Farmer County: Berks

Entering Farmer #20594

I’m a self-taught software engineer. 20 years in the field, no college, no bootcamps. I learned everything from books and figuring things out on my own, and I built a real career from that. I recently walked away from tech to do this full-time. I know how to teach myself things and stick with them.

This interest goes back 15-20 years. When I lived in New York City, I started ordering from Miller’s Organic Farm in Pennsylvania. Raw milk, pasture-raised meats, eggs, goat’s milk, kefir. Raw milk was hard to get back then, especially in NYC. I eventually moved to Missouri specifically because it was one of the few states with clear laws allowing raw milk sales. I’ve been there six years. So this isn’t a new idea for me. I’ve been living this way and thinking about farming for a long time.

At some point I thought: why am I paying to have this shipped to me when I could just go to the source and grow it myself? That question stuck with me. I’ve since read extensively. Joel Salatin, Greg Judy, Jean-Martin Fortier, and especially Daniel Mays. His no-till organic vegetable approach is what I want to do. I’m not interested in extracting value from the land. I want to improve it. Build soil health, increase biodiversity, follow nature’s model instead of fighting it. Organic is non-negotiable for me. No pesticides, no compromises on that. I’m starting with vegetables, not livestock. Vegetables are a good way to build experience before taking on animals.

I’m looking for either a farm incubator where I can learn from experienced farmers and get hands-on experience, or a small property (1-4 acres) close to a population center, ideally within 10 minutes, for intensive vegetable production. Market access matters. Depending on the opportunity, I have different business plans formulated for how I want to make this work. I can provide those upon request. I know Year 1 is for learning. I’m planning to follow Daniel Mays’ approach: one-time tillage to establish beds the first season, then transition to full no-till with cover crops starting Fall 2025.

I have savings from my previous career, so I’m not depending on Year 1 farm income. I’m committed to working on this daily. I’m also open to working on other farms while I learn. What I want is to blur the lines between work and recreation. To do hard physical labor that actually produces something, grow food for myself and others, and live a quieter life.

Entering Farmer #20592

I come from over 300+ years of farmers on both sides of my family. Prior to my mother’s generation, the majority of my relatives lived on homesteads in the Mississippi Delta. After 10+ years in the field of medicine, I was given the opportunity to work part-time, and dedicate 30-40 hours/week farming on my urban plot of land.
I thrive off manual labor, working outside, and figuring things out through observation and trail/error, and the occasional mentor.

Over the last four years, on 1.25 Suburban Acres, I have practiced permaculture, farming, and advancing manual labor skills through :
-Regeneration of the soil/land (pulled 18+ years of untouched invasive ivy, cut down trees/limbs/etc.),
-Planted an orchard with ~10 fruit and nut trees (swale with perennials and annuals intermixed)
-Installed two small ponds
-Raised 20+ chickens for egg production
-First heritage flock hatched in December. First generation chicks from the Alpha hen female
-Grown plants from seedling in basement set-up. Developed a three tier planting schedule for Spring 2026 to ensure success in case of abnormal cold/rain/drought
-Grown all types of food (corn, wheat, berries, vegetables, legumes)
-Incorporated flowers in all beds/areas grown from seed and harvested in the 1,000s this summer
-Assisted in the milling of a fallen 300-year elm–used limbs and wood to regenerate soil, build furniture, create beds
-Attended self-reliance workshops
-Read/study permaculture and pasture-raised farming techniques

Over the next five years, I am looking to purchase/lease a large plot of land with the following goals:
-Raise pasture raised beef with chicken tractors (egg and meat production–plan on building one of each this Spring)
-Build small scale on-site chicken butchering operation
-Sell chicken meat on-site (I have a business plan for this in order to be within regulations). Possible integration with a renowned farm-to-table restaurant (relationship already established)
-Orchards
-Greenhouse
-Increased food and flower production
-Bee/honey operation
-Possible small scale dairy production (cow and goat)
-Possible integration with schools/learning centers

Entering Farmer #20584

Looking to becoming a farm owner in near future for cattle, fruit, vegetables, other livestock

Entering Farmer #20583

We are looking for underutilized farm land to grow hazenuts on plus call home. I have over 40 years expierence working with ornamental plants and turf management. Currently myself and Michelle brooks manage 2 seperate orchards that are fully planted and are looking to expand. We have a full busniss plan in place. I am also one of three founding memebers of a cooperative in which all local farms growing hazelnuts will be able to sell their harvest to. The co=op will then process and distribute several diffrent hazelnut products. The key things needed for a hazelnut orchard is deer fencing and land that is not overly wet.

Entering Farmer #20579

I am the founder of Grey Muzzle Manor Sanctuary, Inc. and TheraHerd Counseling and Community Services. Historically, Grey Muzzle Manor offered senior animal rescue, hospice care, and community outreach programs to help people and pets stay together. Grey Muzzle Manor also previously offered Hippotherapy through Natural Horsemanship. In 2016, focus shifted to outpatient mental health services.

I am a licensed professional counselor who has been practicing since 2016. Grey Muzzle Manor Sanctuary, Inc. is based upon a platform of acceptance, non-judgement, and presence. At Grey Muzzle Manor, animals and people heal together. The outside of the neglected animal often directly represents the inside of the client. They begin to heal together and as the animal heals, the client is able to see themselves in the transformation. These also happen to be attributes necessary for healing in client-centered therapy and how animals live their lives. Through these parallels, I’ve been able to grow Grey Muzzle Manor (and adding TheraHerd) through various programs in hopes that everyone, people and animals, know that they matter, they mean something, and they are noticed.

Grey Muzzle and TheraHerd recently and suddenly lost their home in the spring. I can expand on the situation further. The organization, myself, my family, my businesses, and my animals were all displaced. This also meant that we lost our safe space to offer therapy. I’ve seen so many lives changed and been witness to miracles. We are trying to rebuild after the aftermath. My only hope is that I can find a space to do this work again.

www.greymuzzlemanor.org
http://Facebook.com/greymuzzlemanorfarm.

Please reach out with all and any questions!

Entering Farmer #20576

I am a beginning farmer that has a background in food service. I am particularly interested in permaculture and agrotourism. I’d like to work with other farmers/landowners who are particularly interested in heirloom and specialty produce and developing relationships with restaurant owners/food businesses. Secondary to that, I would also like to either start a CSA or help continue an existing CSA and possibly incorporate community-building activities as well; such as work-share programs, art sessions on the farm, guest chef dinners, etc. I’m also interested in maintaining/helping someone maintain a agrotourism business, such as a hipcamp spot, cabin, or bed and breakfast using produce grown on site.

I have experience with pigs and laying hens, would like to gain experience with sheep, horses/donkeys, and other poultry as well. I also have experience with small-scale organic vegetable production (less than 10 acres).

Entering Farmer #20569

My name is Cheryl. I am 41 years old. For most of my life I owned a small farm and auto repair business. I worked as a mechanic during the week, and taught riding lessons on the weekend. And in my spare time I worked as a trail guide for a ranch for over 30 years. Everything ended when covid shut me down. I lost my company and my farm. The ranch has since closed as well. I have always been interested in the homestead lifestyle and starting my own horse trailer riding business. I am trying to find a farm owner willing to work with me on purchasing a farm.

Entering Farmer #20560

My husband and I have 5 children and one one the way. We seek to grow as much food as we can for ourselves, our family and our neighbors. We are currently homesteading on 3.7 acres and have a small flock of dairy sheep that we rotationally graze (5 ewes and a ram), as well as a few dairy goats and a flock of laying hens. We are highly motivated to prevent the hostile take over of American farmland by entities that have no concern for the people of this country or for the health and well-being of our children. My husband and I are in our early thirties we have no background in farming prior to running our little homestead, but we are willing to learn and work hard, as hard as we can so that our children (and their children) have a future in this great state of Pennsylvania.
My grandpa grew up on a family farm in SE PA but left farming to work for a food corporation, and now two generations later we are trying to find our way back to farming real food for real people. My husband has a phd in math and is currently working as a data scientist. His work is fully remote so he is able to be very involved with the homestead chores. I previously worked as a communications coordinator for a nonprofit, I managed all the social media for that organization so I would be prepared to create marketing campaigns for any future farm endeavor via social media. I am currently a stay-at-home and homeschooling mom for our five soon to be six children.