Embracing the Past...
The photos above show our small farm as it appeared in the 1930's - before the "green revolution" which changed small farming from family farms to large, industrialized mega-farms in just two generations.
As recently as 1900, close to 40% of Americans owned and operated a small farm. We nurtured the land and each other. There was a sense of purpose and community. During World War II, over 40% of our food came from backyard “victory gardens”, but more recently we have been taught to think small farming was for someone else - we were too important to get our hands dirty.
As Americans learn more about the quality of their food - the taste, nutritional value, and safety, they are in ever-increasing numbers turning to small , local, organic farms for quality foods to nourish their families. Farming connects children and food and these connections provides kids with the foundation for healthy food choices and lifestyles.
You may notice from our logo some connections to the past. The hex symbol relates to owner, Al Benner's Pennsylvania German farming heritage (Ludwig Benner - arrived into Philadelphia in 1749 on the ship "Fame" from the Rhine River Valley), the crescent moon represents the old school across the river where previous property owner, Olive Water taught for many years. The oven/fire image represents our earthen/wood-fired bread and pizza oven, and the arrow makes the connection to the native people who treaded so lightly and reverently on the land before us for thousands of years.
As recently as 1900, close to 40% of Americans owned and operated a small farm. We nurtured the land and each other. There was a sense of purpose and community. During World War II, over 40% of our food came from backyard “victory gardens”, but more recently we have been taught to think small farming was for someone else - we were too important to get our hands dirty.
As Americans learn more about the quality of their food - the taste, nutritional value, and safety, they are in ever-increasing numbers turning to small , local, organic farms for quality foods to nourish their families. Farming connects children and food and these connections provides kids with the foundation for healthy food choices and lifestyles.
You may notice from our logo some connections to the past. The hex symbol relates to owner, Al Benner's Pennsylvania German farming heritage (Ludwig Benner - arrived into Philadelphia in 1749 on the ship "Fame" from the Rhine River Valley), the crescent moon represents the old school across the river where previous property owner, Olive Water taught for many years. The oven/fire image represents our earthen/wood-fired bread and pizza oven, and the arrow makes the connection to the native people who treaded so lightly and reverently on the land before us for thousands of years.
...to Secure our Future
Owen Benner tempts the flock of Icelandic Sheep
We feel it of utmost importance for man not tp continue to deplete natural resources, and to become a lot less wasteful and more locally based. For this reason we have come up with a very simple, yet challenging mission:
To make our bio-diverse, organic small farm as self-sustaining as possible, eventually requiring little to no external/off farm inputs.
To do this we are starting to make use of our own resources as much as possible. Our woodlot to heat our home, the sun to pump our water for our gardens, our springhouse to keep produce cool and for winter storage, green roofs to reflect heat and grow food (60 lbs of carrots in one 3' x 3' bed), our own grains and root crops to feed our livestock and poultry, bees and sugar maples for sweeteners, and most importantly, a large organic vegetable plot. We also have a small orchard, plenty of laying hens, turkeys, and sheep, to provide healthy, organic food for our family, neighbors, friends and other local establishments. We also provide healthy food for kids who vist the farm each summer from surrounding camps.
To make our bio-diverse, organic small farm as self-sustaining as possible, eventually requiring little to no external/off farm inputs.
To do this we are starting to make use of our own resources as much as possible. Our woodlot to heat our home, the sun to pump our water for our gardens, our springhouse to keep produce cool and for winter storage, green roofs to reflect heat and grow food (60 lbs of carrots in one 3' x 3' bed), our own grains and root crops to feed our livestock and poultry, bees and sugar maples for sweeteners, and most importantly, a large organic vegetable plot. We also have a small orchard, plenty of laying hens, turkeys, and sheep, to provide healthy, organic food for our family, neighbors, friends and other local establishments. We also provide healthy food for kids who vist the farm each summer from surrounding camps.
Education & Hands on Experience hold the key
Because our farm has a wide variety of terrain, soils, water features, and other naturally occurring elements, we have decided to embrace these variations and work with this natural landscape with our small farming practices. We are not interested in mono-cropping or focusing on just one thing - our land does not lend itself to that. We also believe it to be risky, and a little boring to be honest.
Our property is also quite picturesque. From hillside waterfalls strewn with moss covered boulders, to hilltop orchards and grazing areas, to lowland pastures, vegetable plots and a trout stream, Old School Farm offers a little bit of everything. We are even planning an authentic American Indian sweat lodge near the falls.
When thinking about how to best leverage our resources to support a small farm and share our diversity, we have decided to focus on experience based, family farming workshops where knowledge, inspiration, and hands on experience converge. Our "Family Farm Getaways" will be open to both families and individuals/couples, with an emphasis on sharing our principles of self-sufficiency and sustainability in a hands on way. Once a family experiences a farm tour and workshop they will be inspired to produce and prepare their own food. For children, these hands on farm activities will help shape their lifelong connection to plants, animals, food, nutrition, and perhaps ultimately, enhanced physical health and a deeper connection to the natural world. To learn more or sign up for an upcoming family farm day, visit our Family Farm Getaways page.
Our property is also quite picturesque. From hillside waterfalls strewn with moss covered boulders, to hilltop orchards and grazing areas, to lowland pastures, vegetable plots and a trout stream, Old School Farm offers a little bit of everything. We are even planning an authentic American Indian sweat lodge near the falls.
When thinking about how to best leverage our resources to support a small farm and share our diversity, we have decided to focus on experience based, family farming workshops where knowledge, inspiration, and hands on experience converge. Our "Family Farm Getaways" will be open to both families and individuals/couples, with an emphasis on sharing our principles of self-sufficiency and sustainability in a hands on way. Once a family experiences a farm tour and workshop they will be inspired to produce and prepare their own food. For children, these hands on farm activities will help shape their lifelong connection to plants, animals, food, nutrition, and perhaps ultimately, enhanced physical health and a deeper connection to the natural world. To learn more or sign up for an upcoming family farm day, visit our Family Farm Getaways page.
We even have a wood-fired cob oven
People the world over have been cooking in earthen domes for thousands of years. By creating a well-insulated earth oven, heat can be trapped for many hours in the fire bricks, sand filled base, and surrounding clay. As the earth oven slowly cools, different foods can be baked. Our workshops focus on two favorites - bread and wood-fired pizza, and help connect children and food.
Our family-oriented workshops will provide an overview and a "hands (and feet) on" instructions for how to "stomp out" the earthen oven cob mixture, followed by preparing dough and baking techniques. The sessions culminate with everyone enjoying wood-fired pizza made from fresh farm ingredients. By the end, anyone who so desires will be able to build their own backyard oven - we even provide diagrams and instructions for you to take home with you. Here's just one clip on YouTube showing our step by step process.
Our family-oriented workshops will provide an overview and a "hands (and feet) on" instructions for how to "stomp out" the earthen oven cob mixture, followed by preparing dough and baking techniques. The sessions culminate with everyone enjoying wood-fired pizza made from fresh farm ingredients. By the end, anyone who so desires will be able to build their own backyard oven - we even provide diagrams and instructions for you to take home with you. Here's just one clip on YouTube showing our step by step process.
Farm Owner, Al Benner's dad, Dave has been an inspiration to Al. Dave Benner is seen here with Farm Manager, Dave Campeau setting up our bee hives.
So what's next for Old School Farm?
Well since we thrive on variety and diversity we plan on continuing in that vein, and for the spring of 2013 will be adding a much wider range of heirloom fruit trees, vegetables, herbs, medicinal plants, as well as plants that repel pests. We recently were awarded a grant by the USDA that will be used for a 25' x 100' high tunnel (hoop house). In this we will be growing a lot more warm season crops - particularly a wide range of tomatoes for our pizzas! We'll also be inoculating logs on our wooded hillsides with a variety of sought after mushroom varieties - also ideal for pizza toppings.
Other plans include a traditional Lenni Lenape Sweat Lodge, a pair of Dwarf Nigerian goats for children to milk (and for cheeses, ice cream, and yogurt), a gravity fed maple syruping set-up, and "Haunted Hillside" hayrides in October. Our focus is on experiential family fun and learning, and we will continue to add more elements that will inspire and motivate future generations.
So what's next for Old School Farm?
Well since we thrive on variety and diversity we plan on continuing in that vein, and for the spring of 2013 will be adding a much wider range of heirloom fruit trees, vegetables, herbs, medicinal plants, as well as plants that repel pests. We recently were awarded a grant by the USDA that will be used for a 25' x 100' high tunnel (hoop house). In this we will be growing a lot more warm season crops - particularly a wide range of tomatoes for our pizzas! We'll also be inoculating logs on our wooded hillsides with a variety of sought after mushroom varieties - also ideal for pizza toppings.
Other plans include a traditional Lenni Lenape Sweat Lodge, a pair of Dwarf Nigerian goats for children to milk (and for cheeses, ice cream, and yogurt), a gravity fed maple syruping set-up, and "Haunted Hillside" hayrides in October. Our focus is on experiential family fun and learning, and we will continue to add more elements that will inspire and motivate future generations.
Let your chickens roam...safely
