Article Summary –
Hugh McPherson’s Maple Lawn Farms in Pennsylvania, which has adapted over generations from a traditional crop farm to an agritourism-based operation, faces new challenges due to climate change, requiring significant investment for adapting crops to withstand rising temperatures. Climate change is causing severe issues for Pennsylvania farms, including intensified precipitation, heat stress on crops, and soil erosion, making sustainable farming practices crucial; however, adapting these practices comes with considerable costs and requires support from state and federal initiatives. With the new administration potentially rolling back federal climate programs, state lawmakers and environmental advocates are focusing on increasing state support for sustainable agriculture through grants, tax credits, and legislation, emphasizing the need for bipartisan cooperation to support farmers and mitigate climate impacts.
In the mid-1800s, Hugh McPherson’s great-great-grandfather, John McPherson, started a farm in York County, Pennsylvania, planting fruit trees to feed his family. Over time, the farm evolved into Maple Lawn Farms, where Hugh’s grandfather grew potatoes, string beans, and raised chickens before transitioning to corn, soybeans, and wheat.
Over more than 150 years, the McPherson farm has endured the Great Depression, world wars, and market shifts, such as large grocery corporations rejecting small farm produce from the 1990s onward. Unlike many family farms in Pennsylvania, Maple Lawn survives by returning to fruit production, drawing visitors for apple, blueberry, peach, and pumpkin picking…