Goals

Thoughts on Goals Moving Forward

Operations Directions

Short Term – 2025

• Review: Current 2025 crop planning features 14+/- acres of food production crops for neighbors in need:  

• 7Acres of Potatoes total; 3.5 acres at Becker’s, 3.5+/- acres, in Potatoes at the KU Heritage Center, W&LZ's and Michael Coffey Plots.

Support Acres: 

•  Non-GMO, Conventional Soybean at remaining Heritage Center (HC) acres. GMO Field Corn Noecker’s and Non-GMO @ HC & Owen's Plots. 

•  Rye Cover Crop in post potato production and string bean plots expected ounce again. 

• 4 Acres Snap Green Beans

• 2 Acres Yellow Wax Beans

• Plot of Sugar Pumpkins @ KU HC

• Perhaps a planting of Squash

Near Term 

• • Operate per past norms, forward. 

General Goals 

1. 1. 1.  √ Placed the December 2021 order for 300, 50 pound seed potato bags being 15,000 pounds, with Ed Shenk of Weaver's Ace Hardware, which was indicated with/as donated. Dec. 24.

      2.  √ Annual Business Board Meeting, January 18, 2024.

      3.  √ Ordered String Bean Seeds, Jan. 25.

      4.   Seed Potatoes are Scheduled to be cut in public invited Sessions, Saturday & Sunday 1PM-4P April 26th and 27nd, at Becker's St. Peter's EL Church. 

      5.   Hope to produce 60,000 - 120,000 pounds of potatoes to be harvested and distributed to local food pantries, via the Helping Harvest Food Bank Reading, for Berks & Schuylkill Counties. 

      6.  Request and desire continued but doubtful to purchase a Sweet Corn Harvester. Sweet Corn Harvester, possibility - searching for an affordable mechanical harvester to enable this project continues. 

      7. Desire to upgrade and add field equipment - Particularly a 2Row Potato Planter. Visit the Wish List Page on Website. Add new potato harvester, another 'large' tractor 75-90 HP, Another Disc.

      8.  Desire to expand field farming operations with additional acres being placed into the program close ranging from KU Heritage Center, particularly for Field Corn and Soybean Project toward sustainability, which helps support the "produce projects" successive year Spring startup, if/as the opportunity for additional land is presented. Would like 3-5Acre size plots due to "the farther out we need to travel". 

      9.  Sweet Corn Project start up; searching for associated harvest equipment which may be found available, per above.

      10.  Consideration for physical facilities to be added for storage of Combine and additional equipment, being two additional carports type structures.

2. Looking for this expansion equipment item: 

Additional CAPEX Purchases under consideration. Used equipment unless otherwise noted. 

2. 1. 1. Sweet Corn Harvester (Desired) 

      2. 1Row Hands-on assist Potato Digger (Desired) 

      3. Acquire an accessible 1 Acre of land – Place Office, Equipment Storage, Produce Storage 

      4. Crop Processing Facility, Equipment, Maintenance Shop, as an Operations Center. ∙ Acquire additional equipment to improve stability of food crop operations such as a Barrel Washer for root crops. See Website  WishList Page. 

      5. Acquire additional field food crop automation equipment. See Website WishList Page. Manned potato digger, sweet corn harvester, other. 

      6. Additional Farm Land - receive into the project for use to support and expand what we are doing and would like to do – 70, 150, 200, 750 upwards to 1000 Acres and 1Millions pounds of grown and donated fresh food to regional hungry neighbors in need. From a facility for Farming,  Food Storage and Processing Facilities, Retreat Center, Cabin Housing, Worship Center, Modern  Meeting and Education Center, and Other related activities. Added just short of 3Acres at HC in 2024. Expecting additional acres at Process Masters and Noecker's 2025.

      7. Additional field farming tractor(s).

      8. Potato planter.