2023 - Page 3 of 6 - Greenacres Foundation

07 Aug 2023

Uncategorized Leonore Salvado 0 comment

International Grasslands Congress

International Grasslands Congress Tours Greenacres

Researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders from around the world came together in Covington, Kentucky at the International Grasslands Congress this past May to discuss the latest developments in grassland science, management, and policy. This was the first time the Congress was held in the United States since 1981.

Greenacres Foundation was thrilled to welcome Congress attendees to our Indian Hill and Brown County locations to share our grassland restoration practices which are based on the principles of generative agriculture. These principles are designed to promote biodiversity, improve soil health, and help develop more sustainable farming methods. Greenacres’ approach emphasizes the importance of working with natural systems and closely mimics the bison grazing ecosystems. These ecosystems naturally sequestered carbon for thousands of years and built extremely fertile soil which helped make the United States the agricultural powerhouse it is today.

“Our goal is to help restore degraded grasslands and create thriving ecosystems that sequester carbon to benefit both people and the environment. Having experts from around the world see the important work that our community is doing in the field is an important step in making Ohio and Kentucky a leader in this space.”
Carter Randolph, Greenacres President

IGC-Greenacres-tour — International Grasslands Congress Attendees touring Greenacres' Indian Hill pastures

Greenacres was a sponsor of this year’s event and hosted a booth at the Congress where attendees came to learn more about our work and interact with our team of experts. We also participated in several panel discussions and workshops, where our team shared insights on topics such as grassland restoration, community engagement, and sustainable agriculture.

“It was such a pleasure to connect with colleagues from around the world and learn from their experiences,” said Randolph. “Healthy grasslands are an important piece of the climate change puzzle, we were happy to welcome our local media figures to come learn with us during the event. Together, we can work towards a more sustainable future for all.”

About Greenacres Foundation

Greenacres Foundation is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to preservation, land stewardship, and promoting sustainable agriculture. The Foundation works to restore degraded ecosystems, promote biodiversity, and educate local communities through innovative programs and partnerships.

About International Grassland Congress

The International Grassland Congress (IGC) is a worldwide gathering of leading scientists, students, industry, extension and primary producers that meet every 3-5 years to share their research results and their experiences.

07 Aug 2023

Uncategorized Leonore Salvado 0 comment

Greenacres Foundation President Chosen as Farm Foundation Round Table Fellow

Greenacres Foundation President, Carter Randolph, has been selected as a Farm Foundation Round Table Fellow for the Farm Foundation. This recognition highlights both Carter’s and Greenacres contributions to sustainable agriculture and land preservation.

As President of Greenacres Foundation, Carter has demonstrated unwavering commitment and leadership in promoting sustainable agriculture practices and environment stewardship. His selection as a Farm Foundation Round Table Fellow is a testament to his dedication to advancing agriculture policies and practices in the United States.

The Farm Foundation, renowned for advancing the agriculture industry, selects a limited number of accomplished individuals as fellows each year. This fellowship will provide Carter the opportunity for collaboration, knowledge sharing and policy development with leaders and experts from diverse backgrounds in the agriculture industry.

“I am humbled to be selected as a fellow for the Farm Foundation. I look forward to engaging with fellow industry leaders and driving impactful change in agriculture for the betterment of our environment and communities.”
Carter Randolph, Greenacres President

Greenacres Foundation is proud of this achievement and confident Carter’s participation as a Farm Foundation Round Table Fellow will further their mission of fostering sustainable agriculture and land preservation.

About Greenacres Foundation:

Greenacres Foundation is a leading non-profit organization dedicated to land preservation, sustainable agriculture and education. Through strategic partnerships and community engagement, Greenacres Foundation works to protect land, promote sustainable farming practices and educate the public on the importance of environment stewardship.

About Farm Foundation

Farm Foundation is an accelerator of practical solutions for agriculture. They leverage the power of collaboration between food and agriculture stakeholders with diverse perspectives to spark beneficial solutions advancing agriculture in positive ways. Their unique approach combines the trust and reliability of a “think tank” with the impact and urgency of a “do tank,” helping turn ideas into action.

16 Jun 2023

Featured, News Leonore Salvado 0 comment

Around Greenacres – Spring 2023

Around Greenacres - Spring 2023

New Chicken Tractors

As we continue to expand our meat bird operations, lots of time was spent researching infrastructure options that optimize production and efficiencies while still meeting our animal welfare standards. Our livestock manager, Leevi Stump worked with the Stoltzfoos brothers at The Mobile Chicken House to purchase our new chicken tractors for our pastured poultry production. He tells us, “The new tractors fit our production system well. They house approximately 50 more birds per tractor while maintaining the same space-ratio per chicken. This allows us to raise an addition 1,000 birds per year. The tractors have a greenhouse design which provides better heat and shade options, and with roll up curtains on the side, they allow for proper ventilation to ensure birds are happy and healthy.” The wheels of the new tractor facilitate movement across pastures and minimize wear and tear on our equipment. It’s been a great learning opportunity for students coming through Greenacres programs. And, it’s been a great experience for our livestock apprentices, David, Josi, and Gabe as they’ve done a wonderful job assembling the new tractors at our Indian Hill property.

New larger chicken tractor on left next to two smaller chicken tractors

“The new tractors fit our production system well. They house approximately 50 more birds per tractor while maintaining the same space-ratio per chicken. This allows us to raise an addition 1,000 birds per year. The tractors have a greenhouse design which provides better heat and shade options, and with roll up curtains on the side, they allow for proper ventilation to ensure birds are happy and healthy.”

-Leevi Stump, Livestock Manager

Michaela Farm

Our Michaela Farm gardens are buzzing with life. The majority of our vegetable production at this property is in the garden we established last year near St Mary’s Road. Throughout the Spring, our garden crew has been harvesting lots of greens – lettuce, spinach, arugula, radishes, garlic scapes, and more. They’ve also been tending to summer crops and herbs, including sugar snap and shelling peas, garlic, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cabbage, beets, green beans, zucchini, and more of your Summer favorites! Recently more asparagus, strawberries, and rhubarb were planted, along with flowers to help attract pollinators and beneficial insects. If you are in Oldenburg, Indiana, make sure to stop by the Michaela Farmstore and pick up some eggs, fresh produce, and dried herbs.

Perennials!

It’s common knowledge that our native pollinator populations are in decline – habitat loss, the use of lawn and agricultural chemicals, invasive species, and the planting of non-native landscaping plants have all taken a toll. One way you can help pollinators in your yard is by planting native and beneficial perennials. Unlike annual flowers that need to be replaced every year, perennials can provide food and shelter to native pollinators and wildlife for many years, and usually need very little maintenance once established – some species are extremely drought tolerant, while others can thrive in areas of your yard that tend to retain water.

pink and orange flowers growing in pots in greenhouse

During our annual Spring plant sale, we were excited to offer perennial plants the first time, including bee balm, butterfly weed, mountain mint, hyssop, foxglove beardtongue, coreopsis, and more which were all propagated in our greenhouse. Many of these species can be found in the landscaping in front of the Indian Hill Farmstore, where you can see how they grow and interact with wildlife over time. Some insects may use our plants as food sources, which can also impact their aesthetic appearance – but that’s fine with us!

Fall is the ideal season to plant perennials in our region, when small plants have plenty of time to focus on robust root establishment before the next summer drought. We plan to offer another perennial plant sale this fall, so be sure to keep that in mind when making your landscaping plans.

Educational Workshops

Our events team has been staying very active this Spring. Wedding season is in full swing and we have already hosted three with ten more scheduled throughout the year, but ceremonies and receptions aren’t the only events on our radar. “We are working on expanding our event offerings and have been hosting an increasing number of adult-education workshops.” says Kyle Conlon, Greenacres Director of Events. “It has been a pleasure hosting these informational and interactive events and we are looking forward to providing more valuable experiences to our community members.”

In April, Dave Pratt, with Ranch Management Consultants, was invited to workshop with the local community and discuss how to maximize ranching profits while increasing efficiency and sustainability. Then, in early May, the Ohio State’s Butler County extension office partnered with Greenacres to present about spring calving in the Southwest Ohio region. Fifty guests were in attendance to learn about cow nutrition during pregnancy, facility preparations for calving, the impacts of management practices, dealing with calving issues, and what to look for during a pasture walk.

We wrapped up our Spring events calendar with our participation at the International Grasslands Congress. Hundreds of scientists and industry experts from around the world converged at the conference in Covington, Kentucky. Attendees had the opportunity to tour Greenacres which involved touring our Indian Hill and Lewis Township locations, and presentations about the work we are doing throughout. Topics varied from pasture-raised chicken production, to Native Warm Season Grass establishment and prescribed burns.

“We are working on expanding our event offerings and have been hosting an increasing number of adult-education workshops. It has been a pleasure hosting these informational and interactive events and we are looking forward to providing more valuable experiences to our community members.”

-Director of Events

Expanding our Education Reach

We are thrilled to be hosting more field trips and teacher professional development events as demand continues to return post Covid. In addition to the wide range of field trips we facilitated this Spring, our education team hosted two professional development days for Cincinnati Public Schools employees. The individuals who attended got to meet Greenacres staff, learn more about our field trips and see how we can help with various state standards.

Brown County students at the Human Library at Greenacres Lewis Township. — Brown County students at the Greenacres Lewis Township Human Library

In Lewis Township, Brown County middle school students were invited to the “Human Library” at our education facility. The 8th grade students were able to meet and talk to professionals from various industries and backgrounds. These students got a much better understanding of what it can take to enter specific industries.

At Michaela Farm in Indiana, Oldenburg Academy culinary arts students have been getting a hands-on “farm to table” experience. The students learned about gardening seasonality and how to maximize flavor and nutritional value. The class even got to prep and plant their own garden bed. The vegetables grown in this plot will be harvested by the students and used in the class’s kitchen.

If you are an educator interested in field trips, please contact our Education Coordinator Katie Brown. Our Education Team creates exceptional field trip experiences for each and every visitor we serve. We collaborate with classroom educators to build customized, hands-on interactive experiences aligned with grade-level academic learning standards. You can use our field trip programming tool to browse popular topics by grade and by academic subject.

Equine First Responders Training

The equine department has been busy with a full Spring Session. Our advanced students have been enjoying the cross country course when the weather permits. We enroll riders between the ages of 8-18. Our lessons are English only with a focus in Eventing. Due to extremely high-demand our waitlist is currently closed while we move riders off the list.

Fire trucks and ambulance parked outside of Greenacres Equine Center indoor riding arena.

The equine department partnered with the Goshen and Indian Hill/ Madeira 1^st Responders to offer hands-on training with the horses. The 1^stResponders got to tour the Greenacres Equine Center and work hands on learning how to lead and work with horses. Our staff provides information and exercises that will help prepare 1^st Responders for responding to calls where horses are involved. Goshen and Indian Hill/ Madeira were the pilot groups. We will be scheduling additional dates throughout 2023 for other departments to participate.

Ecological Research Grants

Through our extended research grant program, we have had the opportunity to collaborate with academic researchers on various ecological projects. Last year, three universities were awarded grant money: Northern Kentucky University, Miami University and the University of Dayton. This year, all three projects are coming together. Northern Kentucky is studying spring ephemeral (wildflower) restoration to understand what source material (seeds, bare root or plugs) result in the most success along with how soil and light conditions influence the growth of these species. Our woods in Indian Hill are one of the study sites. Miami University researchers are also on site, looking at the impact of deer and invasive species on woodland restoration. This Spring, as part of the study and with the help of our estate crew, two deer exclosures were constructed on our property. And the University of Dayton is working with Five Rivers MetroParks to understand how to best restore former agricultural fields back to woodlands. They are looking at different ways to improve soil health to support the growth of trees, in particular oaks. All of these projects are 2-3 years in length and the results of each will help inform land managers of the best management practices for their woodland restoration projects.

NKU_Ecological_Research — Northern Kentucky University undergraduates on site at Greenacres measuring plant height, flower number and seed heads on species planted during the restoration project.

13 Jun 2023

Featured, News Leonore Salvado 0 comment

Greenacres Water Quality Education Center to be Renamed to Reflect Diverse Field Trip Programming and the Community it Serves

Miami Township, Clermont County – June 8, 2023

Greenacres is pleased to announce a change that better aligns with their field trip programming. Effective immediately, the Greenacres Water Quality Education Center building will be renamed “Greenacres Miami Township – Clermont County.”

The decision to adopt the new name stems from a desire to change the public perception of the educational experiences and opportunities available at this facility. While the original name specifically highlighted water quality programs, the location has always offered a comprehensive suite of activities, covering various aspects of environmental education.

“Programs at this facility can range from anywhere maple syrup collection activities in the winter, to creek exploration in the summer, and so much more” says Scott Wingate, Greenacres Director of Education. “By renaming this location, we hope to emphasize that this facility is more than just water quality education. This new name reflects our commitment to serve Clermont County by providing immersive and engaging field trip programming that explores not only water quality but also other vital aspects of environmental stewardship. We will continue to offer a rich selection of field trip experiences that empower visitors to understand, appreciate, and protect our natural world.”

Greenacres thanks Miami Township, Clermont County community for their continued support and looks forward to this new chapter as they embrace a more comprehensive approach to environmental education.

For media inquiries or further information, please contact:

Name: Peter Wheeler

Title: Director of Marketing

Organization: Greenacres Foundation

Email: pwheeler@green-acres.org

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