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2010 will be Longacre's 36th summer creating an amazing community with 72 teenagers and 21 staff.  Part of what fosters these strong communities, and sets us apart from other summer programs, is that within them teens and adults live, work and play together.  From cooking meals and feeding animals, to taking out the trash and harvesting vegetables, teens and adults in the community work hand-in-hand to do what needs to be done to support each other.

Another aspect of the Longacre program that helps build dynamic communities each summer is that participants choose what they want to do on a daily basis, and are free to tailor their summers as their interests shift and change, and their confidence and friendships  grow.  This free-choice model allows teens the flexibility and freedom throughout the summer to explore  their interests and themselves, and make lasting friendships. 

The freedom of choice, combined with responsibility to the community and the plethora of work projects that need to get done each summer, ensures teens a healthy balance of work and play each day.  They can work hard in the morning constructing a deck, and then relax at the pond with their friends in the afternoon.  They can challenge themselves by working with horses, and then go into town to do some community service.   All the while developing new skills, a deeper understanding of themselves, and lasting friendships.

For members of the Longacre year-round community, who we are and what we do go hand in hand.  We work hard throughout the year to plan for incredible summers full of work, play, community building, and fun!   We're farmers, teachers, executive directors, guidance counselors, and program coordinators.  When we're not at work, we spend time on the grounds preparing soil, feeding and moving animals, preserving food, working with horses and collecting firewood.  Most importantly, we continue the community-building tradition of our summers and take time to enjoy and care for one another.

Throughout our thirty-six seasons here at Longacre, we've collected a ton of photos.  Memory Lane is a recorded history of Longacre Farm organized by year, so no matter how long ago you were at the farm you're sure to read about and see something familiar. 

We love to hear from Longacre alumns!  Please contact us and let us know where you are and what you're doing, and join us at one of our five-year reunions!

There's so much to do at Longacre Leadership Program!  Participants can learn carpentry skills, feed farm animals, work with horses, build green structures, garden, do community service, make stained glass artwork, audition for a play, or go rock climbing, to name just a few.  There are two activity periods per day, and each period offers between 8-12 options.  Check out what Longacre has to offer!

In the spring, we installed new high tensile fencing around the horse pasture, and Louise brought her horses over to our farm for good.  Gizmo, Charlie, Gus, Firefly and Trey are fitting in just fine, and everyone seems to get along.

In June, about 100 Longacre alumni joined us for our 35th reunion weekend.  After the celebration we rolled right into a very busy summer with many building projects.  We attached a greenhouse to the Art House, built a new dock at the pond, constructed several chicken tractors, and added a beautiful tack room to the upper Horse Barn floor.  We also painted an Amish quilt mural on the outside of the Horse Barn above the hayloft doors.  

There were many more animals on the farm this summer, most of whom were rotationally grazed.  Among them were our Milking Devons, Grace, Ashley and Priscilla, and a Tamworth gilt named Charlotte.  We also had 12 sheep, 200 turkeys, four Nubian goats, and laying hens of many varieties out on pasture. 

We had a number of returning staff this summer: Megan Gantt, Louise & Jake Warner, Matt Smith*, Dave Cordes, Brooks Miller, Anna Santini, Nathan Shulman*, Rachel John,  Kim Wojnar, Cheyenne Christian, Pete Dow, and Rog Smith, when he could get there.  Fitz and baby Jane joined us for the first week of the program.  Our first year staff included Morgan Evans, Claire Hortens*, Jera Aurand, David Roth*, Greg Reed, Cora Goldfarb, Jacob Stone, Mike Oppor, and Tori Kuper.

In the fall, there was more change.  We celebrated the bounty of the season with a Harvest Weekend in September, and Rog began converting the western-most bay of the Pole Barn to his dream wood shop.  Matt and Megan started building a house on seven acres that was once part of Longacre Farm.  After 33 years, the Smith family moved from 1001 Markelsville Road into the farmhouse at the center of the property, 6525 Creek Rd.  The Longacre office moved into the basement of the Smiths' former house— now called the Community House—with Ray, Pete and Megan.  Ray and Pete jumped right in and helped around the farm in many ways: feeding animals, building cranes, fixing things, and helping Louise and Jake renovate their church house on Markelsville Rd.

Go to the 2009 slideshow!

In June, Matt Smith* answered Susan's SOS call and arrived just in time for staff week to begin.  Other returning staff included Rog Smith, Jon Jensen*, Cori Jensen*, Megan Gantt, Louise Warner, Dave Cordes, Nathan Shulman*, Charles Gill, Rachel John, Ana Maria Medina Rodriguez*, Colleen Fitz Fitzpatrick, and Zach Stock.  New Big Kids that year were Cheyenne Christian, Ray Conner and Peter Dow, (Expeditions veterans), Brooks Miller, Anna Santini, Amber Bindas (caregiver), and for his first full-time gig, Jake Warner. 

That summer, our visiting artist Amalia helped us create several outdoor sculptures.  We built a large deck off of the Infirmary/Ridge Office building, brewed lots of biodiesel in the lab, laid the stone patio for the Art House, fashioned a high-sided hay wagon, constructed an outdoor bread oven, welded a shade structure for animals out on pasture, and built a rabbit hutch.

At the end of the summer we bid Jon, Cori, Lily, Tate, and Shirley (their pug) Jensen good-bye, and they moved to Philadelphia.  Jon had worked at Longacre full-time for eight years.  Brooks and Anna, with some assistance from others, put the finishing touches on the Art House building, acid-washing the concrete floor, and installing a well, appliances, hardwood floors, a woodstove, a patio and a garden space.  They moved into the Art House in September. 

At about this time, we received the very difficult news that Chris Mathna had been diagnosed with cancer and had to begin aggressive treatment.  Anna Santini, Betsey Dorman, Carmen Bornstein, Jake Warner, Julie Schuler, Louise Warner, Matt Schuler, Matt Smith, Mel Bornstein, Merry Schuler, Peter Vandenberg & Susan Smith all trained in level one Reiki and gave treatments to Chris in pairs every single day.

Brooks worked half time for Longacre along with Susan and Louise.  More animals were born and arrived.  Grace, our first Milking Devon cow arrived in November.  

Go to the 2008 slideshow!

Besides partners Mel Bornstein, Chris Mathna, and Susan Smith, hired hands included Sal Clarizio, Katie Derosier,* Brooke Evans,* Sharon Fialco,* Nell Gould,* Gaby Immerman,* James Rosow,* Lila Leff,* Patricia Mayer,* David Meyer, Jack Nitschke, Seth Reichgott,* David Thorpe, Dan Weiss, Amanda Wember, and Robin Wyrick. 

Go to the 1989 slideshow!

In January 2007, Lily and Tate Jensen celebrated their 1st birthday.  Jon, Louise, and sometimes Cori, supported Susan in the Longacre office.  We made a more concerted effort to go green, installing a 30 panel solar array on the chess set field above the Smith house, thanks in part to an Energy Farmers Grant.  Jon brewed lots of biodiesel which ran the pickup truck and the two tractors.  It also heated our new office, which we moved to in June, as the new owners of Longacre Expeditions took the company to New Jersey.

Big kids who returned to join Susan, Jon* and Louise were Megan Gantt, Cori Jensen*, Dave Cordes,  Mark Dunlap, Colleen Fitz Fitzpatrick, Laura Gill, Ben Kaufman, Zach Stock and Andrew Holbein*.  New big kids were Zenzele Cooper, Aaron Davis*, Charles Gill, Rachel John, Anne Lagomarcino*, Ana Maria Medina Rodriguez, Casey Passmore, Nathan Shulman*, and Kim Wojnar. 

During the summer, we put finishing touches on the Art House building by constructing a deck, steps, kitchen tile, and rock walls.  We also built large compost bins by the garden and welded a metal Longacre logo which hung on the west wall of the cow barn.  We grew flax for the first time, and hosted Johannes, a visiting artist who taught us how to make linen from flax.  Two other visiting artists, Kerry and Lessa, taught us stained glass and ceramics.

Go to the 2007 slideshow!

Jon and Megan supported Susan in the office.  Expeditions staffer Adam Drummer lived at the Smith house until June.   Longacre Farm became Monarch Watch Station #639 and we set about learning about the pollinators that help attract this beautiful butterfly.  Jon created a biodiesel lab in his garage and we started brewing.

In the summer, returning Big Kids who joined Susan, Jon* and Megan, were Laura Gill, Andrew Holbein*, Rocky Crockett, Becca Link, Lissy Romanow*, Andy Scafidi, Matt Smith* and Mark Dunlap.  New staff were Val Beilenson*, Jesse Braff*, Felice Cleveland, Sarah Lake*, Trisha Schmick (along with her horse Harley), Louise Warner and Andrea Wolf.

We continued work in the Art House building, installing a ceiling, a railing, exterior siding, and interior pine panelling. We rebuilt the runway fence and constructed the Ewok Village by the tree house.  We made soap out of natural oils and flowers.

After the summer, the new owners of Longacre Expeditions, Jason, Nicole and Mckenzie Eckman and Bobby Manning moved into the Smith's house for a year to learn the business from Rog and Merry.   Alex Smith came back and jumped into the finishing of the Art House projects before winter.  Susan took a Master Gardener class through Cooperative Extension.

Go to the 2006 slideshow!