Spring Hills Farm has been part of the working landscape of northeastern Pennsylvania since 1945. Generations of local families have enjoyed the host of activities the farm offers year round. Spring Hills is an organic farm, no chemical pesticides or fertilizers have been used on the land for more than 30 years. Through the Countryside Conservancy and agricultural easement programs, more than 200 acres of the farm have been reserved as permanent agricultural and forest land.
A commitment to steward the land wisely and dedication to ensuring the Farm is a good member of our larger community are components of what makes this family farm so special. Spring Hills Foundation was recently established to promote and assist with environmental stewardship and sustainability projects on the Farm. Recently, the Farm has completed two critical efforts that are in-line with environmental sustainability goals:
The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Project
The Farm has installed a perimeter fence around the pond in the horse pasture to ensure that animal by-products are filtered through a grass barrier before any run-off reaches the pond. Farmers all along the watershed are being asked to participate in this effort to
control harmful run-off. The Department of Environmental Protection and the Lackawanna County Conservation District provided the Farm with the engineering and manpower needed to redirect water flow and to install the fence; however, there were and are other costs
incurred, including moving earth, moving rocks, clearing pipes, reinforcing banks, etc.
SOLAR PANELS
The solar panels behind the Sugar House ease the financial burden of electrical usage while promoting renewable energy. We are pleased to be producing green energy and look forward to expanding our solar capacity in the near future.
Spring Hills Foundation and volunteers are dedicated to assisting the Farm in its vision to honor working family farms as venues for sustainable land use, and as an accessible source of inspiration that educates our community and inspires involvement with the landscape. Projects like those completed this year are wonderful examples of the Farm's commitment to good citizenship and being a source of change locally. The Farm on its own is not able to cover the cost of these forward thinking, but expensive, projects. We can't do this without the help of like-minded friends.
This season, we ask you to consider making a meaningful gift to the Spring Hills Foundation. Gifts made to the Foundation are tax-deductible and help underwrite costs for projects like the above. Your support will help us in our mission to reduce the Farm's environmental footprint while deepening people's appreciation for our natural world.
We are grateful for your support and we hope to see you soon when you stop by Spring Hills Farm for your Christmas tree and maple syrup! We welcome the chance to talk to you about the projects and the impact that gifts to the Foundation make both on the Farm and in our community.
With appreciation,
The Spring Hills Foundation Board
Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement
The Chesapeake Bay Program was founded in 1983 with the goal of restoration of the nation's largest estuary and its watershed. By setting goals and tracking progress, the program holds partners accountable for their work while developing new agreements based on the best available science to attain restoration success.
As work progressed, on June 16, 2014, the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement was signed that included representatives from the entire watershed including, for the first time, the Bay's headwater states as full partners in the Bay Program.
This plan for collaboration across the Bay's political boundaries establishes goals and outcomes for the restoration of the Bay, its tributaries and the lands that surround them.
The Program's vision is to create an environmentally and economically sustainable Chesapeake Bay watershed with clean water, abundant life, conserved lands and access to the water, a vibrant cultural heritage and a diversity of engaged citizens and stakeholders.
Additional information can be found at this link: www.cbf.org
