Homefields Care Farm, 150 Letort Road, Millersville, will hold its annual Open Farm event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 27.

"It's the one day we open our farm and our grounds to the community and welcome anyone in the community to come and see what we do, learn about our mission, learn about opportunities to volunteer, and learn about the CSA (community-supported agriculture) that we do," said Dominique Didier, vice president of Homefields' board of directors and the chairperson of events. "We make it a fun day."

Program coordinator Andrew Phillips and farm manager Tony Beers will lead tours of the certified organic farm at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 1:30 p.m.

"We take you around the farm, explain what our farming practices are, how we treat the land, what types of crops we grow and how," Phillips said. "You will get to see the full property and all the different projects we have going on. Things you might not see day to day as a customer but are part of our daily operation and outreach efforts. It is beautiful in spring. Everything's blooming. It's a fun time to get to see the whole property and experience the place."

Beers will take visitors behind the scenes. "Everybody enjoys our organic vegetables, but we will give a peek under the hood and show how the vegetables are made," he said. "We will explain how greenhouses work."

Beers will explain the tilling process and how the equipment works. "People will get a sense of what farmers are doing to produce these wonderful vegetables that they're eating every week," he said. "It's to build trust so people can see our farming practices and what it takes to have a clean farm."

People will have the opportunity to explore the greenhouses, visit pick-your-own fields, and go home with a DIY project.

There will be a photo booth, a treasure hunt, crafts for families, and activities for kids. Families are welcome to hold a picnic. Koshary Station will be selling food, and Jimmy Juice will be on-site.

"The overarching goal is we want to welcome everyone to Homefields," said Allison Hawthorne, president of the organization's board of directors.

Hawthorne said the event "is not transactional," but the CSA is how Homefields funds its purpose and mission.

Homefields is best known for its CSA, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Lettuce explain.

"We do a lot of things on this farm that people probably don't realize," Beers said. "We have high concentrations of extremely endangered plants that we're propagating. We have high school kids with IEPs (Individualized Education Programs) who come every week and learn farming from us. We've got native plant flower gardens. There are opportunities for people to volunteer and be part of it. There are a lot of things that aren't our CSA."

The farm employs, houses, and provides opportunities to people with disabilities. Homefields' workforce-training program gives high-schoolers served by IU13 the tools and experience they can use in greenhouses, nurseries, and farms. 

The "home" in Homefields comes from the two houses on the property, which both have three people with disabilities living there. Homefields supports the licensed provider that supplies 24-hour staffing.

Cristian Phibbs is an employee who has an intellectual developmental difficulty and has become a valuable farmhand. "This is awesome. I came here because this is a nice place," said Phibbs. "Now I get to work and socialize with people, which I did not get to do in my old jobs. And I get paid for it."

Homefields provides workers like Phibbs with an opportunity to work in a competitive environment while learning skills. Among his many responsibilities are planting seeds, caring for the lawn, and picking fruits and vegetables. "I never understood this job before I came here. Now I do," Phibbs said. "This is interesting to me. This job is better for me. I love it."

There is another charitable component. After customers pick up their fruits and vegetables over weekends, the rest of the produce is given to Loft Community Partnership, which is in Millersville.

Beers became emotional when detailing the food donations. "All of that food goes to the Loft, and they make sure it gets in the hands of people in our community who might be struggling," he said. Phillips estimated the items donated by Homefields benefit 250 local families.

Volunteer Carol Welsh said, "When a group of people come together to support an organic farm, they get an opportunity to live out a mission that brings the community together. It's unique. It doesn't exist much anymore, so we're proud to have everybody here."

The Open Farm event is free, but registration is encouraged. To register, go to http://www.homefields.org/open-farm-2025.

For more information about Homefields Care Farm, call 717-572-2719 or email info@homefields.org.