In 1997, “Maggie’s Organics” was created on one acre of a 94 acre farm in Westmoreland County.

By growing the most exotic heirloom varieties of vegetables, Maggie found immediate interest from many four-star chefs in Pittsburgh. This small, specialty business grew until 2001 when Maggie decided to open a one-of-a-kind restaurant of her own “Maggie’s Mercantile” near Donegal, Pa.

The restaurant distinguished itself by being the only all vegan eatery in Western, Pa. with an emphasis on using organics to whatever degree was possible.

With the addition of a large greenhouse on the farm, growing lettuces and vegetables became a year round occupation and finally, production was high enough to bring in a farm manager, Phyllis Seidl, and right-hand man, Eric Adamczyk.

Currently, Maggie’s Organics sells exclusively to Paragon-Monteverde Foods of Pittsburgh.

This past season, the farm expanded to include more cultivated acreage, added a second greenhouse, opened an on-site farm store and gift shop and laid the groundwork for Pick-Your-Own vegetables, fruits and flowers to make the farm season more interactive…more of a destination.

Encouraging the involvement of interns during the growing season, we have erected teepees for housing and next spring we will build a solar heated bath house and install composting toilets to initiate plans for more sustainable ways of doing the business of agriculture.

Next year, the farm will be further developed with the addition of classroom spaces in some of the smaller barns, a conference center for group activities and workshops and finally, ‘green’ habitable structures among the rolling fields and forests.

Located just minutes from the New Stanton exit of the Pa. turnpike, Maggie’s Organics farm hopes to become a center for educational retreats exploring biodiversity, permaculture, holistic healing and earth-friendly living.