When Torie & Howard joined the American Licorice Company family of brands last year, we were inspired by their passionate belief that what we feed our families and ourselves matters. It matters to our health, our well-being, and our happiness.
Through the 1% For the Planet non-profit network, Torie & Howard and American Licorice have partnered with Rodale Institute and Flanner House, two organizations both seeking to empower future young farmers in their own unique ways.
On August 25, 2022, small teams from Flanner House and American Licorice traveled to the main campus of Rodale Institute in Kutztown, PA for two jam-packed days learning all about organic regenerative farming, food as medicine, and each other.
What follows is Part 1 of our visit recap, where we will hear from our new friends & partners at Rodale Institute about what the group experienced during their days on the farm.
Though they are new friends to us, Rodale Institute has been a leader in the world of regenerative organic farming for decades. Their passion for sustainable practices comes from a simple notion: healthy soil produces healthy plants, which ultimately keeps people healthy. During this first visit to headquarters, we were excited to dive deeper into their decades of knowledge and expertise, especially with young people looking to careers in agriculture.
Rodale Institute HQ – September 13, 2022
Rodale Institute was pleased to welcome the team from American Licorice and Flanner House Farm to our Eastern Pennsylvania headquarters. During their two-day visit in late August the group learned a great deal about regenerative organic farming.
The visit kicked off with a tour of Rodale Institute’s Farm System Trial (FST). Celebrating its 41st year, FST is the longest-running comparison of organic and conventional farming systems in North America and a foundational building block of the USDA’s organic certification.
From there they toured our livestock facility and learned about how to integrate livestock into regenerative organic agriculture. This was contextualized as part of a larger conversation with our farmer trainers around regenerative organic practices such as how to build soil health.
On the second day with us, the group traveled 45 minutes east to visit Rodale’s St. Luke’s farm located on the St. Luke’s Hospital System’s Anderson Valley campus. This farm is one of a small number of facilities around the nation that provides fresh organic produce to a healthcare system.
This innovative collaboration treats food as medicine. After our farm tour, the group ate lunch in the Anderson Valley cafeteria where we enjoyed fresh produce harvested on Rodale’s St. Luke’s farm.
See more in our gallery & stay tuned for part two!
