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Father and son, Carl and Gavin Rosier started Barking Dog Farm to expand access to locally grown, chemical-free food.
Barking Dog Farm opened in Spring 2022 at the former site of the Hannum Farm in Unionville, Pennsylvania. In 2024, the farm relocated to our new home in Kennett Square at the Romedale Farm property. We are nestled on 68 acres and situated behind Longwood Gardens. Barking Dog Farm shares space on an equine boarding farm that is also home to a few dairy cows, several goats, and a growing flock of sheep.
When the farm was founded, only about 125 produce farms served more than 500,000 residents of Chester County — approximately one farm per 4,000 people—highlighting the need for additional local food producers.
Barking Dog Farm at a Glance
Farm Beginnings: In response to the need for greater local food production, father and son Dr. Carl Rosier and Gavin Rosier established Barking Dog Farm in 2022 using a modest budget.
Crops Produced: Seasonal fruits and vegetables including greens (collards, kale, and lettuce), fruit (vine ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, and seeded watermelon), and root crops (carrots, kohlrabi, and potatoes). We are especially known for our chemical-free sweet corn!
Livestock: Approximately 200 laying hens and a few roosters live their entire lives, cradle to grave, cage-free at Barking Dog Farm.
Farming Philosophy: Regenerative learning. We practice the four tenets of regenerative farming: 1.) Soil building 2.) Chemical-free 3.) No animal confinement and 4.) Fair labor practices.
Farm Research: Many questions remain unanswered on the effects of regenerative agriculture on critical soil ecosystem services. The long-term mission of Barking Dog Farm is to establish a research initiative that investigates these unknowns.
THE FARMERS
Gavin Rosier
Background: Gavin began his farming journey working on corn and soy bean research farms in the midwest.
Ecological Focus: After realizing the need for regional food production, Gavin pivoted to produce farming. Gavin is committed to growing crops following the priniciples of regenerative farming.
Professional and Volunteer Appointments:
Serves on the Growing Roots Producer Advisory Council
Former Research Technician at The University of Delaware and Rodale Insitute
Gavin enjoys growing hot peppers. In his free time, Gavin is an avid fisherman!
Carl Rosier, PhD
Background: Dr. Carl Rosier holds a PhD in soil microbiology and biochemistry from The University of Montana.
Research Focus: His work examines how regenerative farm management practices affect essential soil ecosystem services, including carbon storage and microbial diversity, and how those changes influence crop nutrient quality.
Professional and Volunteer Appointments:
Acting Soil Scientist for the non-profit Basil's Harvest
Farm Service Agency Comittee Member Chester/Delware County Pennsylvania
Consulting Scientist for OurSci, Bionutrient Institute, and Pasa Sustainable Agriculture
Carl enjoys growing watermelon. He thinks chickens are minature dionsuars.
THEORY & PRACTICE
Our farm focuses on three critical priorities in crop production:
Raise Awareness of Food Production
There is a growing awareness about how our food is produced and how far it travels. Food production often receives widespread attention only during contamination outbreaks, such as Cyclospora in lettuce, Salmonella in cucumbers, or E. coli in blueberries—risks associated with conventional production and distribution systems. Conventionally grown food also travels an average of 1,300–1,500 miles from farm to market.
Our goal is to continue building awareness of the importance of local and regional food production, one conversation at a time.
Create an Agricultural Learning Hub
Farming is an aging industry! The average U.S. farmer is 58 years old. At the same time, U.S. farmland is declining by roughly 1.8 million acres per year. By combining farm operations with practical learning opportunities, we aim to support aspiring farmers of all ages and help reverse these trends.
Grow Healthy Food and Increase Access to People in Need
Access to healthy food is an urgent need for millions of Americans. We are committed to being part of the solution.
Rising consumption of ultra-processed foods, combined with limited access to healthier options, is associated with greater risks of cardiovascular disease (24–50%), type 2 diabetes (24–48%), and obesity (50%). These challenges are compounded by persistent food deserts, particularly in rural and urban communities, where approximately 5 million people lack reliable access to healthy food choices.
We are guided by four core principles of regenerative agriculture:
HEALTHY SOIL
Build healthy soil. Increasing soil organic matter supports carbon storage, improves soil structure, and promotes microbial diversity—all of which benefit crop production. At Barking Dog Farm, we build soil by planting cover crops, applying compost, and minimizing deep tillage.
CHEMICAL-FREE
Work toward chemical-free production. Overreliance on chemical inputs in conventional agriculture are well known to degrade key soil properties (i.e., carbon storage, and soil structure), reduce biodiversity and food nutrient quality, and intensify conditions associated with global climate change. Because these effects can undermine crop production and ecosystem stability, Barking Dog Farm strives to operate without chemical inputs.
CONFINEMENT-FREE
Keep animals out of confinement systems. Each year, intensive confinement operations hold approximately 9 billion chickens—including broilers and laying hens—29 million cows, and 74 million pigs. These systems are linked to water contamination, air pollution, human health concerns, and global climate change. Barking Dog Farm’s modest laying-hen operation remains confinement-free.
FAIR LABOR
Uphold fair labor practices. Barking Dog Farm stands by the principle that Farm Workers should receive a living wage, work in safe conditions, and have the right to bargain collectively for better working conditions.
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