Green Meadow Farm

 Green Meadow Farm is located on the eastern boundary of Lancaster County near the town of Gap, Pennsylvania. The business, originally Spring Grove Farm at a former location, was started in 1981 by Glenn Brendle. Our present location now comprises 42 acres, 14 of which are gardens and 6000 sq ft of greenhouses. We have three greenouses, one with tropicals including bananas, one for microgreens, and the other is utilized for propagation and as an herb house. We focus on growing specialty herbs and vegetables for restaurants in Philadelphia and Lancaster. We currently have a small herd of Black Angus Steers, and a flock of chickens. The steers are being raised for food, they are always pastured with access to barn shelter, a wooded area, and a creek. Along with grass, their diet is supplemented with spent grain from Iron Hill Brewery. The chickens roam free on the farm and have their hen house for evenings to protect them from prey. We use their eggs but they continue to live out there life on the farm after they stop producing. 

Green Meadow Farm utilizes our own growing method which we call minimum impact farming, and includes methods borrowed from organic and sustainable practices. The main focus is on appropriate technology with lowest impact inputs. Currently the farm is heated and electrically powered using waste vegetable oil (WVO) from the customer restaurants. Two vehicles have been converted to WVO fuel, and more are planned.  The heating portion of this project has been running since 2001 and an electrical generator is online and on demand during power interruptions. Current projects include a new 2400 sq ft packing/dry storage/cold cellar facility with rain water storage that we utilize for greenhouse irrigation- (Rain water is caught via the gutter system of the roof, which then flows into a series of 300 gallon storage totes). Fertility inputs include on-site composting of neighborhood manures and waste hay. Cover cropping includes use of brassicas for harvest and weed suppression as well as nematicides. Primary insect control is accomplished through IPM and soap/vegetable oil emulsions.

Visitors to the farm are welcome by appointment.

(clockwise from top left) Warm Greenhouse-including tropicals. Herb & propagation house. Rear of the greenhouse with the citris plants. Microgreen house.

Mid Summer Corn 2016

Top Photo: Artichoke field , late Spring 2016.

Middle Photo: Our new packing facility here on the farm. Spring 2016

Bottom Photo: Cuts from one of our Steer that was raised here on the farm and now displayed in the case at Rooster Street Butcher Shop in Lititz, PA (07/2016). Our Steers are always out to pasture and their diets supplemented  with spent grains from Iron Hill Brewery in Lancaster, PA.

About Our Family

 Glenn & Karen Brendle began the business in 1981. It began when Glenn was transporting a few Amishman and their goods to Reading Terminal Market in the late 70's. He began growing and selling his own goods and eventually the business grew. In 1985 the family, Glenn, Karen and their two children Anna & Ian, moved to to Spring Grove Farm, and as the business grew even more, they moved in 1992 to the present day location of Green Meadow Farm. Their son Ian is a partner and oversees daily operations and the farm now employs about 7. Ian has began hs own family and the farm now houses 3 generations, along with a few steers and some chickens.