Above: My Map of Certified-Organic Farms in Lancaster County. Click on the pins in the map for information about each farm.
Each pin, above, represents one family farm. Today, there are more than 100 Lancaster County families who are certified organic farmers.
Lancaster County Farmers: Cutting-Edge Gourmands
Lancaster County farmers have always been on the leading-edge of American agriculture.
For centuries, Amish and Mennonite farmers have been experts at both conventional farming and alternative farming.
While many of our Plain farmers excel at conventional, corporate agri-business, many others have found a profitable niche in the new world of organic farming and sustainable agriculture.
Amish and other Plain farmers are Not simpleton farmers. They are innovative, risk-taking entrepreneurs, and are often on the leading edge of agricultural productivity.
Lancaster County, for example, has the highest density of organic farms in Pennsylvania, and one of the highest in the country, according to Rodale Institute.
Most of our organic farmers, here, are Amish or Mennonite.
Lancaster County has more then 100 U.S.D.A Certified Organic farms, while other Pennsylvania counties have fewer than 25 per county. (See the Pennsylvania list Here.)
Sustainable agriculture and organic farming suit Plain farmers well. Organic farming requires lots of labor, and one thing the Amish have is lots of labor. Big families mean big labor pools.
Organic Farms, Farmers' Co-ops, etc:
Lancaster Farm Fresh
Lancaster Farm Fresh is an organic farmer's cooperative of mostly-Amish-and-Mennonite farmers in Lancaster County.
These Plain farmers are cutting-edge gourmands. They sell certified-organic produce and IPM fruit. These farmers do not feed their cows growth hormones or antibiotics. Their chickens run around in the grass, because free-range chickens are better chickens.
These guys grow terrific stuff. All the usual items, plus silvetta arugula, bok choy, garlic scapes, pea tendrils, etc.
I never saw my Amish relatives eating eating pea tendrils, but I suppose they do now. With bloomy-rind cave-aged farmstead cheese.
Address: 101 S. Lime St., Suite A | Quarryville, PA 17566 | Telephone: (717)-786-5424 |
Their website is Here.
Aaron Stoltzfus, a Lancaster-Farm-Fresh farmer, is Here.
Lancaster Organic Farmers Cooperative:
David Martin, father of 14 children, is into organic milk.
He started farming organically in 1994, and in 2003, he founded the Lancaster Organic Farmers Cooperative.
Within three years, his coop's membership included 40 farms, mostly Amish.These farmers sell their milk to Natural by Nature.
Natural by Nature:
Natural by Nature means organic milk, cheese, cream, and butter. Lancaster County gourmet cow creations.
The company was started in 1994 by farmer Ned MacArthur and his dad Norman, who teamed up with Lancaster County organic dairy farmers. Natural by Nature buys their organic milk from the Lancaster Organic Farmers Cooperative, listed above.
It's milk with No herbicides, No pesticides, No antibiotics, and No growth hormones.
Now you can make a Ricotta Cheese Souffle from Amish cows, without eating injected growth hormones.
Address: P.O. Box 464 West Grove, PA 19390 Telephone - (610) 268-6962
Natural by Nature website is Here.
Roman and Lucy Stoltzfoos Family:
(Spring Wood Organic Farm)
Roman and Lucy Stoltzfoos, and their eleven kids, are international-renowned ambassadors of organic farming.
This Mennonite family operates Spring Wood Organic Dairy Farm, near Kinzers.
The Stoltzfoos Hostein-Jersey cows are so healthy, that Stoltzfoos jokes his veterinarian would go out of business if he had to depend on Stotzfoos cows for business.
The Stoltzfus family is the main producer for Natural by Nature. Everything on the farm is 100 per cent organic, including the turkeys and chickens.
Roman and Lucy's farm is featured Here , Here, Here, Here, etc.
The Stoltzfoos farm was an artisanal producer for the gala reception of the 2008 James Beard Foundation Awards, via the Restaurant Nora, Here.
And Stoltzfoos organic milk is used for Baltimore's best gelato, Pitango Gelato, Here.
Alvin and Miriam Stoltzfoos Family:
(Spring Water Farm / Dutch Meadows Organic Dairy)
At Alvin and Miriam Stoltzfus' farm, Dutch Belted cows produce raw milk and cheese for local raw-milk enthusiasts.
The farm's raw milk is certified organic by PCO, bottled in glass bottles on their farm, in a state-inspected bottling facility.
Alvin and Miriam also raise organic pastured pork from Tamworth pigs, 100% grass fed beef, and pastured poultry, including turkeys.
Chef Nora Pouillon, of Washington D.C. is a huge fan of Alvin and Miriam Stoltzfoos. Nora waxes eloquent about the Stoltzfoos farm Here. (Read Nora's dinner menu, where she eloquently describes her food from Lancaster County farmers.)
Address: 694 County Lane, Paradise, PA 17562. Telephone: (717) 442-9208.
