Meet the Board

As a nonprofit organization, Farmers on the Square is led by a Board of Directors, each of whom is elected for a 2-year term. While the Market Manager handles day-to-day operations and communications, the Directors determine market policy, manage finances, and select the vendor who will participate from season to season. To support the board's work, consider reaching out to join one of our Committees, which are open to interested community members!

Rowan Miller (President)

Longtime FOTS vendor Rowan runs Rowantree Farm in Mechanicsburg, through which she provides customers with a variety of products, from fruits and vegetables to pastured meats and eggs; customers can find these products at farmer’s markets, on the farm’s website, or by signing up for a CSA. On the Rowantree Farm website, you’ll see the motto displayed across the home page, “Our food is our medicine”. For Rowan, healthy soil is not only making the land and animals healthier, but it also contributes to human health; by nourishing the soil, she can then provide nourishing food to others.

Jason Heaslet (Vice President)

Elaine Lemmon (Treasurer)

Michele Landis (Secretary)

Shana Amsterdam

Emily Cope

Emily is a farmer in Dillsburg who, along with her dad, raises replacement heifers for dairy farms. She also grows flowers and vegetables using regenerative and biodynamic practices. Emily cares deeply about relocalizing foodsheds, restoring ecosystem processes and enabling soils and humans to thrive.

Liz Dete

Liz taught German at Carlisle Area School District for 35 years. She is an avid supporter of small businesses. She volunteers weekly at Farmers on the Square, and happily promotes Farmers in the Square and other local businesses on social media.

Jenn Halpin

Jenn is a founding member of Farmers on the Square. Her work as the Director of the Dickinson College Farm includes a mix of day-to-day field work, overseeing research trials, teaching as a Food Studies instructor at Dickinson, and collaborating with campus and local communities on food systems-related work. A huge portion of Jenn's time is dedicated to creating opportunities for students and young professionals to engage in meaningful and impactful work that deepens their understanding of and participation in our local food system.

Cynthia Lupold

Cynthia has a passion for supporting small farmers, as well as helping to build a strong community. Currently Cynthia works at the Capital Area Intermediate Unit as a high school principal. She is committed to finding ways to have students connect with the food they consume. The school has a small greenhouse, gardens and a strong culinary arts program.

Jolene Scott

Jolene is with Bouncing Goat Soap Co. She started her business as a life reroute in 2019, paired with her little goats, who make the perfect coworkers. Jolene is originally from Washington and moved to Pennsylvania in 2015. She now lives in Millerstown with her two girls, a herd of dairy goats, chickens, ducks, a Miniature horse, and her wonderful dogs. Besides chasing kids and kids she loves to paint, considers herself an intermediate gardener, loves cooking, baking, hiking, singing and just puttering around her farm. This is home for Jolene and her family, and she is thankful to be a part of the Farmers On The Square market.

Lorenzo Varisano

Lorenzo Varisano, along with his wife Jessy, owns and operates Foot of the Mountain Farm in Concord, Franklin County. Foot of the Mountain Farm has attended the Farmers on the Square Market since 2018. Lorenzo is interested in the growth of Farms and Markets that result in healthier individuals and communities, as well as a healthier Earth. Lorenzo has a background as a Naturalist, Landscaper, Social worker, and no-till regenerative produce farmer.

Erik Smith (Market Manager)

Erik is not a member of the Board, but has been in charge of managing the market as the organization's sole employee since May 2023. Originally from Upstate NY, Erik graduated Dickinson College in 2022 and decided to stay in Carlisle rather than pursue his original plan of working abroad. Beginning with a position at FOTS vendor Honey Bee Friendly, Erik has developed a passion for food systems and aims to bring his community together around local food for a just and resilient future.