YoCo Twist Blog
The Horn Farm Center hosts an annual festival for the pawpaw, a strange yet fiercely loved fruit–but did you know that that's just one of many ways this educational nonprofit connects visitors and York Countians with the local landscape? Horn Farm Center is more than just the place for pawpaws! Offering an abundance of learning opportunities all year round, it's worth getting to know a bit more about the small, resilient, and locally-rooted nonprofit behind the big event.
Have you ever tried a pawpaw? The pawpaw is an unusual native fruit that grows in abundance across York County’s forests and river lands. With a shelf life that lasts for the blink of an eye, pawpaws are a late summer tantalizing treat, which is why the York County Pawpaw Festival, hosted by the Horn Farm Center in Hellam, is now a four-day extravaganza celebrating all the “Wild & Uncommon” offerings of our vibrant landscape!
Bringing together unique local foods, native plants, nature-based education, and the iconic pawpaw that started it all, the 2024 Wild & Uncommon Weekend takes place September 26-29. At the center of these festivities, the Horn Farm Center is hosting the 20th annual Pawpaw Festival on September 28 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Ticket sales begin August 1.
More than just a local festival! This popular event is often what first comes to mind for York Countians when they think of the Horn Farm Center. For many curious tourists, too, the Horn Farm is a one-day nexus for sampling the alluring pawpaw. In fact, festival-goers hail from New England, the Midwest, Florida, Georgia, and even Canada! Featuring pawpaws and pawpaw-inspired goodies, festival goers enjoy the chance to interact with local environmental organizations, native plant vendors, nature-focused activities, and regional food vendors. 
Beyond the festival... Horn Farm fosters ecological learning through land stewardship, community partnership, and hands-on experiences, cultivating connections in many ways. Classes held throughout the year help people explore diverse pathways for deepening their relationship with the natural world.
Popular examples include foraging walks, composting workshops, rustic cooking and fermentation classes, and multi-week training programs on topics such as regenerative land stewardship, ecological gardening, foraging, and 
sustainable beekeeping. Next to the Center’s historic farmhouse and summer kitchen, dozens of community garden plots quilt the land, providing a valuable resource for local green thumbs to grow food for family and neighbors.
Hungry for more? Explore the many ways you can join the Horn Farm ecosystem. Consider registering for a class, volunteering, donating, or scheduling a tour with your school or community group.
Get Your Tickets Now! Be sure to save the date for the Wild & Uncommon Pawpaw Festival–Saturday, September 28, 2024–hosted by the Horn Farm Center and this year’s title sponsor, 7group. Tickets are on sale August 1, 2024.
Written by Andrew Leahy, Community Engagement Coordinator for the Horn Farm Center.
Photos courtesy of Horn Farm.
