Farming at its Finest in Bucks County, PA

Most of our drive from the New Jersey shore to Bucks County, Pennsylvania was filled with the sights and sounds of traffic, road rage, and construction that we’ve come to expect on the summer roads in this area. However, as we exited major thoroughfares and approached Sellersville we felt peace and quiet envelop us.

One of the neighboring roads, aptly named Lonely Road.

Upon our arrival our hosts, Shelah and Nathan, shared their story: Nathan was raised on a Pennsylvania dairy farm, they moved their family around the country while Nathan was in the air force, and they eventually purchased this land to settle down in Bucks County, PA. That last move was four years ago and today the land is home to Hershberger Heritage Farm – Bucks County’s only certified organic livestock farm offering pasture raised meat and eggs. Shelah and Nathan have poured their soul into creating this special local farm for their family and community; and it’s complete with a farm store so we all can enjoy the fruits of their labor.

We spent the afternoon exploring the farm. Our self-contained camper van (there is no bathroom or water available) was parked in the field across from the main farm and we started by ogling the nearby chickens. We then wandered through the pastures of the main farm. We watched the pigs rolling around in the mud, the cows grazing on grass, the sheep huddling together, and spotted even more chickens and their coops (which look like a tiny house I’d like to build for myself!).

Although we could have spent the rest of the evening wandering the pastures and foraging in the forest, we were keen to check out the local brewery. Sure enough, Free Will Brewing Co. in the neighboring town of Perkasie had a great selection of beers on tap so we stopped to sample them in a flight. Tip: if they have their IPA Cloudy With a Chance of Charcuterie on tap, get it!

Upon returning to our campsite in the field, we built a fire in the provided ring and grilled our dinner of chicken, sweet potatoes, and broccoli. Had we known about the farm store we definitely would not have brought our own meat. You can purchase firewood from Shelah and Nathan. Our evening concluded as we watched the sun set across the field and the night sky, complete with stars that we don’t always get to see in these parts of the country, envelop us in darkness. We chatted and played with our new toy: a multi-purpose convertible lantern / string light before retiring for a good quiet night’s sleep.

Our new multi-purpose light functions as both a lantern as well as a magnetic string light. We dig ‘em.

The next morning, after coffee of course, we headed over to the farm store. The store is open daily from 9-6 and products are also seasonally showcased at local farmers markets. We browsed the selection of meat, local coffee, and natural soaps before we ultimately selected bacon and a sirloin steak to bring home and enjoy. Our other top contenders were short ribs, smoked ham steak, and kielbasa. Next time!

Hershberger Heritage Farm offers pasture raised meat and eggs. We settled on sirloin steak and bacon.

We wanted to get on the road to explore nearby Green Lane Reservoir – a suggested locale from Shelah for great local hiking as an alternative to Nockamixon State Park. Green Lane Reservoir did not disappoint. It is less than 15 minutes away and is massive with an extensive trail system. Hikes outlined on the park brochure ranged from an easy mile or two to more strenuous ten+ mile hikes. There are a number of paths throughout the park, such as the one circling the reservoir, that are paved and accessible. We picked a short hike through the woods that first took us around the large reservoir. We’d recommend spending a whole day here for some hiking, biking, fishing, or boating (boat rentals available).

Green Lake Reservoir is only 15 minutes away and offers hiking, biking, boating, and fishing.

We didn’t get the opportunity to also visit Nockamixon State Park but we hear it can get quite busy in the summer season. This Hipcamp is a great alternative to those crowds and has the added bonus of Green Lane Reservoir being quite close.

Shelah and Nathan nurture their land and built a lovely local farm. We are grateful that they are allowing others to experience it and have a newfound appreciation for farming at its finest. They’ve also inspired us to get out and explore more of Bucks County!

Sara + Mike @tripoverlife