Head farmers Dana and Derek with Gabriel and Abigail at Ralph Stover State Park in October 2018.
Dana Hunting and Derek McGeehan own and operate Anchor Run CSA. They arrived in the fall of 2008 to assume management of the 5-year-old CSA from the previous farming family. 2019 will be their 11th season of farming at Anchor Run.
Derek is one generation removed from Bucks County, growing up in central PA just outside of Hershey amid dairy and grain farms and newly spreading suburbia. His parents were raised about 10 miles south of Anchor Run Farm. He still has family in the area. Dana grew up in Montgomery County just outside of Philadelphia, about 25 miles southwest of the farm, a combination of California and Hudson Valley New York lineage.
Immediately prior to arriving at Anchor Run Farm they managed a CSA near York, PA; were on the receiving end of a CSA in VA; and apprenticed at a CSA near State College, PA. Other previous horticultural/farming experience includes gardening, landscaping, nursery work, and baling hay. In 2006 they graduated from Penn State University with Bachelor of Science degrees in Geography. After earning their degrees Dana then worked as an Urban Planner for the City of Alexandria, VA, while Derek was a Geographer for an engineering company. Growing food in a community garden during this time allowed them to keep their sanity while also exposing them fully to the benefits and pleasures of growing organic and healthy produce.
In 2013 future farmer Gabriel arrived, followed by his apprentice, Abigail in 2015. They now run the personnel and human resource department. When the family is not fully involved in running the farm - which is hardly ever it seems - mom, dad, brother, sister enjoy being outside, gardening around the house, observing wildlife, listening to nature and music, reading, stargazing, bird watching, hiking, swimming, biking, walking, eating, cooking, and tree planting.