Bryan and Karla Barnes
Bryan is our Founder and CEO and Karla is our Accountant and Assistant Director.
Bryan and Karla Barnes are the Founders of Safe Haven Sustainable Farms.. Bryan grew up on a farm, and his family was deeply involved in ministry. After obtaining a B.S. degree in Aviation Technology, and working as a corporate pilot/instructor for many years, he got back into farming. He is passionate about teaching the next generation the habits of righteousness found in creation through agricultural practices.
Bryan has been married to his wife, Karla, for thirty years. They have three married daughters and seven grandchildren. Karla stays busy with the administrative side of Safe Haven Sustainable Farms. She’s also a gifted pianist, and enjoys playing for praise and worship. Karla is passionate about impacting the next generation to be sold out to YHVH, and for them to realize the abundant life that HE alone offers.
Joseph and Elí Williams
Joseph and his wife Elí serve on staff in a variety of ways. Joseph helps with new building projects and manages the vineyard, and Elí is our Dairy Manager.
Joseph and Eli Williams have been involved with the Growing in Torah program for several years. Joseph is the Permanent Crops/Livestock Manager. Joseph has also written his own Hebrew Learning curriculum (Hebrew From The Very Beginning) and teaches Hebrew at GIT. Eli is a busy wife and mama as well as Joseph’s sidekick Hebrew teacher. She was raised on a farm, and was the milkmaid along with her sister for many years. They have three sons, Moshe, Aharon, and Shimon. They love volunteering with GIT and seeing how the Father works in each person’s life through the GIT program.
Mary Yoder
Mary keeps the farm running by feeding us!
Mary was born and raised in a small agricultural community in central Pennsylvania, in Amish country. Growing up on a farm, she has always had a passion for living a sustainable and simple life. She first attended Growing in Torah as a student in 2016, and grew to love and support the organization. She recently returned in 2018, and is serving as Kitchen Manager for GIT where it is her joy to prepare and serve clean and healthy food from fresh, homegrown produce. She also helps manage the kitchen during the events hosted at the farm.
The Lopez family came to us in 2021. John is our Garden Manager, and he and Chrissy are also the directors of Messiah West Coast youth camp. They have two children, Lily and Joe, who have jumped right in and taken on several responsibilities. This “servant” family is a huge blessing to all here on the farm.