Paul K. Keene
Encyclopedia
Paul K. Keene was one of the first organic farmers
. He was the owner of Walnut Acres, in Penns Creek
, Pennsylvania
. There he produced various food products sold nationally in health food stores and via a mail-order catalog. The foods included free-range chicken; peanut, apple, and other butters; and granola. He was one of the pioneers of the idea of growing food without pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
He was born in Lititz, Pennsylvania
. He earned an undergraduate degree at Lebanon Valley College
and a master's degree
in mathematics
at Yale University
. Before starting Walnut Acres, he taught mathematics at Drew University
. He learned about organic farming from Sir Albert Howard while teaching in northern India
. When he returned to the US, he studied further at the School of Living, in Suffern, New York
and Kimberton Farm School in Pennsylvania.
While in India, he was involved with Mohandas Gandhi and the Indian independence movement.
He also met his wife while in India. Her name was Enid Betty Morgan, and she was the daughter of missionaries. They were married in 1940; she died in 1987.
His first big breakthrough in selling organic foods came when Clementine Paddleford
, the New York Herald-Tribune food editor, was entranced by the farm's first product, Apple Essence, an apple butter.
Walnut Acres was started just after World War II
. In 1994, it had sales of close to $8 million dollars annually. Keene sold the company in 2000. It is no longer in business, but certain foods manufactured by the Hain Celestial Group
, a natural-foods conglomerate, bear the "Walnut Acres Organic" label.
Organic farming
Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm...
. He was the owner of Walnut Acres, in Penns Creek
Penns Creek, Pennsylvania
Penns Creek is a census-designated place in Snyder County, Pennsylvania.Its ZIP code is 17862.-Geography:Penns Creek is located at , bordered on the north by its namesake creek, Penns Creek...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. There he produced various food products sold nationally in health food stores and via a mail-order catalog. The foods included free-range chicken; peanut, apple, and other butters; and granola. He was one of the pioneers of the idea of growing food without pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
He was born in Lititz, Pennsylvania
Lititz, Pennsylvania
Lititz is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 6 miles north of the city of Lancaster.-History:Lititz was founded by members of the Moravian Church in 1756, and was named after a castle in Bohemia near the village of Kunvald where the ancient Bohemian Brethren's Church had...
. He earned an undergraduate degree at Lebanon Valley College
Lebanon Valley College
Lebanon Valley College is a small, liberal arts higher education institution situated in the heart of Annville in Lebanon County, east of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.-History:...
and a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. Before starting Walnut Acres, he taught mathematics at Drew University
Drew University
Drew University is a private university located in Madison, New Jersey.Originally established as the Drew Theological Seminary in 1867, the university later expanded to include an undergraduate liberal arts college in 1928 and commenced a program of graduate studies in 1955...
. He learned about organic farming from Sir Albert Howard while teaching in northern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. When he returned to the US, he studied further at the School of Living, in Suffern, New York
Suffern, New York
Suffern is a village in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the State of New Jersey; east of Hillburn; south of Montebello and west of Airmont...
and Kimberton Farm School in Pennsylvania.
While in India, he was involved with Mohandas Gandhi and the Indian independence movement.
He also met his wife while in India. Her name was Enid Betty Morgan, and she was the daughter of missionaries. They were married in 1940; she died in 1987.
His first big breakthrough in selling organic foods came when Clementine Paddleford
Clementine Paddleford
Clementine Paddleford was an American food writer active from the 1920s through the 1960s, writing for several publications, including the New York Herald Tribune, the New York Sun, The New York Telegram, Farm and Fireside, and This Week magazine...
, the New York Herald-Tribune food editor, was entranced by the farm's first product, Apple Essence, an apple butter.
Walnut Acres was started just after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1994, it had sales of close to $8 million dollars annually. Keene sold the company in 2000. It is no longer in business, but certain foods manufactured by the Hain Celestial Group
Hain Celestial Group
The Hain Celestial Group is a food company whose main focus is natural and organic foods and personal care products. Their products range from herbal teas, offered through their Celestial Seasonings brand to organic free range chickens from the FreeBird brand...
, a natural-foods conglomerate, bear the "Walnut Acres Organic" label.
External links
- http://www.walnutacres.com/