Staff & Farmers
Some of the wonderful folks at Penn's Corner Farm Alliance.
Neil Stauffer joined Penn's Corner in 2007 after 5 years spent working on farms around Pennsylvania. As the co-op's first full-time employee, Neil inherited the management of Penn's Corner's wholesale business and helped to start the CSA and Farm Stand programs. Now as the General Manager, he gets to spend a lot of time collaborating with the Penn's Corner's staff and talking to his favorite people--farmers and chefs!
Karlin began working with Penn's Corner in April of 2009 as the CSA manager and has now switched her expertise to the wholesale side of the business. After being involved in a CSA in southern Arizona for many years she (a Pittsburgh native) returned to Pittsburgh with her family in 2008 and quickly became a Penn's Corner CSA member and now, an valued employee.
Lydia has been the Farm Stand Coordinator for Penn's Corner since the Spring of 2010. She did a 6-month farming apprenticeship in Kentucky, and learned how valuable a distribution organization can be for local farmers. Now she is part of that distribution system!
Keith joined Penn's Corner in January of 2015. Keith comes to us with a work background that includes cooking in many kitchens (in a variety of places including Pittsburgh, Alaska and Antarctica!) and also running his own film company (www.daliborkafilms.com).
Amy officially joined the team in February of 2014 after many years of volunteering her time. She started out as a program assistant and was a crucial part of making all parts of business run smoothly. Now she is the CSA manager! Her amazing cooking skills and generosity in sharing her homemade treats with the staff is also much appreciated!
Lars joined the Penn's Corner team in April of 2013. His days are spent on one of our four trucks or organizing the vast amount of product that moves through our warehouse.
Randi joined Penn's Corner in April of 2015 and has been saving the day ever since! As a programs assistant she helps to make sure the CSA, Wholesale and Farm Stand all run smoothly. Along with hoping on the truck to make pickups and deliveries, she also uses her marketing expertise to run our social media campaigns, a true jack of all trades!
Hilltop Farm in Sligo raises some of the best pork around. Emanuel specializes in heritage breed pigs--Berkshire and Tamworth. Both our chefs and Farm Stand customers are big fans. The farm has been part of Penn's Corner since 2011.
On a farm in Harrisville bought by his great-great grandfather, Monty and Akemi Hoffman grow hydroponic lettuces for Penn's Corner. Harmony Grove Farm is a new Penn's Corner member in 2015.
Nestled in the beautiful hills of Bedford County, PA, Neal and Cheryl Salyards of Jubilee Hilltop Ranch joined Penn's Corner in 2013 and raises all natural, grass-fed Angus beef for Penn's Corner restaurant and Farm Stand customers. "Our farm started with the vision to begin a business that would involve our family as well as encourage sustainable agriculture and promote it to our community. Neal’s background in livestock nutrition, Cheryl’s organizational skills, along with Ryan and Erin’s hard work and willingness to pitch in wherever needed, have all lent to the success of Jubilee Hilltop Ranch. We have also been blessed to have many friends and family help with various projects, all the while learning about the importance of sustainable agriculture. You’ll find that our all natural grass-fed beef are raised with the utmost care. We utilize rotational grazing with carefully chosen annual and perennial grasses to promote good health, good soil and the great flavor of our end product. Our family works together to provide the best for you. " Neal joined the Penn's Corner board in 2016.
The Bedillion family farm & apiary is located in Mt. Pleasant Township, Hickory, Pennsylvania. They harvest honey from an ever growing number of hives on their farm and make it available year round. Their honeybees are survivor stock of mainly Italian and some Russian honeybees. So far, they've proved to be gentle, hygenic, and good producers of brood & honey. The apiary joined Penn's Corner in 2012 and we are grateful for their bees! Check out their website here!
Blackberry Meadows Farm was first certified organic in 1992 and has since provided the Pittsburgh area with high quality local fruits and vegetables, meats, and eggs. They joined Penn's Corner in 2013 and have been supplying us with their beautiful veggies!
Grow Pittsburgh is a nonprofit organization with the mission to demonstrate, teach, and promote responsible urban food production. They grow food on over an acre of urban production sites. Grow Pittsburgh also supports community gardens throughout Allegheny County and several Edible Schoolyards within the city. They sell the majority of their urban-farmed produce at reduced rates through farm stands in low-income areas. They joined PCFA in 2012, to assist with sales and distribution of the remainder of their produce. As a side benefit of PCFA membership, Grow Pittsburgh interns and apprentices have enjoyed visiting and learning from a variety of rural PCFA member farmers. For more info about Grow Pittsburgh, check out their website at: www.growpittsburgh.org.
As a new member of PCFA in 2012, Kevin has aready supplied us with his wonderful heritage breed pastured chickens & eggs. Since then he has added pork and grass-fed beef to his list of products. We are all excited to see what else Kevin is farming up this season on his 8 acre farm in Butler County! Kevin joined the PCFA Board in 2015.
Weeping Willow Farm has been a member of PCFA since 2008. Raymond, with the help of his farmily, supplies us with beautiful tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and much much more from his farm in Hartstown, PA. In the wintertime, Weeping Willow also taps maple trees to produce syrup.
John and Jane Matthews own and operate their 60 acre family produce farm in Eighty-four, PA. With the help of some family and locally hired help, they grow a wide variety of seasonal veggies. They are perhaps best known for their amazing GMO-free sweet corn, but they also grow tomatoes, zucchini, & winter squash, to name a few. The Matthews' Family Farm is one of the founding farms of Penn's Corner, and they have been farming for at least 5 generations. Jane has been a member of the Board for a number of years.
Clarion River Organics is a cooperative of 10 Amish family farms that work together in Silgo, PA. Their large network of farms provides us with lots of Certified Organic produce throughout the year! Check out their website at http://clarionriverorganics.com/index.htm
Tim & Suzanne run the 235 acre family farm in Armstrong county known as Kistaco Farm. Apples are their specialty, but they also grow many other fruits and vegetables throughout the year. We have fallen in love with their delicious apple cider since they joined PCFA in 2003. Visit their website at www.kistacofarm.com or visit the Kistaco Farm Store which is open year round! We are also excited to announce that Tim has joined our Board starting in 2015.
Scott Farabaugh and his wife, Christy, own and operate Blue Goose Farm in Nicktown, Cambria County. They specialize in potatoes, but they also grow lots of carrots, broccoli, and cabbage (among other things). Blue Goose Farm produce is Certified Naturally Grown. Check out their website at http://www.bluegoosefarmnicktown.com.
Sam Byler was a new Penn's Corner member in 2008. Sam along with his wife Susie and their seven children, milk over 100 goats at his farm in Venango County. His specialties are chevre and feta cheese, but he's also making sheep milk cheeses now too. As of 2014 the Byler family also started growing a wide variety of vegetables for Penn's Corner. Sam is a member of the Penn's Corner Board.
David Yoder operates at Nu Way Farm in Mercer County. David provides a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Nu Way Farm became a new Penn's Corner member in 2007. David also serves as a board member for Penn's Corner.
Carolyn McQuiston and a few key family members run Dawson's Orchards in Beaver County. Their specialties are berries and tree fruit. Carolyn's farm became a Penn's Corner member in 2007. Check out their website at www.dawsonsorchards.com or go out and visit their Orchard Market!
The Farmers of Keystone Farmer's Cooperative raise cattle in the vicinity of Uniontown, PA. Keystone is committed to providing the markets of South Western Pennsylvania with the highest quality Choice Beef, fed on grass and locally grown grains. Keystone's cattle are raised without the use of hormones, anti-biotics or pesticides in the feed. Check out a PCFA farm stand product list to view their wide range of offerings!
Joseph and Linda, with the help of their family of 9, grow 5 acres of produce in Mercer County. Their main crops include strawberries, beans, beets, leeks, onions, potatoes and peas, but they also grow delicious black raspberries and blueberries.
James and Christine have been farming for more than 35 years, 23+ of which have been at their current location, Crighton Farm, in Prospect, PA. New to PCFA in 2010, Crighton Farm grows a wide variety of gourmet vegetables; among them are PA Simply Sweet Onions, shallots, peppers, cherry tomatoes and microgreens on their 12 acre farm. Chris also serves as a member of the Penn's Corner Board.
Ben Byler owns and operates Sunny Meadow Farm in Atlantic, PA with the help of his family. Ben has been a member of Penn's Corner since 2009 and supplies us with delicious eggplants, tomatillos, and strawberries. In the wintertime, he also taps maple trees for syrup.
The Foulk's farm in Greenville, PA has been in the family name for over 100 years. Bill and his wife Paula specialize in everything garlic, while following chemical-free growing practices. Clubhouse Gardens has been a member of Penn's Corner since 2009.
Lori and Rex of Hidden Hills Dairy provide Penn's Corner with a variety of cow's milk cheeses. All of their cheese is made from fresh raw milk from their Jersey Cows on their farm in Everett, PA. Their cows are rbst-free and enjoy the free range of grazing the fields. Check out their website at www.hiddenhillsdairy.com for more information!