Farming Communities Are Growing The Future

Many farmers in the Lancaster area engage in similar shows of support for their new neighbors. “One farm raises the specific breed of goat used in [refugees'] religious celebrations; another offers garden plots for those who don’t have a place to grow the vegetables they did at their previous home,” Harnish says.

Rural Pennsylvania may not seem a likely landing pad for people from far-flung locales like Nepal—but it's just one of the ways Lancaster County reminds folks not to reduce a place to stereotypes. “Our robust job market and well-developed social service infrastructure make us a top choice when considering resettlement locations for refugees,” explains Harnish.

A recent docuseries, Rural Is Incredible, produced by farmer-owned cooperative Land O'Lakes Inc., showcases stories of farmers around the country who demonstrate that these vibrant hubs of community, connection, and innovation can't be put into a one-size-fits-all box.

Having lived in Lancaster most of his life, Harnish knows that community defines small-town dynamics. “It’s about more than just folks you have a natural affinity toward. Community is the sometimes challenging, sometimes messy, always rewarding collision of everyone’s worldview,” he says.

For Amy Kinsler, the vice president of sales, marketing, and communications for Keystone Cooperative, one of Land O’Lakes’ ag retail owners, a strong sense of community means more than being neighborly or empathetic—it's about economic survival. Keystone, she explains, was originally founded by farmers banding together for better prices on seed potatoes almost 100 years ago. “That cooperative spirit never died,” she says. “We’re operated by employees who run on Midwestern grit and determination.”

Another example of that can-do mentality? Rallying efforts when the going gets rough. “We currently have two retail centers that closed their doors to the public so all employees can help clean up a nearby town that was recently destroyed by a tornado,” Kinsler says, noting that workers have spent days collecting equipment and supplies. “They’ve committed themselves to helping thousands of people they’ve never met. That’s community.”

When Alice Crothers​ and her family moved from Knoxville, Tennessee to Rising Sun, Maryland—population 2,744—it was an adjustment. She and her husband, Caleb, would be teaming up as business partners to run his family's farm, Long Green Farms Inc.; they'd be the eighth generation to do so. But Alice had mixed emotions at first. Would a small town feel isolating after years of big city life? “Rural living is different,” she remembers thinking.

But the Crothers soon learned that “different” doesn't mean disconnected. In many ways, they found a deeper sense of connection not only to other residents but also to nature. They enjoyed waking up to singing birds and mooing cows instead of blaring horns.

Crothers soon found herself regularly meeting up with other mothers at the local coffee shop, Rise 'N Grind. She was thrilled to learn about Rising Sun's library system—two branches with modern facilities. The farm also provided her three kids with an unconventional classroom. “They’re introduced to the life cycle early,” says Crothers. “They experience the production process each season as we plant, grow, and harvest feed.”

Her kids also have a vast playground to explore—catching tadpoles in creeks and riding their bikes around town. The area's robust Parks and Recreation program offers affordable clinics, sports seasons, and summer camps. The only “connection” missing is the one many kids their age have with devices. “My kids are rarely entertained by screens,” Crothers says.

Harnish, too, relishes the outdoor recreation Lancaster offers. Nearby his farm, the Conejohela flats are an ideal place to spot migratory birds from a kayak. Local waste management and electric companies are establishing an extensive network of biking and hiking trails. And recently, The Lancaster Conservancy, a non-profit, purchased 10,000 acres to create accessible outdoor areas for the public.

Life on the farm hasn't just been an education for Crothers’ kids. “Before living here, I never considered how my food was produced,” Crothers admits. Her early weeks in Rising Sun were eye-opening. “I was humbled realizing how little I knew about agriculture, animal care, food production, and dairy markets.”

She didn’t know, for example, just how much technology goes into modern dairy farming. Sensors, like collar or ear tag-mounted hardware—internal capsules that transmit data from a cow's stomach—can alert farmers via push notification when an animal’s health needs attention. Many farms are also transitioning to robotic milkers, which increase cows’ comfort and boost labor efficiency, which is key because labor is in short supply these days. And, algorithmic tools give planting recommendations depending on the season—like identifying an exact row or even square foot of farmland with problematic pests.

Such advancements not only make farms more efficient but also more sustainable. “Farmers are the original environmentalists,” says Crothers. “You don't farm the same piece of land for 265 years without intentional and consistent efforts to preserve, conserve, and sustain the resources around you.”

Kinsler notes that Keystone’s cooperative system, though more than a century old, offers another form of innovation in its business model. “Individuals can grow up using the local cooperative, then join the team and grow professionally throughout their career while raising a family of their own, and finally retire after years of fulfilling work,” she says. “This can all be done in the rural communities they’ve always known as home.”

By continuing to invest in technology and sustainability, the Crothers aim to foster a prosperous environment for their kids to become the ninth generation to manage Long Green Farms. ”We hope to create a farm that's attractive to our children from both a lifestyle and financial perspective,” Crothers says.

The couple also actively helps other kids in their community learn to appreciate the agriculture industry. They host the annual Adopt a Cow program, a free opportunity for local families to “adopt” a calf on the farm and learn about its growth, feed source, and milk production.

For Steven Harnish, empowering the next generation involves offering part-time weekend and summer employment opportunities to high school students interested in agriculture careers. He and other nearby livestock and crop farmers often visit Lancaster's elementary schools during “Ag-In-The-Classroom Week,” to answer questions about farm life. Harnish also supports The Edible Classroom, a non-profit that facilitates hands-on gardening and food preparation at local schools.

Crothers, Harnish, and Kinsler all express cautious optimism when it comes to the future of farming and rural living. Kinsler believes operations like Keystone can help make a real difference by reinvesting in hometown communities; each year, the cooperative donates more than $1 million to support farm safety, youth ag education and leadership, and food security initiatives. “When we invest in these communities and the people who live there, opportunities only grow,” she says.

Crothers is hopeful about the future, too, even if the road ahead has its fair share of hurdles. “We'll need to produce more food on less land with fewer resources and less labor—but there's no doubt the next 20 years will be full of innovations and enhancements,” she says. “It’s an honor to play such a vital role in sustaining life, the environment, and the economy on a global scale.”