Julie McCabe is executive director of Pennypack Farm & Education Center (Source: Pennypack Farm & Education Center).
Earlier this month, Julie McCabe, executive director of Pennypack Farm & Education Center in Horsham, spoke alongside Governor Josh Shapiro at a press conference to defend Pennsylvania’s farms and food access programs.
The press conference was in response to the United States’ Department of Agriculture’s cancellation of Pennsylvania’s $13 million in federal funding under the Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program.
Over the next three years that funding would have supported 189 small farms, 14 food banks, and thousands of families across the state.
McCabe explained that LPFA funding helps farms like Pennypack, and many for-profit farms be able to feed their neighbors.
She said at the press conference, “LFPA funding helped farms like ours feed our neighbors with dignity. Losing it puts strain on everyone — especially food-insecure families.”
Through its Produce Giving Program, Pennypack Farm in 2024 donated more than 26,000 pounds of produce to local hunger relief partners.
McCabe talked to Access Network about the farm’s three-pronged mission and how the local community can support it.
“Our mission can be simplified to Grow, Give, Teach,” she said.
She explained that not only are they are a farm, they also offer educational programs community events, and support local food pantries through their giving program.
“We see our local hunger relief partners as quality partners. We want to meet their needs with quality produce not just the byproducts of the farm. We value our partnerships,” she said.
McCabe added that their partners are seeing an increase in visits because of the current economic challenges and that for some of the food pantries they support, Pennypack Farm is their only source of fresh produce.
Besides running the farm and the giving program, Pennypack also offers educational programs and community events.
“Education has always been a foundation of our nonprofit. We want to teach the value of sustainable agriculture, support future farmers and connect with the people who care about agriculture in Montgomery County.”
Through their apprenticeship program, Pennypack Farm trains apprentices on all aspects of farming so they can one day manage their own farm. They also offer internship programs.
“My favorite part of the work I do is the sense of peace, joy and gratitude the farm brings to the community,” McCabe said.
The biggest challenge as a nonprofit, she said is constantly being innovative to find the resources needed to keep the lights on. Pennypack Farm depends on fundraising efforts as well as individual and corporate donors and grants to carry out its mission.
The biggest challenge as a farm, she said is being at the mercy of the weather and climate change. Choosing seeds carefully to ensure the most resilient crops and responding quickly when bad storms threaten the crops is crucial.
How can the local community help?
McCabe said there are many ways the local community can get involved with the work that Pennypack Farm does.
The farm offers winter and summer Community Supported Agriculture or CSA programs where members can pre-purchase a “share of the season’s harvest in exchange for weekly supply of the farm’s fresh, organically grown produce.
You can also sign up for classes and events. Coming up on Wednesday, June 25, is a class on home composting taught by Colleen Falicki, founder and owner of Back to Earth Compost. Click here for more information.
For more information about Pennypack Farm & Education Center, click here.
