Penn State Extension details Hill Farm education, harvests and asks for long-term stability; board restores Joshua Farm license through 2025

Penn State Extension representatives and community partners told the Harrisburg City School District board on Jan. 28 that the Hill Farm (also referred to in presentations as Joshua Farm) has produced thousands of pounds of food, hosted dozens of educational events and engaged hundreds of students since 2023, and asked the district for a stable, multi‑year arrangement to support farm‑to‑school activity and youth programming.

The presentation was led by Robin Perry Smith, extension educator for the Dauphin County Penn State Extension, who reviewed the partnership’s goals and results and framed food access and education as “social determinants of health.” Smith summarized impacts since 2023, saying the partnership had hosted 27 educational events, brought about 516 student visits, engaged more than 1,000 families, grown and distributed more than 5,000 pounds of produce and run more than 132 volunteer events. “Food is the problem, but food is also the solution,” Smith said.

Denise Bridal, representing the project’s community partners and youth programming, described a six‑week summer stewardship camp that combined leadership training and hands‑on farm work and drew professionals from local organizations to volunteer. “If everybody keeps their focus on the youth, that becomes the opportunity to see what kind of greater impact we can have,” Bridal said.

Why it matters: presenters argued that the farm addresses a local food‑access gap in South Allison Hill (Census Tract 214, ZIP 17104) and that stable control of the property is needed to pursue multi‑year grants and school partnerships. Smith and Bridal described goals that include a farm‑to‑school program, regular markets for local growers, 4‑H youth development, shared data collection and a steering committee that would include a school‑board representative.

Board action: the board approved a recommendation from the superintendent to rescind a prior termination and leave the license agreement with Wild Heart Ministry in effect through Dec. 31, 2025. Doctor Benjamin Henry, superintendent of the Harrisburg City School District, recommended the action during the meeting. The board vote to approve the superintendent’s items under the Office of the Superintendent — which included the rescind motion — was recorded as approved in the meeting minutes; no roll‑call tally or mover/second were specified on the public record.

Details from the presentation: Smith said the Hill Farm partnership exceeded its initial year‑one goals after the district returned the property in mid‑2023 and the project restarted planting. The presenters reported a 2023 harvest of about 2,200 pounds in less than half a year, and that the project later produced and distributed more than 5,000 pounds of produce overall. Program activities described included school field trips, on‑site youth leadership and stewardship training, community harvest events, and production donated to neighbors in Lisonbee Hill. Smith proposed that Penn State Extension serve as liaison and lead a multi‑sector farm steering committee; she said Penn State Extension and partners would seek multi‑year funding only if the farm’s tenure is stable.

What the district said: Doctor Henry welcomed the partners’ work and said district staff will continue internal discussions about long‑term planning and include partners at the table. The board and receiver agreed to the rescind motion so the license will remain active through calendar year 2025; further extension beyond 2025 will be discussed later.

Context and next steps: presenters asked the board to consider options that would allow Wild Heart Ministry and partners to purchase or secure long‑term tenure on the land, paired with formal memoranda of understanding with the school district to sustain farm‑to‑school activities and grant eligibility. Penn State Extension told the board it would provide quarterly updates in 2025 and invite a school‑board representative to the proposed steering committee.