When the Transition Town Media Hemp Study Group started back in March 2022, one of our goals was to do a field trip as a group and to possibly try and find some partners that could help us further understand the true value of the hemp plant. This month, we received an invitation to a cannabis farm tour and farm-to-table dinner that was being held in Barto, PA at a place called Wild Fox Farm. This event was co-hosted by a group called All Together Now PA (ATNPA) whose mission is aligned with the Hemp Study Group.
We forwarded the invitation to our Hemp Group and the response was overwhelming. 9 people signed on to make the trip. And after posting the outing on our calendar of events, 2 more were added. All in all, we were 11 strong representing TTM.
We arrived around 5PM and were greeted with a smile and an offer to enjoy a hemp beverage (iced tea or beer). We gathered and chatted as we assembled on the grassy hillside.
Ben and Karah Davies were our gracious hosts and gave us a look into what it takes to run a farm with hemp as one of the crops. We toured a field of hundreds of cannabis plants that were in their first month of growth. Ben spoke to us about the varieties of hemp, the specific economics of growing hemp, and some of the challenges they face in this new and emerging industry.
The tour was followed a brief description of the hemp-derived products that Wild Fox has to offer. Tara Zrinski from Pot Profits for Pennsylvanians (P3) addressed the crowd along with Monica Medina-McCurdy and Judy Wicks of ATNPA to reinforce the need for small local business economies, local supply chains, and the power of collaboration for a sustainable future.
Finally, dinner was served. Ben and Karah prepared fresh sausage and peppers along with tomato salad, roasted potatoes and field greens—all sourced from their farm. Dinner was amazing and the cherry on top was a delicious chocolate peanut butter muffin made with rye from Wild Fox Farm.
The TTM Hemp Study Group left the event full and happy, having learned a lot about hemp farming, eaten delicious food, and chatted with really interesting people who shared an interest in hemp. We’re all fired up to host our own Hemp educational event in October and made some great connections with people we hope to have as speakers. Stay tuned for more information about our Monday, October 10th event at the Media Upper Providence Free Library!
Special thanks to Emma Medina-Castejon for all of the photography.
Leave a Reply