Sara Carley-Pena stands in one of her fields at Soul Food Farm this summer. Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — Sara Carley-Pena walked past a blackberry bush at Soul Food Farm, as she made her way to its back field, where her “right-hand man” Jaz Rondini was preparing the ground for planting.

Soul Food Farm is located at 1665 Persimmon Lane in Shepherdstown. This week, the farm is getting back into the swing of things, as its after school and supplemental school programming kicked back into gear on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

“I purchased the farm three years ago, in May of 2021, and we hit the ground running,” Carley-Pena said. “Before that I was a science teacher. I left that and took over the farm, because of the whole COVID situation and a recent divorce.”

The farm, which was previously known as Green Gate Farm, had already been on her radar before this purchase. Carley-Pena often took her classes there to learn about its regenerative agricultural practices.

“They plowed with a horse and plow and did all kinds of cool things,” Carley-Pena said. “I knew about the farm and then saw a post that the people who owned the farm were moving. So I reached out to find out if the farm was available for purchase, and it was! All of the doors kind of flew open for me to come here. I felt like it was definitely meant to be, because things just lined up.”

Two donkeys wander around the grounds of Soul Food Farm. Tabitha Johnston

Although Soul Food Farm does not use a horse and plow anymore, it has maintained an earth-friendly focus, by avoiding the use of modern farming machinery powered by fossil fuels. The farm currently produces a wide variety of crops in its field and greenhouse, including wheat, peppers, cabbages, corn and eggplants.

“My intention has always been to be an educational farm. I let things morph and grow in that area,” Carley-Pena said. “I started with teaching classes to homeschoolers on Friday mornings. That has grown. It became very popular, so last year we did three half days a week, but starting this year we will be offering classes to homeschool students for two full days a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

“During that time, we do whatever needs to be done on the farm — homestead kind of stuff. But now that we will be having a whole day with students, we will be bringing in natural science of all kinds into our lessons. They learn in a very hands-on fashion,” Carley-Pena said. “During the winter, we will be doing more science experiments, when it’s too cold to spend time outside.”

Similarly to this growth in Soul Food Farm’s homeschool Farm & Nature Education Classes, its summer camp and after-school programs have also seen some promising growth.

“Our after-school programming is one afternoon a week, at the moment, but it might go to two. We may also add more weeks of summer camp in the future,” she said. “All of these groups are kept very small. It’s mellow and it’s quiet and it’s fun! It’s also a way that we respect the property and the animals.”

Jaz Rondini, of Shepherdstown, prepares the ground at Soul Food Farm for planting this summer. Tabitha Johnston

The farm has a few donkeys, miniature horses and goats for students to learn how to interact with.

“We cap class sizes at 12 so that, depending on what we are doing, I can handle 12 by myself or, what’s really great, is when we can break it into two groups of six between Jaz and myself, so they can receive closer attention,” Carley-Pena said. “We’re very cognizant of being safe. We’re not working these kids as farm hands, but they get to see things hands-on.”

Two weeks ago, construction for a yurt was completed on the property, which will be used as classroom space for Carley-Pena’s classes, which are geared toward children ages 8-14. Younger children can also get the opportunity to learn and grow on the farm, as another teacher, Jennifer Haas, rents out classroom space to hold morning classes for children ages 3-7 for the Earth ‘n Root Nature Group, geared toward ages 3-7.

“This is an educational farm, really working toward health and wellness for the community,” Carly-Pena, who previously served as a social worker and is a holistic nutritionist, said. “I’ve always wanted to live on a farm, since I was a little girl. It wasn’t until I was 59 that I moved out on a farm and started this!”

Carley-Pena pointed out that adult programming is also offered at the farm, in the form of yoga classes hosted by Grow Yoga and herbal workshops.

Soul Food Farm's donkeys and goats graze in front of its greenhouse this summer. Tabitha Johnston

“All of the things in my background — the yoga, the social work, the teaching, the nutrition — have all come together,” she said. “This is a perfect space to share that and to provide a space for that to the community.”

To learn more about the children’s programming, contact Carley-Pena at soulfoodfarmllc@gmail.com and Haas at jennifer@earth-n-root.com.

A stream runs along the border of Soul Food Farm. Tabitha Johnston