Fawn, West Deer, Plum farms get support to preserve local food source

A new “doughnut-style” pig pavilion at Blackberry Meadows in Fawn will help prevent soil erosion and, in turn, boost local food production.

The 75-acre farm sells pastured pork, produce and eggs and also operates a Community Supported Agriculture program where people can buy herbs and produce directly from the Ridge Road facility.

“Before, we had a couple of little huts for the pigs, and we would stretch a tarp around them,” owner Greg Boulos said. “It was a mud pit with them going in and out the same door every day.

“You end up with 2 feet of muck when the soil takes that heavy of a disturbance.”

Boulos said sustainability efforts also include new gravel roads and a fence to keep livestock from accessing Little Bull Creek. The projects work in tandem to enhance the farm’s long-term productivity.

Blackberry Meadows is among seven Allegheny County farms to share $1.4 million in infrastructure funding to support projects that improve water quality, reduce soil erosion and increase the health of local farmlands.

The money was made available through the Allegheny County Conservation District, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the state Department of Environmental Protection and the state Department of Community and Economic Development.

It’s an important move since small farms make up nearly 90% of the county’s 372 agriculture operations. Output from these farms is responsible for boosting local food security.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, small farms provide access to fresh, healthy food, particularly through farmers markets and other programs.

The network of small farms strengthens food security by reducing dependency on long-distance suppliers, according to the agency’s website.

They make communities less vulnerable to supply chain disruptions while preserving local farmland to ensure the capacity for food production in future years.

“Small farms are on the front lines of keeping our families fed by providing fresh, local produce for communities, schools and food banks,” state Sen. Lindsey Williams said. “They also play an important role as stewards of our environment.

“This funding will help small, local farms continue to feed our families while prioritizing sustainability and protecting our waterways for generations to come.”

Other farms awarded money include Good Dog Farm in West Deer, Morning Glory Farm in Plum, the South Park Police Horse Barn in South Park and Mamone Farm in Findlay.

Two additional projects were approved and will be contracted after the state budget is passed. They are at Solomon Farms in Findlay and Jersey Settlement Farm in Forward .

Good Dog Farm owner Lindsay McKee said she and partner Brian Wiltrout purchased the Saxonburg Boulevard farm in 2018 and were in for an unpleasant surprise the following spring.

After they tilled the 2½-acre property for their first growing season, a huge rain came and washed away the topsoil in an hour.

“We learned a little too late how these rivers open up on our property,” McKee said. “We sit about 100 yards from the entrance of the Deer Creek Watershed and the heavy rain washed the sediment right into the stream.”

Fortunately, McKee said, there are no pesticides used on her organic farm that produces chicken and duck eggs, vegetables and flowers. She said work funded by the grant will begin in spring and transform a site of severe erosion into useful growing space and quality habitat for wildlife.

“It will make our farm better. But for us, one of the biggest motivations is to protect the water,” McKee said. “We consider ourselves stewards of the land, so planting trees, perennials and slowing down the water will create a nice wetland habitat.”

At Morning Glory Farm in Plum, money will be used to build a road to connect the barn with a supplemental building — a path that is considered a high-traffic area for animals.

“It’ll have a good base and good drainage so the cattle don’t tear it up and get it muddy all the time,” said Robert Morrow, whose family has been farming for five generations.

Morning Glory, at its current location along Elicker Road since 1952, produces beef, pork and chicken, along with honey and birdseed.

“We’re a small farm. We have under 30 head of cattle and some horses,” Morrow said. “Most people couldn’t afford to do these conservation items on their own. If someone tells you they’re gonna pay to build half your house, you take it.”

Recipients of the funding are required to maintain the upgrades for at least five years. Morrow said he’s happy to do so.

Work is expected to begin this fall.

“It’s a lot of work and it will really help with water runoff,” Morrow said. “Rather than have it run down and wash manure into the streams, this keeps the cattle out of the mud and protects the environment.”