMPACT members Cindy, President, and Nyomi.
Loft Community Kitchen
Here is Joy Olcott, picking up donated produce from Homefields Care Farm to deliver to various food distribution centers (The Loft Food Bank, Millersville Manor Apartments, and Lancaster Food HUB).
HOBY Youth Leadership
More than 30 volunteers from HOBY Youth Leadership helped tune up our property in May 2024. When we’re focusing our energy into programs, it’s great to receive this kind of support!
Millersville University
An early introduction to Prof. Len Litowitz’s “Energy, Sustainability and the Environment” course begins at Homefields Care Farm where a broad breadth of subjects are demonstrated such as: controlling insects with companion plants and diatomaceous earth, fertilizing by planting cover crops, control of water runoff using deep root plants, and how Daikon radishes aerates soil.
Concepts
During the season, we welcome regular volunteers from Concepts, Lancaster, to Homefields Care Farm. Every Tuesday, Concepts volunteers help with tasks related to that week’s CSA pick-up.
Penn Manor Life Skills
Penn Manor Life Skills students discovered a spider, grasshopper, and worms while they set about harvesting sweet potatoes. Special Education staff Melissa McMichael and Rachael Taylor with Mary Beth, IU 13, guide students toward job training skills.
Horizons at Lancaster Country Day School
Seventh-grade students visited the Care Farm to plant potatoes, pick blueberries, and harvest Gogiberries. Horizons’ goal is to provide enriching educational experiences and stop summer learning loss. Students enter the Horizons at LCDS’ summer program when in kindergarten and remain through 8th grade.
Homestead Village Retirement Community
Homestead Village Retirement Community residents came for a workshop led by Andrew Phillips and Carol Welsh. Everyone left with containers of native plants selected by the participants, plant and planting knowledge, and a journaling self-created painting.
Millersville University / Hunger-Free Campus
Edward Nase, Director, M.U. Dining Staff; Heather Keck, Retail Technical Service Manager; Toby Myers, Purchasing & Procurement; John Johnson, Executive Chef; and Mary Beth Williams, Vice President for Student Affairs joined us to discuss and plan growing produce to address food insecurity within the student body, to connect students with the people who grow their food and the farm, and to introduce new taste and recognition of a variety of vegetables and fruit.
Milton Hershey School
Taryn Hogeland (Horticultural Instructor), Keke, Javannah, and Abby (agricultural interns) collected poppy seeds, uncovered ground cherries and husk tomatoes, examined broom corn, persimmons, Asian pears, and more during their educational tour.
Keystone Human Services
Volunteers from Keystone Human Services helped plant sunflower seeds in July. That's Elizabeth with Jay, Khalid, Scott, and Anna.
Glenn Weaver
Glenn Weaver worked at Homefields’ CSA its first year and the next 13! The blueberries and pawpaws we’re enjoying now were planted and raised by Glenn and others. He came by with Olivia (left) and Antonia (not shown) to see what’s changed.
Kathy’s Circle of Friends / Excentia Human Services
Diane Caci and Danielle Figueroa brought a Circle of Friends to Homefields and shared a live tour, sampling food grown at the Care Farm, sharing a picnic lunch, and taking home cut flowers.
Lancaster County Art Association (LCAA)
Plein air artists find inspiration on Homefields' property from time to time. A group recently visited when flowers were at their peak.
VisionCorps
Dennis Steiner (President and CEO) and Sherry Harry (VP of Business Development and Marketing) visited Homefields to brainstorm about future synergies. Dennis was our first treasurer!