Flooding is rewriting the rules for this Pennsylvania farm

Summary

Climate Connections – "Flooding is rewriting the rules for this Pennsylvania farm"

Date: June 5, 2026
Host: Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz
Guest: Jennifer Glenister, Owner of New Morning Farm

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Episode Overview

This episode focuses on how climate change–induced flooding is reshaping the way Pennsylvania farmer Jennifer Glenister manages New Morning Farm. Faced with shifting weather patterns, Glenister is finding new ways to adapt, partner, and sustain her farm's mission. Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz spotlights her story as a case study in resilience and community-based solutions in agriculture.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Changing Rainfall Patterns and Flooding

• Many regions, including central Pennsylvania, are facing increased rainfall and unpredictable, severe flooding due to climate change (00:01).
• Glenister's farm has traditionally experienced winter flooding, hardly impacting crops because the fields were fallow at that time (00:20).

2. Impact on Growing Season

• The timing of floods has shifted: “now, she says floods sometimes hit during the early growing season and destroy young vegetable plants.” (Host, 00:39)
• This disrupts planting schedules and jeopardizes harvests.

3. Soil Erosion: The Bigger Threat

• Glenister acknowledges that while losing crops is difficult, the greater risk is erosion and the loss of valuable topsoil:
  • Quote: “I can plant another crop. I can't replace the soil.” (Jennifer Glenister, 00:52)

4. Adaptive Strategies

• Responding to these challenges, Glenister is innovating:
  • She reduces planting in flood-prone low-lying fields.
  • She collaborates with neighboring farmers on higher ground, sourcing produce from them to sell at her markets (00:55-01:10).

5. Resilience and Community Support

• Despite uncertainty, Glenister remains hopeful and committed to adapting:
  • Quote: “It won't be the way it was, it won't be the way it is now, but I think within our community of farms, we can continue to grow food and serve our customers.” (Jennifer Glenister, 01:10)
• Emphasizes the importance of farm communities working together to withstand climate impacts.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I can plant another crop. I can't replace the soil.”
  — Jennifer Glenister (00:52)
  A powerful acknowledgment that soil loss is an irreversible consequence compared to crop loss.

• “It won't be the way it was, it won't be the way it is now, but I think within our community of farms, we can continue to grow food and serve our customers.”
  — Jennifer Glenister (01:10)
  A testament to adaptability and collective determination.

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Important Segments & Timestamps

• 00:01-00:39 — Dr. Leiserowitz introduces Jennifer Glenister and the current flooding situation in Pennsylvania
• 00:39-00:55 — Glenister describes the change in flood timing and the risks to crops and soil
• 00:55-01:10 — Discussion of adaptation strategies: reducing low-field planting and partnering with neighboring farmers
• 01:10 — Glenister articulates her vision for ongoing adaptation and community resilience

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Summary

This episode uses Jennifer Glenister’s story to illustrate the immediate, tangible impacts of climate change on farming. Glenister’s willingness to adapt—by changing what and where she plants, and by fostering cooperative relationships with fellow farmers—underscores both the challenges faced and the hopeful paths forward for local food systems in an era of uncertainty. Her words convey a realistic, yet optimistic, approach to climate adaptation centered on community resilience.

For more stories and resources on climate change and adaptation, visit climateconnections.org.

Transcript

[A]

I'm Dr. Anthony Liesiewicz, and this is Climate Connections. As the climate warms, many areas are experiencing more rain and flooding. And Jennifer Glenister, owner of New Morning Farm in central Pennsylvania, is feeling the consequences of extreme and unpredictable weather firsthand. At her farm, she grows organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs to sell at farmers markets. Everything from arugula to zucchini. Glenister says in the past, low lying areas in her farm flooded regularly in the winter when vegetables were not growing, so she could prevent erosion by planting cover crops that hold soil in place with their roots. But now, she says floods sometimes hit during the early growing season and destroy young vegetable plants.

[B]

That's hard, but

[A]

she says losing soil to erosion is worse.

[B]

I can plant another crop. I can't replace the soil.

[A]

So to adapt to the changing climate, Glenister is now growing fewer crops in her low lying fields. Instead, she's asking neighbors on higher ground to grow crops that she can buy and resell at farmers markets. She's determined to persevere.

[B]

It won't be the way it was, it won't be the way it is now, but I think within our community of farms, we can continue to grow food and serve our customers.

[A]

Climate Connections is produced by the Yale center for Environmental Communication. To learn more about climate change, visit climateconnections.org.