Homefields Care Farm, located near Millersville University, is a nonprofit organization which serves the community through organic farming and supporting adults with disabilities.
The farm features a 19-acre farm and a historic 1800s farmhouse which serves as a home for the farmers alongside a ranch. Homefields was awarded the United Way of Lancaster County’s Level Up and Launch grant, which allowed them to start an educational program for high school students that teaches life skills and skills relating to the farming profession.
The educational program, according to Project Coordinator, Andrew Philips, currently has four people enrolled. They undergo a “passthrough” process which educates them on the aspects of work done on a farm.
“The goal of that is to also reach other related professions like landscaping or even just gardening at home for personal enjoyment.” Philips said.
The full course covers six parts, from seeding plants to food safety. Philips said that the efficacy of their training program is evaluated through Dr. Angela Cuthbert, a professor at Millersville University. Cuthbert’s support provides more in-depth feedback on the program’s performance and outcomes.
One part of the organizations missions is the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, produces organic produce to be sold to “shareholders,” or buyers who subscribe to the program. Homefields also donates their extra produce to food banks. The CSA program, has been a part of the Homefields Care Farm since 2000. The farm was certified organic in 2022.
Philips said that the program works through shareholders paying a flat rate for certain amounts of produce for a growing season over 24 weeks, starting in May. They can receive 6, 9, or 12 vegetables per week or every other week depending on their plan. The vegetables obtained can be customized, and the shareholders also have access to a field where herbs and flowers are grown, which can be freely chosen from. Philips said that about 150 households have purchased shares for Homefields’ produce.
The second part of the mission is providing employment and support to locals, regardless of ability. The farm hosts two houses run by Community Services Group, which houses adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Three adults with intellectual disabilities are directly employed by the farm.
The largest impact of the organization, according to Philips, is inclusivity of individuals based on finding ways in which they can contribute.
In practice, an example Philips provided of this philosophy is a person with mobility issues not being able to walk between rows of plants. Instead of leaving them out of field-based activities, Homefields set up the individual with a golf cart, allowing them to work in parallel with the others.
The effect of this, Philips said, is “making the outdoors, nature and food production, all of that, accessible to people.”
Prospective shareholders can buy shares for a season from the GrownBy app, or by visiting GrownBy’s website.
