Pennsylvania's Idyllic Retirement Community For Farm-To-Table Foodies Has Its Own Organic Farm

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Getting older happens to us all. But there is some truth to the well-worn cliché that age is just a number. At Cornwall Manor, a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in Pennsylvania's Lebanon County, this sentiment is taken quite seriously. With its focus on organic farming and farm-to-table eating, Cornwall Manor's mission is to keep residents fit, healthy, and intellectually and physically active for as long as time allows. At the heart of it all is the Trailside Organic Farm, a 2.5-acre, U.S. Department of Agriculture-certified organic vegetable farm that supplies produce to all on-site dining areas and ensures residents are cognizant of what they put into their bodies.

CCRCs are designed for residents to "age in place," according to Senior Services of America, benefitting from a continuum of care as they get older. This can include basic access to amenities, housekeeping, administrative support, and a sense of community, or more involved care, such as rehabilitation programs and assisted living. Cornwall Manor, in partnership with the Rodale Institute, a nonprofit deeply involved in the regenerative organic farming movement, has taken the principles of a CCRC and created a partially self-sustaining retirement community focused on healthy living and homegrown produce.

Located around 20 miles north of Lancaster, one of Pennsylvania's most peaceful places to live, Cornwall Manor has a reputation for friendliness and tranquility. The 85-acre plot, awash in wooded trails and manicured lawns, is a fine setting to live out the autumn of one's years. The residences, spacious apartments fronted by sun-splashed balconies and bungalows with handsome stone or brick facades, are equally pretty. But the organic farm is perhaps Cornwall Manor's top drawcard, granting residents access to clean, healthy, tasty produce at a time of their lives when they need it most.

The Trailside Organic Farm was installed in 2021. It now contains irrigation lines to control water delivery, a greenhouse for improved crop yields, and hoop houses, which extend the growing season and improve the farming environment. A colorful array of produce is grown here, from tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers to zucchinis, squashes, and various kinds of lettuce. Foodies benefit from the variety, and more importantly, the quality of vegetables on offer. As people age and their taste bud sensitivity often declines, and having access to the most flavorful, organic ingredients is profoundly important. Many residents also use the farm to stay mentally sharp, volunteering throughout the season, tending plants, harvesting vegetables, and taking part in educational programs.

But why is it vital to eat organic food? The term has been in popular use since the 1940s, following English agriculturist Lord Northbourne's seminal book, "Look to the Land," and refers to produce grown without artificial fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Organic produce also protects the environment and the surrounding ecosystem; it prevents water exhaustion and soil erosion, increases soil fertility, and is less energy-intensive.

There are many health benefits, too, particularly for aging bodies. Organic vegetables are better sources of the nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants that stave off physical and cognitive decline. A study published in Public Health Nutrition in 2021 found that older adults who eat more organic foods have lower levels of inflammation, reducing the risk of certain chronic diseases over time. The researchers admitted that complexities in food supply chains make it difficult to tell if the benefits come from healthy eating generally or organic foods in particular. Nevertheless, organic food is unlikely to hinder your longevity. And at Cornwall Manor, you'll be eating plenty of it.

In a culinary world where eaters are becoming increasingly discerning and basing their food decisions on ethics as much as flavor, "farm-to-table" has become a bit of a buzz phrase. There are farm-to-table beach resorts where travelers can have the perfect organic getaway, and even entire regions, like Oregon's sun-soaked Klamath Basin, that are famous for farm-to-table dining. 

But there's nothing fancy to it; it's actually about simplicity and returning to a more natural mode of food production. Farm-to-table simply means that the food you're eating has been locally grown, coming straight from the farm to your table with minimal intervention. At Cornwall Manor, residents can dine in farm-to-table fashion, three times a day, every day. The Freeman and Skylight dining areas offer breakfast meals, sandwiches, pastas, and other entrees, and have salad bars stocked with fresh organic produce from the Trailside Organic Farm. A catering service is also available, delivering produce straight from the farm to residents' doorsteps. If you enjoy cooking, view the farm as a kind of rotating, seasonal pantry — one that keeps improving year after year. 

Whether you like classic American cuisine, zesty summer salads, wintry vegetable soups, or throwing paint all over the culinary canvas, there are plenty of good ingredients to experiment with here. Apart from the community's gastronomic offerings, residents can take advantage of a wealth of amenities and services, from an arts and crafts room, library, and observation deck to on-campus shopping and spaces for lectures and even small concerts.