The Farmers

Farmer Erik:  Erik is the brains, brawn, and main salesman at Goodness Grows Farm. Born and raised just two miles from the Goodness Grows Farm property, he never dreamed farming was his future.  He started his career as a landscaper, but after marrying and starting a family, he developed a passion for hobby farming.  He used his landscaping knowledge and equipment to expand The hobby farm into a thriving family farm and in 2014 began marketing the farm products to Pittsburgh area restaurants.  Erik’s favorite part of farming is breeding goats and watching young 4H kids take those goats and find success in the show ring.  

The Farmers Wife:    Jennie grew up on a hobby farm helping her dad with his Hereford cattle and playing “Little House On The Prairie” with her three younger sisters. She Never imagined she’D one day be a butcher, baker and modern homemaker. ShE creates and assembles all of the GooDness Grows Farm Meal Kits and Produce Boxes and teaches fourth, fifth and sixth grade English LANGUAGE Arts!

Walker:  Walker (21) is the oldest of the schwalmish farm kids and is OUR cattle herdsman.  He Breeds and shows Registered short horn cattle here on the farm and recently had his first consignment at The Great Shorthorn Revival sale. He is EMPLOYED at Armstrong Farms where he manages a herd of 250 Angus cattle and helps run the breeding program for their stock of shorthorn Show cattle. Walker enjoys selecting the show stock for his siblings 4h projects and has helped them achieve great success.

Maggie:  Maggie is 19 years old and her passion on the farm is horses.  Four years ago, she traded a herd of dairy goats for a registered Palomino Quarter Horse named Fortune. Maggie has spent the last eight years training Fortune to compete in Western Pleasure and Reigning competitions and has spent the last two years buying horses and retraining them for resale. .  Maggie trains her sister and offers lessons.

Will:  will recently turned 18 and is in his senior year at Knoch High School. Will olans to attend Pebb College of Technology in Williamsport to study Diesel technology and is starting to study for his CDL. Will has become more interested in the goat breeding program on the farm and has come home with a few banners the last few years.

Whitaker:  Whitaker has a need - a need for speEd and can often be found drivinG farm equipment a little too fast. whit stays busy playing socver for the high school and with Steel city FC year round.

Hattie:  #HurricaneHattie is eleven years old and is the official cheese tester at the farm. Hattie loves to ride her horse, fortune and competes in Western classes in 4h. Hattie also shows goats.