Local Rep Visits Spring Creek Farm

By Paul Weinstein

Every call, letter, and email you send to elected officials matters, here’s an example of how a simple email inspired Representative Tim Brennan to learn more about regenerative farming.

Deborah Bernstein MD has been practicing Functional and Holistic Medicine in Bucks County for 26 years. She emphasizes food as medicine and knows the importance of how our food is grown and raised. Earlier this year, she sent emails to her State Representative, State Senator, the Governor, Federal Congressperson, and Federal Senators about the importance of regenerative agriculture. She explained how regenerative agriculture uses less inputs, supports soil health, reduces runoff of pesticides and fertilizers getting into our waterways, produces healthy food and sequesters carbon. She asked them all to allocate State and Federal funding to support regenerative agriculture.

Tim Brennan, her State Representative, called her to learn more about regenerative agriculture. He wasn’t familiar with it. She explained more on the phone and he asked if she could arrange for him to tour a regenerative farm in his district. She chose Spring Creek Farm in Solebury because they grow vegetables and raise livestock.

On Saturday, May 31, they met with Hunter Tini, the livestock manager, at the farm. Mr. Brennan was very impressed with the beauty of the farm and their practices. Hunter showed him how happy and serene the cows, pigs, chickens and sheep are. He explained how he uses electric fencing to rotate them through the pastures. He showed Mr. Brennan a field planted with cover crops and explained how that nourishes the soil with carbon and nitrogen, reduces the need for fertilizers and prevents topsoil runoff. He explained how they use manure from the livestock plus leaves that the township drops off to make compost to fertilize the vegetable crops.

Finally, they stopped at the farm market on site where all of the beautiful produce and meats are on display. Mr. Brennan wanted to know about the challenges farmers are facing that practice regenerative farming. He is friendly with the chair of the Agriculture Committee and felt he could communicate those issues. Dr. Bernstein plans on continuing the conversation and intends that in the future Mr. Brennan will focus more on support for agriculture, especially regenerative agriculture.

Dr. Bernstein’s hope is that others will write letters or emails to their government officials regarding the importance of supporting regenerative farming so that they are aware that this issue is a priority for many in our community.

Here are some email addresses:

• State Representative Tim Brennen tbrennan@pahouse.net 
• State Senator Steve Santarsiero senatorsantarsiero@pasenate.com 
• Congressman Fitzpatrick brian.fitzpatrick@mail.house.gov 
• We don’t have email addresses for our Federal Senators or Governor Shapiro. You can make a comment on their websites, but it’s character limited.