Collins Family Farmstead

05/17/2026

Are you in need of some plants for your garden?

Little kids + seed packets + too much enthusiasm = way too many vegetable plants 😂 🤷

A couple of months ago, our little gardeners helped us start seeds for this years garden. They got a little carried away, so the extras will be going on their farm stand for members of the community to enjoy!

Take what you need! Pay what you can!

Starting Sunday morning (5/17), we’ll have the first round of plants available at the stand on a first come, first served basis.

🍅 Tomato varieties:
• Big Beef
• Black Krim
• BHN-589
• Sart Roloise
• Celebrity
• Honey Bee (cherry)
• Queen of the Night (cherry)
• San Marzano - SOLD OUT

🌶 Pepper varieties:
• Bell Peppers - SOLD OUT
• Jalapeños - SOLD OUT
• Habaneros
• Thai Chili Peppers

🪴Herbs:
• Thai basil
• Sweet Basil
• Lemongrass

If you’ve got a garden to plant, we’d love for these to find good homes. Produce, eggs, honey, and other farm goodies will be available later, but for now, the plants are ready. 🌱

Stand is open. Plants are stocked. Come early for the best selection! We will continue to restock the stand periodically throughout the day.

Please only take what you can use. Help us spread the love around the community!

Thank you!

Pickup location:
Collins Family Farmstead
125 Three Hill Rd
Spring Grove, PA 17362

04/19/2026

📢 Update from the strawberry beds 🍓 🌱 🍓

It’s about to get “berry” sweet around here!

The beds are absolutely loaded with blossoms right now. That means berries are officially on the way!

We spent the evening weeding and fertilizing the strawberry beds ahead of tonights projected rain. Perfect timing if we do say so ourselves 😂.

Now we sit patiently and wait. That’s the hard part!

(Jewel strawberry Johnny's Selected Seeds)

04/16/2026

Another new arrival on the farm today! 🐮

Calving season is officially underway, and Storm welcomed a healthy little calf this morning. We haven’t confirmed yet whether it’s a heifer or a bull yet, but both mom and calf are doing well and settling in nicely.

(Edit: heifer calf)

There’s nothing quite like the start of calving season to remind us how special this time of year is on the farm. Stay tuned for more updates as the pastures get a little busier! 😁

04/10/2026

Orchard fertilizing day today 🌳🚜 😎

Before we apply anything to our trees, we start with a soil test. Each season we send samples to an independent lab. An agronomist makes a recommendation based upon the results, and we follow their recommendation so we’re feeding our orchard exactly what it needs - not guessing.

Healthy soil leads to stronger trees and better fruit over the long run, and we appreciate having a partner that helps us make decisions based on real data.

Thanks Fertrell for helping us take care of the orchard from below the ground and up! 🍎 🍑 🍒 🍐

04/01/2026

No April fools here! 🤪

Things are really waking up around the farm now. We have loads of blossoms on the cherry, plum, peach and apricot trees! On top of that, the first asparagus spears are starting to push through the soil - sure signs that a new growing season is underway. It’s one of our favorite times of year as everything begins to come back to life.

We’re looking forward to another season of fresh harvests and sharing it with you along the way. Stay tuned—there’s plenty more on the way! ☀️😎

04/01/2026

03/19/2026

Right on cue… the first storm of the season has arrived 🌩️

CLN Gale welcomed a beautiful little heifer calf today, with Grandma Apple Hill Storm keeping a close watch from the pasture. Three generations, all under one sky—it doesn’t get much better than that.

She’s brand new, still finding her footing, but already strong and full of life. We can’t wait to watch her grow.

Welcome to the fold, little one 💛

How about some storm related names for the little one?

03/14/2026

A sunny day means picnic lunches in the pasture ☀️

The menu: Alfalfa pellets 🌱

Table manners are still a work in progress 🤦‍♂️

Tarter

03/13/2026

A couple warm days means that the bees are back to work. 🐝 ☀️

We took this little clip the other afternoon when the weather was nice and the hives were buzzing with activity. After a long winter, it's always a relief to see them out flying and getting back to business. Every bee has a job, and they get right back to it as soon as the temperature cooperates.

Bees do a lot more for the farm than most people realize — they’re a big part of what we grow in the orchard and garden!

How many of you keep honey bees on your property, or have thought about keeping them?

03/10/2026

Last fall we decided to try something new on the farm… grapes! 🍇

This morning we took advantage of the beautiful weather to get out there and give the vines their first real pruning. We also installed grow tubes to help protect the young plants and give them a good head start.

Right now they may just look like sticks in the mud… but with a little sunshine, a little rain, and a lot of patience, we’re hoping for grapes down the road!

Farming is always a mix of hard work, optimism, and a little bit of “let’s see what happens.” 😄

What’s something new you’re growing on your property this year?