Our History
Tussock Sedge Farm lies within the ancestral homeland of the Lenape people. We recognize that we are only the current caretakers of this land, which has now been farmed by Mennonite families for more than 250 years.
The farm as it exists today began nearly 30 years ago, when Henry and Charlotte Rosenberger set out to create a sustainable family farm that would restore the land, protect the surrounding ecology, and preserve open space for future generations.
Over the years, Henry and Charlotte preserved land that might otherwise have been lost to development, planted thousands of trees and shrubs, restored permanent wetlands, and created valuable habitat for wildlife. They introduced 100% grass-fed and grass-finished Red Angus cattle and made rotational grazing, careful animal husbandry, and ecological restoration the foundation of the farm.
What began with approximately 80 acres of pasture and hayfields in the 1990s has gradually expanded to nearly 1,000 acres today. Preserving this much farmland in the suburbs of Philadelphia is an important part of our mission.
We also believe that a healthy local food system depends upon farmers supporting one another. That is why we provide a long-term lease on part of our land to Blooming Glen Farm, a neighboring organic CSA vegetable farm. Together, these efforts help protect farmland from development and ensure that our community continues to have access to high-quality, nutrient-dense local food.
Today, Henry and Charlotte’s youngest daughter, Tonya, and her husband, Sean, manage the farm’s day-to-day operations. Together with our dedicated team, we divide our time among animal care, pasture management, hay production, mechanical repairs, order fulfillment, customer service, and the many administrative responsibilities required to keep a working farm running 365 days a year.
Before working full-time on the farm, Tonya spent 15 years as a registered nurse in emergency-room and hospice care, while Sean worked in information technology, project management, and website design. Those experiences continue to shape how we approach animal care, business planning, customer service, and the daily challenges of running the farm. Ranching is more than our livelihood—it is our passion and the work we believe God has called us to do. In everything, we seek to honor and glorify Him.
Farming runs deeply through both sides of our family. Tonya’s ancestors were among the early Mennonite settlers of this area and farmed here for generations, while Sean’s family worked the red clay of rural Georgia throughout much of the twentieth century. We are grateful to continue that heritage, and we hope the farming legacy we are building today will be carried forward by our children in the years ahead.