Rooted in gratitude for the land…
In 1982, Hope and Roy Brubaker moved with their four children to a small farm with rocky clay soil nestled along a horse shoe curve of the Lost Creek. They had a dream about growing all kinds of food, but mainly strawberries!
Over the years, they worked hard to create Village Acres Farm, a thriving diversified organic vegetable and berry production, using practices that supported both soil health and human health.
But Roy, the son of a pioneering organic farmer in Juniata County, knew that parts of the farm were not suited to vegetable production. So the family has begun to diversify the crops grown on the farm to include native trees, perennial shrubs and cut flowers, sheep, and pastured poultry.
a love for the wild…
On June 16, 2017, Roy was tragically killed in a tractor accident on the farm. On the day he died, he spent the morning planting a field of sunflowers for “Hope’s birds”. His final act of care was to feed the wild things she loved dearly. That beautiful field provided solace for the family as they adjusted to his absence and watching the birds devour the seed in autumn was particularly poignant that year.
While Roy was the inventor and master of the farm’s soil working implements, Hope has been the saver of seeds, nurturer of seedlings, and celebrant of nature’s magic. She revels in rocks, flowers, trees, and birds. She has planted thousands of trees over the years from seed, including the farm’s paw paw patch.
Fearless in the face of injustice, she’s a mama bear champion of the underdog. Generous beyond measure, what’s hers is shared abundantly. So it is only natural that we, her daughters, name our new venture after her and her love for wild things as we look to create beautiful spaces to restore the spirits of those who visit.
and Hope…
… for a more beautiful world.
We acknowledge that humans and the planet are on a precipice with climate change and cultural dissonance feeding fear and anxiety. We feel asked to step outside the familiar, venturing into the wild places of our psyches and into nature to rediscover our deep connection to this Mother Earth, to ourselves, each other, and to all the diverse species who share this space.
To this end, we have taken on stewardship of a small parcel of land where the Lost Creek joins the beautiful Juniata River. Here we hope to build a woodland of native perennial ornamental shrubs and trees and U-pick gardens of bright annual flowers, walking paths lined with wildflowers, a variety of camp sites, and a viewing deck from which to experience the river, bird watch, relax, and connect. In collaboration with Guante Cafe which is located on the property, we hope to create opportunities for community building and positive connection with others. We are dreaming of a more beautiful world. Come dream with us.
