A Little Horseplay

A pair of horses nuzzles on a farm along Hoke Road in Bullskin

Foggy Pasture

A horse grazes in a foggy pasture at a farm along Quarry Street in Mt. Pleasant.

Benefiting From Berries

Blueberries are highest antioxidant capacity of all fresh fruit.

If you’re like millions of Americans who are health conscious adding a variety of berries to your diet may be the ticket to a longer and healthier life. It has been reported that eating a diet rich in antioxidants can help improve your health. While all fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants nutrient-rich berries are some of the absolute best sources.Considering that some may choose to journey to far off lands looking for the fountain of youth, we in Southwestern Pennsylvania need only visit the family owned and operated Sand Hill Berries to find the answer to a higher quality of health.

Ricardo Perez, working the fields Sand Hill Berries Mt.Pleasant

In 1986 Susan and Rick Lynn along with Amy and Rob Schilling started a berry farm comprised of 7,500 raspberry plants. Since that time the business has literally grown specializing in red raspberries, red and black currents, gooseberries, yellow raspberries (I never knew they came in that color either), blackberries, blueberries and strawberries.

The Strawberry is called ‘the queen of fruits”.Strawberries are filled with biotin.

Sand Hill has made it easy for the consumer to partake in eating their produce by offering fully baked pies, pantry goods, jams and jellies and a variety of other baked goods such as cheesecake. Keep in mind that these berry delights are baked fresh daily and can be purchased at the farm market or ordered online.

Kyra Rottler, making balls of pie pastry into the correct size for rolling.

It has also been discovered that berries contain fiber and folate. Fiber is a contributing factor in lowering cholesterol and blood pressure and folate may help protect against cardiovascular disease.

With all the benefits that berries provide it is no surprise that so many people in the area are making it a point to visit Sand Hill Berries.

He Just Keeps Going

Ron Beinlich, owner of Triple B Farms of Monongahela, is tending this year's crop in a new self-service orchard where customers can pick their own apples. Read the complete story in the Observer-Reporter.

Green Pasture

Fresh air ,blue sky and a green pasture makes great weather for Smokey to horse around at Square Halt Farm on McCarrell Road in Hickory.

A barbwire fence along Washington Ave. in Chartiers Township.

Melting Meadow

Icy and snow covers a field on a farm along Carlton Drive in Eighty Four.

Cut and Carry

Mark Kuhn of Washington carries a tree that his son Alex,in background, cut down at Candle Tree Farm near Taylorstown.

Fall Harvest

Sam Kraeer, owner of Kraeer Farm, is harvesting feed corn along Davies School Road.

Cherry Valley Organics

Cherry Valley Organics located in Burgettstown is Washington County's only Certified Organic Farm. Cherry Valley will be featured in the August 10th edition of the Observer - Reporter. Make sure to pick up a copy.