Cultivating Wellness and Purpose: Rodale Institute and Cornwall Manor Grow Model for Aging and Agriculture
In a quiet corner of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, a vibrant green patch of land is transforming lives—both above and below the soil. The Trailside Organic Farm, a certified organic produce farm located on the campus of Cornwall Manor, is the result of a visionary partnership between Rodale Institute, a global leader in regenerative organic agriculture and Cornwall Manor, a nonprofit senior living community dedicated to holistic wellness, lifelong learning and meaningful engagement that fosters a vibrant environment where residents thrive physically, intellectually, socially and spiritually.
This collaboration is more than a farm—it’s a movement. It’s a place where nutrient-rich food, environmental stewardship, continual growth and education converge to create a model for healthy aging and sustainable living.
Rodale Institute has always believed that healthy soil equals healthy food and thereby healthy people and by partnering with Cornwall Manor, the Institute is extending that philosophy to a community that deeply values wellness, purpose and connection. Trailside Organic Farm is a living example of how regenerative organic agriculture can support longevity and vitality.
Founded in 1947, Rodale Institute has spent over 75 years advancing organic farming practices through rigorous research, farmer training, and education. Its Farming Systems Trial, launched in 1981, remains the longest-running side-by-side comparison of organic and conventional farming systems in North America. Today, the Institute’s mission is more urgent than ever: to grow the regenerative organic movement and heal the planet—one farm at a time.
Cornwall Manor, established in 1949, shares a similar commitment to nurturing life. Spread across 190 wooded acres, the community offers housing, healthcare and services to older adults 60 and older, fostering an environment where residents live longer, healthier and more connected lives.
The Trailside Organic Farm, located adjacent to the Lebanon Valley Rail Trail on Cornwall Manor’s Woods campus, spans two-and-a-half acres of USDA-certified organic land. All produce grown on the farm is served in campus dining areas, offering residents hyperlocal, nutrient-dense meals that support their health and well-being.
A Vision Rooted in Wellness
This innovative partnership was officially announced in March 2021, marking Cornwall Manor as the first retirement community in the nation to collaborate with Rodale Institute. The initiative reflects Cornwall Manor’s leadership in the senior living industry and its deep commitment to a wellness philosophy based on the principle that each resident is entitled to enjoy and maintain the highest level of health, dignity, independence and activity.
“Having fresh, organic food grown right here on our Cornwall Manor campus is an innovative step,” said Vicki Deitzler, Vice President for Advancement at Cornwall Manor. “Our residents are not only eating better—they’re engaging with the farm, asking questions and learning about where their food comes from. It’s creating a deeper sense of connection and purpose.”
Trailside Organic Farm is now a 2.5-acre USDA-certified organic vegetable farm, developed and managed by Rodale Institute’s team of experts. The produce grown is used in all campus dining areas, ensuring that residents receive the best and healthiest food possible – grown to the highest organic standards.
Statistics show that residents in retirement communities live two years longer on average than those who live alone, thanks to environments rooted in health, well-being and community. The Cornwall Manor-Rodale Institute Trailside Organic Farm is a powerful example of how organic food and farming can enhance that longevity, offering not just nourishment but also beauty, education and volunteer opportunities.
Both organizations see this project as a national model for continuing care communities. It demonstrates how regenerative organic agriculture can be seamlessly integrated into senior living, creating a future where aging is vibrant, sustainable, and deeply connected to the land.
But the farm’s impact reaches beyond Cornwall Manor’s residents—it’s also a training ground for the next generation of organic farmers.
Trailside Organic Farm proudly serves as a host site for Rodale Institute’s Farmer Training (RIFT) Program, an immersive school designed to prepare aspiring farmers for careers in regenerative organic agriculture. Through a hybrid curriculum of classroom instruction, hands-on fieldwork and farm visits, students learn everything from soil science and pest management to budgeting and marketing.
“Trailside offers Rodale students a unique opportunity to see how organic farming can integrate into a community setting,” said Ian Frederick, Trailside Organic Farm Manager. “They’re not just growing food—they’re growing relationships, understanding the role of agriculture in different settings and seeing the real-world impact that their work can have.”
Students in the RIFT program experience the full life cycle of a diversified organic farm, gaining practical skills while contributing to a thriving ecosystem. At Trailside, they explore the farm’s origins, learn how to cultivate organic produce that sustains the entire retirement community, and discover the educational and volunteer opportunities that enrich the program.
“I never imagined I’d be learning to farm alongside seniors who are so passionate about sustainability,” said Nick Henry, a current RIFT student and West Virginia resident. “It’s inspiring to see how organic agriculture can bring people together across generations.”
Cornwall Manor is proud to be the first retirement community in the nation to partner with Rodale Institute, making Trailside Organic Farm a pioneering model for other continuing care communities. It’s a place where regenerative organic agriculture meets regenerative living—where the soil is alive, the food is healing and the community is thriving.
In 2025, Trailside Organic Farm at Cornwall Manor celebrated its fourth growing season with a series of impactful accomplishments that deepened its role in community wellness, education and sustainability. The farm expanded its offerings with the addition of perennial strawberry and raspberry crops, hosted its first pick-your-own event and introduced customized farm tours using a John Deere Gator donated by the Houser Family Foundation to improve farm productivity.
Infrastructure improvements included the construction of a third hoop house, permanent raised herb beds and enhanced landscaping with native trees and pollinator plants. Trailside continues to engage the Cornwall Manor community through weekly farm markets, educational workshops and volunteer opportunities, while also hosting an environmental science intern from Lebanon Valley College and hiring a seasonal farm helper. The farm supplied surplus produce to the Chestnut Street Community Center and Lebanon Country Christian Ministries and participated in local outreach events such as the Mount Gretna Chautauqua group and collaborated with Lebanon Valley College’s Environmental Science Class and local elementary schools—solidifying its role as a model for integrating regenerative agriculture into senior living.
Together, Rodale Institute and Cornwall Manor are proving that the future of farming—and aging—can be vibrant, sustainable and deeply rooted in purpose.
