When you hear the term “retirement community,” what comes to mind? Shuffleboard and overcooked vegetables in soup? What about an abundant organic farm that provides its seniors with nutritious, wholesome food? Because that’s exactly what Cornwall Manor, in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, is offering up to its residents. The Trailside Organic Farm is the product of a partnership between the living facility and the Rodale Institute, a nonprofit founded in the late 1940s, which supports the research of, and education around, organic farming.
The Trailside Organic Farm is fairly new, with the project commencing in 2021. It spans two-and-a-half acres and is USDA-certified organic, meaning that the vegetables grown from it are not treated with anything artificial or synthetic, only naturally occurring fertilizers and pest treatments; in the same token, organic milk comes from cows that only eat feed grown this way. The produce from this farm then find their way to the seniors’ tables, making an appearance in each of the two dining rooms, the café, and even meal delivery and catering services.
The farm grows everything from peppers to watermelon, and even nutrient-rich sweet potatoes (which you can actually grow in your home). Further, aside from the two-and-a-half acres of land adjacent to Cornwall Manor, the assisted living facility also purchased a whopping 55 acres of land north of the Manor in October 2025, which it’s leasing to a local farmer.
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How Trailside Organic Farm benefits Cornwall Manor seniors – and the community
An aerial view shows multi-colored patches of farm land – Rodale Institute / Facebook
An organic farm might not seem the most likely addition to a senior living community, but the benefits of having this gem near its campus are manifold. For starters, there’s the fact that the farm is providing the inhabitants of Cornwall Manor with a diverse array of fresh, organic produce, the very peak of nutrition, which is vital as we age. But it can also spark an interest in the food itself, getting the residents excited about eating fresh fruit and veg that was picked so close to where they live.
The Trailside Farm also provides the seniors at Cornwall Manor an opportunity to explore the grounds, see where the food is actually grown, and interact with farmers, an opportunity that enables them to learn about the growing processes. There is also something magical about walking among living, growing things; it feeds our souls, in the same way vegetables feed our bodies, which is something we all could benefit from.
Outside of the residents of Cornwall Manor, the Trailside Farm also serves as a classroom for Rodale Institute students who want to learn the ways of organic farming. When they’re not receiving book instruction, the students are literally in the field, getting their hands dirty.
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Read the original article on Food Republic.