Miss the farm tour at Anchor Run Farm this week? No problem! We interviewed Farmer Dana Hunting to learn more about one of Bucks County’s first CSA farms.
Bucks County Foodshed Alliance: Tell me a little bit about your farm (what you grow, how you people can buy your products, farming practices)
Dana Hunting: Anchor Run CSA began in 2004 as a result of a few dedicated Wrightstown residents who wanted to see Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) available in their neighborhood. Its creation was the result of hard work and partnership between the Township and the people who would become the farm’s inaugural CSA members. It was the only CSA in Bucks County at that time. Derek and I became the head farmers and owners in 2009 after the founding farmers moved on to a new opportunity. Though organically managed since its inception, we have been Certified Organic since 2017. We have a market style CSA, including some u-pick crops like flowers, herbs, and small fruited crops, and grow produce exclusively for our membership.
BCFA: What first inspired you to start farming?
 
In college when I learned that it was standard industry practice to spray food with cancer causing chemicals, I decided to investigate what made organic agriculture different. I apprenticed on an organic CSA-style farm the summer before my senior year and found the experience life changing. While working in unrelated fields in the D.C. area after college, Derek and I kept a plot in a community garden and were members of a nearby CSA. After about 2 years of office work we were ready to farm full time and moved to York County, PA to manage a CSA where we began our farming careers.
What’s one thing people misunderstand about farming?
I can’t speak to other people’s thoughts, but I do know that I had misconceptions about farming before I learned about the small-scale organic farm. The vision I had was an overly simplified caricature of driving giant tractors through enormous fields of row crops in an air conditioned cab boom spraying roundup. That style of agriculture unfortunately does still persist, but it has been one of the great joys of my life to learn about the seemingly infinite and wonderful puzzle of a diversified vegetable farm.
What keeps you motivated during tough seasons?
Working alongside a great group of people with unrelenting spirits, knowing that all seasons come to an end, and the gratitude of our membership keeps us going through challenging seasons.
What’s your favorite season on the farm and why?
I hate to be a bad sport, but I can’t pick a favorite – I love them all! The rejuvenating nature of spring, the bounty (and fireflies) that summer brings, the relief of cool weather and the return of greens in the fall, and then the quiet rest of winter – impossible to choose!
What makes your farm unique?
That our farm came into existence through collective action by the community really makes Anchor Run special. Also, all our produce is exclusively grown for our CSA.
What are you most excited about growing this season?
It’s always everything because we love eating seasonally, but we’re growing husk cherries again after a few years of a failed crop so that is especially exciting.
How do you care for the soil and land?
Caring for the soil and land and water is paramount in our farming philosophy. Since our arrival in 2009 we have established around 5 acres of permanent pollinator habitat and created permanent vegetated waterways around our fields to direct water flow and minimize soil erosion. We are habitually planting trees where we can find space and expanding the native plant population for our beloved bird and pollinator population. We feed our soil through cover cropping, compost applications and mineral amendments.
How does weather impact your work? What’s the biggest challenge small farms face today?
Weather and climate change is the predominant challenge we face as farmers. Extreme weather patterns like excessive heat and drought, prolonged wet periods, high winds, and unexpected frosts, negatively impact crops and infrastructure and make an already physically demanding occupation even more difficult. This spring is a good example of climate change directly impacting our local food systems when we had a string of uncharacteristically hot days in April triggering fruit trees to blossom followed by prolonged freezing temperatures which killed off the blossoms and the potential of fruit this year.
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