Community Services/Non-Profits in Horsham, PA

“This comment is long overdue, but better late than never, I guess.

First, it's worth mentioning that I was an organic farmer for a little over a decade and have been an agricultural consultant now with a research institution for seven years. I’ve visited farms all over the country and talked with growers, toured their operations, and have seen hundreds of different ag endeavors from small community gardens to tens of thousands of acres of commodity crop production.

I can tell you without a doubt, that the farmers at Pennypack are the best organic vegetable farmers in the Northeastern United States. Kirstie and Steph might cringe to hear me say that, because they’re humble, good people. But it’s the truth.

First, you’ll never find a CSA share more generous than this one. I still don’t understand how they produce so much food on the modest amount of acreage available to them, but they do. They do it year after year, battling through extreme weather events, with no identifiable decrease in the share volume. It’s an incredible feat. Every week, we left with bags and bags of produce. In the summer, it was literally too much for one person to carry. I say this not to add the pressure of unrealistic expectations to their lives; farm seasons are more unpredictable than ever and it may not always be this way. But Kirstie & Steph have an unparalleled ability to produce massive amounts of healthy food and it's proven out every season.

Second, the quality of what they produce is so high that it makes me embarrassed to say I was ever a farmer. Do you know how hard it is to grow a Napa cabbage without little holes from flea beetles? I legitimately thought it was impossible. Do you know how absolutely infuriating it is to grow good quality carrots? They make it look easy. And yet, this is the norm for the farmers at Pennypack. Everything is beautiful, and it tastes exactly the way it looks.

Finally, I have yet to meet farmers like Kirstie and Steph that do the amazing work that they do, care so deeply about their community, and do it with little or no fanfare or public recognition. Farmers with their depth of knowledge and expertise are rare. They’re precious to our society. And if young people don’t continue to engage with farming, the combined mental library that Kirstie and Steph have amassed via practical experience will simply go away. Very few will ever know how to farm like that on that specific piece of land ever again. Yet every year, even with the thousands of other things they have to focus on, they take the time to train and teach new & beginning farmers and send them out into the world.

The people at Pennypack - Julie, Audrey, Kirstie, and Steph - are smart and passionate, they’re kind to everyone, and I hope people that become CSA members in the future will appreciate that the farm is an extraordinary place. Hundreds of families and their kids have enjoyed visiting to pick strawberries, tomatoes, peas, and beans grown with great effort and care. It's a place where you can feel safe in the knowledge that nothing was sprayed with harmful inputs, where the entire farm and surrounding forest is brimming with life, and where you can bring your kids to engage with a real working farm that lives in concert with nature.

Our daughter’s first-ever strawberry was from the farm. It was a special moment that I’ll never forget. What could be better than that?

Sign up and support your local farmers!”

“This is my granddaughter’s third year and she absolutely loves it!!! Creek crawling, swimming, fishing, group challenges and more but the absolute best part, NO CELL PHONES!!!!! Just a place for your kid to be a kid. 10 outta 10 for us!”

“This was my 1st visit and not close to home but this Doctor is excellent. Completely worth the drive. She was very caring , understanding and most helpful. True old fashion/ professionalism AKA bed side manner. She took time to listen and showed great patience in learning my health history. Dr Martinez is a compassionate human being & state of the art caring doctor . Thank you .”