Author: Peter Wheeler

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24 Mar 2020
Learn Peter Wheeler 0 comment

Sit Spot Activity

Sit Spot Activity

Tune in with nature by doing a simple activity called a sit spot. Find a comfortable spot out in your backyard, front yard, park, at a window or a parking lot. A sit spot can be done anywhere! Sit for at least five minutes and observe the natural world around you. Share your nature findings with each other. Nature is everywhere, you just have to look!

Having something to sit on: like a tarp, old cushion or jacket is a nice addition and helps keep everyone clean.

A sit spot is a special time for you and your family to connect with nature in a deep way. During this chaos, it is important to remember to slow down, that nature is healing and that we need nature in our lives. Sit spots are a great way to attain stillness, give space for curiosity, and connect to the world around us.

Begin by allowing each household member to find a place to sit in the yard, porch, park or wherever you choose. Let your children know that this can be their special spot, no one else’s. Try to spread out in the space to limit distractions. Be sure to set boundaries so your kids don’t end up in the neighbor’s yard. And now you simply just sit. No talking between each other. No letting your child show you something. I know this part might be hard, but it is important to be patient. Allow stillness and calmness to flow over you as you sit. Ask your children to make silent observations. These could be things they see, hear, smell or touch. We find it’s best to avoid taste when it comes to observing.

Start your first day with just 5 minutes. I recommend using a timer so you can make your own observations without worrying about the time. After the sit spot time is over, get together and let each person share their experience and tell their sit spot story. This is where the magic happens. Kids will notice infinitesimal things that us adults tend to overlook or have stopped noticing. As each observation is shared, ask guiding questions, such as “What color was the bird?” or “Did this smell a certain way?” or “What did you enjoy most about your sit spot?”

Try to do a sit spot every day for a week. Then gently increase the amount of time each day you do a sit spot. You’ll increase observation skills and curiosity. Kids will begin to look forward to the routine and familiarity. And as a bonus, you’ll also have a few minutes of calm each day to look forward to as well!

23 Mar 2020
News Peter Wheeler 0 comment

What Would the Nipperts Do?

What Would the Nipperts Do?

A Letter from our President

Greenacres dedicated 2020 as the first year of  “WWTND”  — What Would the Nipperts Do?  The idea was to engage employees and sharpen our focus on the mission and vision of Louis and Louise Nippert. Little did we know that the year would change so dramatically and that we would really have to think about WWTND in whole new light. In response to COVID-19, Greenacres is taking the following actions:

  1. Non-Essential Employees began working from home last week.  We have asked employees to work on new ways to educate and communicate and to work on their skills as experts.
  2. Essential employees – those associated with farm activities – are reporting to work but we are using a skeleton crew.
  3. We are following the guidelines of distancing and washing frequently.

These are internal steps but our team is dedicated to serving the community and wanted to do more. So we looked at what we can offer to help with the current challenge.  Here are additional thing Greenacres will be doing:

  1. Expand garden production by “plowing fence row to fence row” in our garden areas.
  2. Add more animals as fields green up to increase our ability to provide grass finished protein products.
  3. Develop an electronic media way to deliver lessons that we used to deliver in person. We will use this channel to further inform people of our research and other activities.

All of the above are actions that the Nipperts would approve of and would participate in. During WWII the going was getting very difficult in the Philippines due to rain – typhoon season. Jeeps and wheeled vehicles were bogging down in the mud and the enemy had the advantage of being entrenched while our soldiers needed to move forward and advance. The problem was discussed and a solution was proposed – send in the Cavalry, not the modern wheeled or even more modern helicopter Cavalry but the old fashioned horse Cavalry.  Mr. Nippert was a Captain who knew a thing or two about horses and called upon to head to Kansas and restart the horse Cavalry to be used to invade the Philippines.  Mr. and Mrs. Nippert headed west to Kansas and began to rebuild the horse Cavalry.  Mr. Nippert described the effort as challenging because so few of the chosen soldiers could ride a horse, let alone care for it.  The “old” Cavalry manuals were out of date and out of print and the horse Cavalry was needed in the Philippines now.  So Captain Nippert went to work training horses and soldiers and preparing to invade the Philippines. The day came for the Horse Cavalry to prove it was ready to leave Kansas with orders given to pack up and head to California to get on ships. As they prepared to depart, the typhoons ended and the Jeeps started rolling.  Captain Nippert received new orders – disband the horse Cavalry.  When he talked about this story which he did infrequently and with little detail, he always mentioned that he, like so many in the GREATEST GENERATION, never thought about the downside, the danger or the sacrifice they were making. They just thought about their country and their duty to answer the call, whatever it was.

Today, we are all being asked to answer the call to take on a new enemy, an enemy that is here among us, a virus.  WWTND? The answer is clear – answer the call and serve. Some will serve by growing more food, some by creating new education channels and some just by following the rules and self-quarantine.  In each case there is individual sacrifice, but those sacrifices are small compared to the sacrifice of the Greatest Generation in WWII.  It is time to pull together, do what you can and listen to and follow the lines of Bob Dylan’s “You got to serve somebody”.   It does not matter who you are, now is the time to serve somebody and the somebody I suggest is your neighbors and friends and serve them with kindness and care and follow the COVID-19 rules.  That is what the Nipperts would do.

Please stay healthy and happy and remember to serve someone.

-Carter Randolph

Greenacres President

13 Mar 2020
News Peter Wheeler 0 comment

COVID-19 Update

COVID-19 Update

APRIL 7 2020

Protecting the safety of our employees and animals has always been a priority at Greenacres. Although we are taking every precaution with our staff, with the current news of a tiger at the Bronx Zoo testing positive for Coronavirus, we need to make sure we do everything to protect our animals to the same standard. It is believed that an asymptomatic zoo employee transmitted the infection and it is confirmed that animals can contract the virus from humans.

In order to ensure animal safety, please remember that Greenacres is CLOSED with the exception of essential employees which includes our animal care personnel and garden personnel.

Our property is beautiful and may be tempting to hike or walk your dog, but we ask that you refrain and keep in mind that it is private property and cannot be treated like a public park. During normal times we appreciate having invited visitors, but for now, we must absolutely limit who is on the property.

We appreciate your help and respect in the matter and look forward to having school groups back soon.

For more information about the tiger and how the disease can potentially spread from humans to animals:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-05/tiger-at-nyc-s-bronx-zoo-tests-positive-for-coronavirus

MARCH 30 2020

The latest updates from the CDC and the State of Ohio means that Greenacres will be shutting down all non-essential operations until further notice.

All field trips, events and volunteer programs are suspended until at least May 1.

Our Farm Store continues to stay open with limited hours and curbside pickup.

MARCH 16 2020 

With recent updates from the CDC and the State of Ohio, Greenacres will be shutting down all non-essential operations until further notice.

All field trips, events and volunteer programs are suspended until early April.

Our Farm Store WILL REMAIN OPEN WITH LIMITED HOURS as it is an essential source of nutrition for many families. Please note the following Farm Store procedures and hours:

  • Tuesday – Friday: 12 PM – 5PM
  • Saturday: 10 AM – 12PM
  • We will limit the amount of customers in the store to 2 shoppers at a time to avoid close contact scenarios.
  • Farm Store employees will be implementing even stricter handwashing procedures.
  • All high contact surfaces (ie. door knobs, fridge handles, etc.) will be sanitized multiple times throughout the day.

The safety of both our staff and visitors is of the utmost concern for us and we feel this is the best course of action for now. We will review our status on a weekly basis and will let you know as soon as anything changes.

We wish you and your families the best during this time.

-Greenacres

 

MARCH 13 2020 

Friends of Greenacres,

As a valued visitor, we appreciate your support for Greenacres whether it’s through attending our field trips, shopping in our farm store, renting our events venue, or helping with our volunteer programs. 

With COVID-19 dominating the headlines, we want to update you with the status of our various activities and the steps that we are taking to ensure the safety of our visitors and employees. 

We are closely monitoring the CDC’s guidelines, as well as the recommendations from state and local governments. We have provided our employees with specific instructions on how to help prevent the spread of the virus, stressing the importance of proper hand washing, staying at home if they feel sick, and increasing our sanitation procedures. We have not had any of our staff travel to high-risk areas since the virus broke out, but we would ask anyone who thinks they have been potentially exposed to self-quarantine for the recommended 14 days. 

As a guest, we want to let you know that we are remaining open for business until further notice. That means you can still shop our farm store, attend any field trips your school has booked this year, volunteer as usual, and plan for your event to go on as scheduled. We do ask that you respect the safety of other guests and employees and stay home if you feel unwell or think you may have been exposed to the virus. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the department you have been working with and someone will be happy to offer guidance on how to proceed. 

Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to serving you soon. 

15 Jan 2020
Local Food Peter Wheeler 0 comment

Ian Zeglin – Manager of Garden Operations

Ian Zeglin – Manager of Garden Operations

Ian has been working around the Greenacres’ gardens for quite a few years and recently became our Manager of Garden Operations. We sat down with Ian to discuss his new role, the importance of local, generative farming, and what he looks forward to growing most in 2020.

How did you get into gardening?

I studied nutrition in college and wanted to understand food from the source. My first summer out of college I took a summer garden position with Greenacres and fell in love with the production side of growing produce. In 2014, I was offered the opportunity to manage the farm at Blue Oven Bakery. I spent three seasons with Blue Oven, then helped with the Camp Washington Urban Farm project, before eventually finding my way back to Greenacres.

What makes gardening at farms like Greenacres special?

Farms like Greenacres give you the opportunity to explore methodologies that have an impact on things like environmental health, the health of a person who is purchasing our product, and an opportunity to teach others why this matters.

We grow vegetables with a focus on quality. We start with the basics, focusing on soil that is abundant and alive. We believe that soil is much more than a few essential minerals. We believe that biologically active soil that is rich in minerals makes healthier plants which makes a better tasting and more nourishing product.

What are some of the challenges with gardening in Southwest Ohio?

The beautiful thing about growing here is that we are able to grow almost everything, both warm and cold weather crops. It also means that, to an extent, we deal with just about every pest and issue that affects gardens. This makes it a uniquely challenging region to grow in because you need to understand a large spectrum of what you might run into throughout the entire season.

What are you looking forward to growing most in 2020?

Potatoes! We haven’t had a great crop of potatoes at Greenacres in a long time. It’s a big focus for us this year. I love growing a lot of the things you would grow if you were running a homestead. They let you make a complete meal with things you grew only on your farm. Our ultimate goal is to have potatoes available most of the year.

 

Ian will be speaking at Turner Farms upcoming event: “A CONVERSATION WITH FARMERS & MARKET GARDENERS” on February 5. This should be a great event. If you’re interested, learn more here

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