St. Luke’s-Rodale Institute Organic Farm
We’re raising community awareness about healthy eating with farm-to-hospital programming.
In 2014, Rodale Institute established an organic farm on the Anderson Campus of the St. Luke’s University Health Network to offer organic produce to patients and staff. On 11.5 acres, our farmers grow thousands of pounds of high-quality, organic produce for distribution to all ten St. Luke’s campuses in the region.
Watch the Video
Visit the Farm
Tour the St. Luke's-Rodale Institute organic farm and see firsthand how we're serving patients, staff, and visitors.
Request A TourStaff
Aslynn Parzanese
Farm Manager
Aslynn has worked with the Earth for the last seven years. In February of 2019 she began working with Rodale Institute. As a graduate of the RIFT program, she continued on to become the St. Luke’s farm manager in August 2021. Aslynn oversees all farm operations for annual and perennial organic crop production while serving as a liaison for the partnership. Her studies in holistic health support her career in farming by connecting soil health, environmental health, and human health. When Aslynn is off the farm, you can find her continuing her education in Yoga Therapy at the Kula Kamala Ashram in Berks County, Pennsylvania and tending to the “farm’s mascot”, her pet cat Nimbus.
Katelynn Erm
Farm Technician, Perennial Production
Kate serves as a farm technician at the St. Luke’s farm. She started May 2022 as a seasonal farmhand but joined the team full-time in October 2022 to focus on all perennial production. This includes blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, apples, pears, asparagus, and herbs. Before becoming a farmer, Kate gained experience within the field of culinary arts and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition & Foods. Her passion for growing food started while volunteering with her university’s community gardens. When not on the farm, Kate enjoys hiking, camping, leathercrafting, and herbalism.
Elyse Suter
Farm Technician, Distribution Coordinator
Elyse Suter is a farm operations technician specializing in distribution. This will be her second season at the St. Luke’s-Rodale Institute Organic farm. She joined Rodale Institute after managing the produce department at Whole Foods Market in Allentown for 3 years. Her goals for this season include refining the CSA and wholesale program, expanding food safety protocols, and helping to grow, wash and pack some of the best organic produce in the area. Elyse holds a bachelor’s degree in English and History from Hofstra University where she focused on creative writing and won the Academy of American Poet’s first prize for outstanding young poet. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her Siberian husky Moon, traveling as much as possible, reading and seeing live music. She also collects cookbooks and looks forward to sharing more recipes this season!
Ross Williams
Farm Technician, Annual Production
Ross is a farm technician at the St. Luke’s farm and this is his second full season with Rodale Institute. Ross has over five years of farming experience and still loves every second of it. He didn’t expect to be in the agricultural industry but could not be happier. Ross finds it therapeutic to work with the Earth. He has held many odd jobs throughout his career and has a degree in hospitality management from Pennsylvania State University. He finds passion from the anticipation associated with the life cycle of the crop: seeds, transplant, crop, and harvest. “This is the foundation of all health and wellness.”