Homefields Care Farm Receives Organic Certification

As part of our mission, Homefields Care Farm has practiced chemical-free and natural growing methods since opening in 1999. In July of 2022, the CSA program was certified organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Pennsylvania Certified Organic (PCO).

We are a Care Farm, so the focus of Homefields’ staff is improving the life experiences of farmhands, some of whom have Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Autism. Between this mission and the challenges of making any small farm sustainable, our progress toward certification was gradual yet determined.

Achieving certification is a multi-year process, requiring extensive planning, documentation, and numerous inspections. Katie Landis and Elizabeth Swope, Former Farm Manager and Supervisor, skillfully led us through the stages, guided by Emily Newman from the Rodale Institute. We are especially grateful to them and to Farm Manager Kelly Morris for their vision and perseverance.

This achievement was worth the effort. Being certified organic benefits both the organization and its constituents. Although the produce at Homefields Care Farm has always been chemical-free, being certified gives its members additional peace of mind about the food they’re providing to their families. Organic certification also opens doors, allowing Homefields to provide vegetables to new venues like Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative.

Now, Homefields looks ahead to funding important initiatives like its “Sustain a Farm(er)” campaign, which will provide additional employment stability for the farmhands who care for the land. Organic certification will aid us in reaching that goal.

HOMEFIELDS’ VALUES
Choice: We create options and opportunities for people of all abilities. Respect: We recognize, respect, and support all abilities, histories, and identities. Integrity: We opt for goodness in our actions and legacy, toward our constituents and the land. Adaptability: We respond to our dynamic community and environment.