Plowing Forward: Summer 2024

Encouraging Curiosity and Connections Through Farm-Based Education

In 2025, Hillside Farms will be celebrating 20 years as a historic, nonprofit educational dairy farm! What we have witnessed over nearly two decades is that farm-based education stands out as a vital tool for enriching academic learning with practical, real-world experiences. Whether it’s a school field trip, community educational program, on-site research, capstone projects, summer camp, or care farming services, farm-based education offers dynamic, hands-on experiences that cannot be replicated in a traditional classroom setting. There are profound benefits of integrating farm-based learning into educational curricula for students of all ages:

1. Enhanced Engagement: Students who participate in farm activities are typically more engaged. They gain hands-on experience in science, economics, history, and ecology in a natural setting.

2. Real-World Connections: Farm-based education helps bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world applications, demonstrating the relevance of subjects like biology, chemistry, and environmental science.

3. Development of Responsibility: Activities such as planting, harvesting, supervised milking, and caring for farm animals teach patience, responsibility, and the importance of hard work, nurturing a sense of achievement and stewardship.

4. Promotion of Healthy Living: By better understanding the source of food and sustainable farming practices, students are more likely to make healthier dietary choices and appreciate the value of local dairy, beef, poultry, and produce.

5. Environmental Stewardship: Education on a farm helps foster respect for nature and an understanding of ecological systems, emphasizing the importance of sustainable practices and conservation. Children learn that “we all live downstream.”

We invite you to become part of our farm-based services and learn more about how your students and children can join our experiential sessions. Please reach out to Abby Collins, Director of Education, at: abbyc@hillsidefarms.org.

Fading Fields: The Decline of Family Farms and Its Impact on Our Communities

The rapid vanishing of family-owned farms represents one of the most concerning trends in the agricultural landscape today. These farms, often passed down through generations, are not just businesses but are the bedrocks of local economies and communities. They provide local jobs, contribute to the economic health of rural areas, and often lead in practices that prioritize sustainability and the environment. However, due to various challenges like financial instability, market pressures from larger agribusinesses, and changing agricultural policies, family farms are increasingly being edged out. This loss is not just a reduction in the quaint imagery of pastoral landscapes; it signals a shift towards less localized, more industrialized food production systems. This move threatens the economic fabric of rural communities and the diversity of food available to consumers. Recently, we have witnessed the closing of two multigenerational dairy farms located only a few minutes from Hillside.

One of the critical values that diminish with the loss of family-owned farms is the connection between consumers and the source of their food. This connection, essential for numerous reasons, cultivates a sense of community, understanding, and appreciation for the food we consume. Knowing where our food comes from enhances trust in its quality, the methods used in its production, and the character of its producers. It enables consumers to make informed choices that align with their values. Moreover, the traceability of food from farm to table becomes significantly more transparent in systems dominated by local family farms than in those reliant on sprawling, agribusinesses. This transparency is essential for ensuring food safety, environmental sustainability, and farm animal welfare.

The continuous loss of family-owned farms and the ensuing disconnect between consumers and their food sources pose a multifaceted threat not just to local economies but to local cultures as well. Our nonprofit mission is to teach life choices that are healthy, logical, and sustainable. Selling local dairy in our Dairy Store is a significant piece of Hillside's mission and we remain committed to providing you the highest quality dairy possible. We recognize the indispensable role smaller, family-owned farms play in our collective well-being. Our hope is that those remaining family-owned farms can be saved as they offer invaluable benefits to our communities, economies, and integrity of our food system.

The Lands at Hillside Farms Dairy Herd at Church Street Pastures.

A Story of Alchemy: Everything White Will Soon Be Gold

It is no surprise that our customers and visitors increasingly value the quality and ethical sourcing of their food, particularly dairy products. We like to believe that those who visit Hillside Farms favor pasture-based dairy and logical farming practices.

Here at Hillside cows graze on natural grasslands, engaging in instinctive behaviors such as roaming and socializing in a stress-free environment. This natural lifestyle significantly affects the quality of milk produced, leading to richer flavors and higher levels of beneficial nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E.

Furthermore, the humane treatment of cows in these systems stands in stark contrast to the conditions found in high-production, confinement-based operations. This is why we are excited to share that soon all white milk sold in the Dairy Store will be Hillside Gold. This means the milk you and your family enjoy starts with our small dairy herd enjoying life only yards from the store.

We stand by our practices that promote healthier, relaxed cows while improving the environment through maintaining healthy soil, minimizing water pollution, and fostering biodiversity. By choosing Hillside Gold pasture-based dairy, you are supporting a sustainable food system that benefits the ecosystem and contributes to a future that prioritizes both animal welfare and environmental care. You are supporting quality, biodiversity, and ethics are over price.

How do I find pastured products where I live?

Not local to Hillside Farms? No worries! Click here for a directory of grassfed, humane, and sustainable products local to you. This international directory is provided by A Greener World. Click here to learn more.

NEPA's Summer in the City Chooses Hillside: Proceeds Benefit our Care Farming Program for Children!

“NEPA’s Summer in the City” is an organization founded in 2022 meant to assist causes in the NEPA region while offering youth leadership development opportunities that combine their outside interests with philanthropy.

Each summer, the all high school-aged “SITC” team identifies a different, local community need to fundraise for, and then selects a specially qualified 501 (c)(3) organization to work with throughout the summer. From there, their committee draws in and develops students from all across the region and collaborates with an array of NEPA municipalities/cities to put on a series of summer fun-filled events from Designer Purse BINGO and a 5K walk/run to talent shows and fabulous community festivals.

It's not too late to join in the fun! Visit the NEPA Summer in the City website to learn more, click here.

We have Designer Purse BINGO tickets at the Dairy Store!

The Lands at Hillside Farms is a historic, 434-acre, 501(c)(3) non-profit educational dairy farm EIN 20-2975553. Our mission is to teach life choices that are healthy, logical, and sustainable so those born 200 years from now will have access to the same or better resources and opportunities.

You can contribute to our non-profit mission by clicking:

https://thelandsathillsidefarms.org/donate.php

We are grateful for your support.