Farm
In 2005, we started farming at Glasbern. Rather, we started farming again, reviving an excellent parcel of farmland that had laid fallow for about 35 years. When you dine with us, it'll be very clear why the original German farmer chose to carve a farm out of this particular hillside. There's something special about this land.
Click here to order from our farm!
Grass-fed beef and lamb, pastured chicken, Berkshire pork, and more.
Come see (and taste!) sustainable agriculture in action
Encompassing over 130 acres, our farm practices sustainable agriculture to raise healthy vegetables, cattle, sheep, hogs, turkeys, and chickens for use in our restaurant. We invite our guests explore the farm's pastures, gardens, and greenhouses while observing the daily work that mirrors the changing of the seasons.
We have a long-term commitment to the health of the land, and practice rotational grazing of our animals. The herb garden, greenhouses, and large cultivated beds provide fresh heirloom produce year-round for our kitchen. These seeds haven't been cross-bred and -- you be the judge -- are known for superior flavors. Glasbern’s flower gardens flourish under the loving cultivation of Horticulturalist Pamela Ruch, and in turn lend an atmosphere of love to the Inn.
We're not "certified organic", even though many of our practices are. Rest assured you won't find any pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, or horomones at Glasbern or in any of the food we raise and serve.
Fruits and Vegetables
Besides our large outdoor vegetable plot, two wood-heated greenhouses keep Glasbern produce on the table year-round. These “high tunnel” greenhouses protect our raised beds during early spring and late fall to extend our growing season into the winter months. Crops are grown in the ground and in hanging structures, yet are protected from temperature fluctuations and light frost. In addition, “high tunnels” reduce wind and moisture fluctuation, and allow us to control pests through all natural means. We invite you to join us in experiencing the delights from our pastures and garden firsthand in Glasbern's restaurant.
Animals
On Glasbern Farm, we use rotational grazing to raise lean, healthy Scottish Highland cattle and Katahdin sheep. In addition to producing excellent grass-fed beef and lamb, rotational grazing preserves and enhances our surrounding landscape. It fertilizes it without fertilizers -- when you stay here on our farm, you'll notice it doesn't very much smell like a farm. Again, a meal at Glasbern is all that's needed to demonstrate the value of sustainable agriculture.
To get more specific about our rotational grazing, Glasbern Farm uses a small paddock rotation system, the sort used on Joel Salatin's Polyface Farm, made famous in Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma. Cows and sheep graze in small, fenced sections of the farm each day. Like people, cows and sheep are picky eaters - when put in a pasture, they'll overgraze some grasses and undergraze others. Over time, this leads to poorer grass quality and less total forage. Small-scale rotational grazing allows us to manage both pasture growth and weed eradication, and maximizes the regrowth of forage prior to regrazing. As an added bonus, rotational grazing incorporates manure as a natural pasture fertilizer and minimizes erosion through the development of nice, thick root systems.
Being grass-fed, the cattle at Glasbern Farm are leaner, with better tasting and more nutritious beef. The sheep are springier and healthier, with better tasting meat. Tramping up and down the hills all day builds great muscle! But again -- we'll let you be the judge.
A Farming Tradition
Pennsylvania has a rich history of farming, and Glasbern is proud to share in this great tradition. When you stay with us, we invite you to visit our neighbors the Rodale Institute just a few miles down the road, one of the earliest pioneers of the worldwide organic farming movement.
We're a proud member of the following:
