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ABOUT US

"My father set out to buy his own farm before he married my mom in the 1950’s. Doing that without any help from a previous generation is difficult as farms are very expensive, but he worked for many years on other people’s farms saving up money until he could finally put a down payment on his own farm. I am the youngest of 5 children and I was born just after my dad purchased that truly beautiful 100 acre Lancaster County farm in 1979. My brother who is ten years older than me joined my dad in raising pigs on the family farm, but my dad has always been an out of the box thinker. He decided to plant a small orchard even though he had no experience. It was his retirement plan. He was going to care for the orchard in his older years and earn a little money while my brother took over the pig operation. 

As you can imagine working in an orchard was more appealing than raising pigs so my dad ended up taking care of pigs and my brother the orchard. Eventually all animals left our farm and the orchard became our full time business. When I graduated from high school my dad asked me what I wanted to do. I told him I wanted to grow tomatoes in a greenhouse and so he built a greenhouse on the farm. We still are growing tomatoes in a greenhouse over 20 years later. 

When I told my parents I was getting married my father decided it was time to sell my brother and I the farm, so I got a chance to co -own a farm at the age of 23. My wife moved into the house that I grew up in and my parents moved on and purchased another farm about ten minutes away. 


My brother and I farmed together for 10 years before I decided to follow my parents to the new farm and start another orchard. When the trees reached fruit bearing age my parents were again willing to move out of their house to make room for me and my growing family. They built a house on the property and I moved onto the 40 acre farm and added a new building needed for fruit production. 


Now we find ourselves drawing 2026 to a close. We continue to increase our acres of trees to meet what you ask for.  In fact we were able to purchase the neighboring farm which will rapidly change life and give my children the space they need to join in the family farm.  They all agree at this point they would like to raise their children on a farm.  This now seems possible. My children and I do a large part of the work, but not all of it. My now 85 year old father helps as well as one full time employee, Jonathan who we would be lost without.  I have close to 20 people help me throughout the season at various times. At this point, everything we produce, gets sold at three farmers markets in Philadelphia. Your loyalty has provided many opportunities for us to grow and we are attempting to do just that.


The pictures are all from our farm.  Some of them are the new farm where we are planting berry plants and enjoying exploring a new property


-Dave Fahnestock

Meet

Our Family

My name is Dave Fahnestock, owner of Hands on the Earth Orchard, and this is my family. The orchard has been in my family since my parents first bought the farm we now call home,  and it's my hope that one day my children will find the same joy in produce farming as I have over the years. 
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"Let the love of God pour through you to others. Be his hands and feet."