Pastures and Greenhouses and IPM, Oh My! - Rising to the Challenges of a Diversified Farm
Heritage Farm
Monday, July 19
Ridgway, Elk County
10am – 4pm
$15 PASA members, $25 all others; lunch will be provided.
Funds provided through grant support from the
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA Region III)
The Burns family, Heritage Farm
Check out the farm blog by Anna! (Click on "What's New?")
Come ready for some outdoor time, tromping in pastures, paddocks and the gardens and greenhouses at Heritage Farms! Our morning will be spent touring farm, paying special attention to the integrated livestock components of Heritage Farms. We’ll see a bunch of difference species of animals, all of whom work together in land use and improvement as well as contributing to a broad and diverse offering of marketing opportunities.
After lunch, we’ll spend some time in the gardens and greenhouses, learning about IPM practices and season extension and the varieties of crops grown under shelter. Some of the greenhouse space is used for year round growing, some for seasonal crops. The day will be sprinkled with conversation around marketing, scheduling and the infrastructure that’s required to keep this very diversified family farm humming.
As is the case with most field days, please come dressed for the weather, prepared to spend time outside.
About the Presenter
Greg Burns was born and raised in suburban New Jersey just south of New York City. In spite of being bred a “suburbanite”, he grew to love the land, they beauty of the natural world and a simple lifestyle in harmony with these. Beginning at the age of fifteen, he raised a small vegetable garden at the family’s sub-division home. Today, with his wife and children, Greg operates Heritage Farm, a diversified farm on the Allegheny Plateau of north central PA.
Heritage Farm is a 107-acre diverse crops and livestock enterprise located near the Allegheny National Forest in Elk County, PA. The farm consists of a Scottish Highland beef cattle herd raised in a rotational grazing system, approximately 7,500 broilers (processed on-farm), 800 pasture-raised laying chickens and 200 turkeys, a small feeder pig operation, and two acres of intensively raised fruit and vegetable crops. The Burns have four high tunnels which they use for season extension of vegetable production. Whole grain baked goods are created in an inspected kitchen, and all products are marketed through an on-farm retail sales building, three farmers markets, a health food store, Pittsburgh restaurants and a buying club. The farm has always been a family affair, operated by Greg and Linda Burns, and at various times, their five children Rebekah, Daniel, Peter, Anna and Tim. Peter apprenticed with Joel Salatin in 2004-05 and expanded the livestock operations upon his return.
Click here for directions, available on the Google Maps page.
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