Category: News

20 Mar 2023
Learn, News Jen Langdon 0 comment

Prescribed Fire at Greenacres

Prescribed Fire at Greenacres

Fire as a Land Management Tool

As stewards to the land gifted to us by the Nippert family, Greenacres strives to utilize the best land management practices available. Fire has always been a part of the natural world, and returning prescribed fire to our landscape is an integral part of conserving nature, for the benefit of both wildlife and humans alike. Various plant communities found on our properties are dependent on fire to create a healthy, resilient, and biodiverse ecosystem. From the wildflowers of spring and summer, to the oak trees feeding its acorns to the animals of the forest, to grasslands hosting quail – all are dependent of periodic fire to keep the ecosystem in balance.

Students out on an early fall adventure.

Conducting a Prescribed Burn

As a land management tool, prescribed fire requires careful planning and thorough training to ensure the safety of persons and property. Greenacres staff members who plan and lead prescribed fires are certified through the Ohio Division of Forestry and have years of experience. Staff trainings are held to ensure all those who are working these fires are knowledgeable and competent in their roles. Permits are issued through the Ohio Division of Forestry, the Ohio EPA, and local fire departments, holding Greenacres to the utmost standards while conducting prescribed fires.

Greenacres conducted two prescribed burns in Indian Hill in 2022 – for more information on those fires, please click here

If you have questions, or would like more information, please email Chris Glassmeyer at cglassmeyer@green-acres.org

07 Mar 2023
Snow-covered large Greenhouse with pond in front.
Featured, News Leonore Salvado 0 comment

Winter 2023 Update

Winter 2023 Update

Improving Garden Production with Caterpillar Tunnels

Our garden team is excited to have nine operational caterpillar tunnels. These plastic tunnels are designed to extend our growth and harvest season by protecting crops from wind and weather. Our Manager of Garden Operations, Ian Zeglin tells us that, “these tunnels allow us to get our crops outside earlier in the spring and to keep our crops longer in the ground throughout fall.”

In the winter, the tunnels provide protection from the wind and cold-weather elements. Although we have several varieties of cold-hardy crops that are able to survive Ohio winters, the tunnels allow these plants to thrive in a harvestable manner. In the summer, the tunnels are then used for warm weather crops such as tomatoes and peppers. These crops love heat and the tunnels help provide a warm environment in which they can thrive. The tunnels also help keep leaves dry so that we don’t get diseases like late blight. Ian Zeglin also mentions that “with their light-weight and compact design, these tunnels can easily be moved and utilized all over the farm!”.

“These tunnels allow us to get our crops outside earlier in the spring and to keep our crops longer in the ground throughout fall. And, with their light-weight and compact design, these tunnels can easily be moved and utilized all over the farm!”

-Ian Zeglin, Manager of Garden Operations

What's New at Michaela Farm?

Indian Hill isn’t the only campus with new high tunnels. Our garden crew at Michaela Farm is also adding them to the St. Mary’s Road gardens. In addition to vegetable production improvements, we are gradually reintroducing more livestock back to the farm. Last month, we added a mobile coop to the property, along with a flock of 150 laying hens and two roosters which means eggs have returned to the store! Mobile coops benefit the pasture as the manure fertilizes the ground and the chickens eat insects and break up the soil with their scratching. You can click here to see a video tour of the coops we use and learn more about our egg production practices. 

“We are looking forward to more vegetables year round at Greenacres Michaela Farm!“

-Jules Brookbank, Garden Site Supervisor

Turning Geography into Data

Geographic information systems (GIS) is a way to combine data and maps to reveal new insights. The research department recently begun using GIS to broaden its capabilities through experiment site planning, mobile data collection, and data modeling. “Maps and GIS allow us to quickly get a snapshot of the land, using a combination of field-collected and remotely-sensed data. With a better understanding of our properties, our researchers and land managers can more effectively achieve their goals,” says Research Assistant, Luke Weyer.

One use of GIS is the detection of Amur honeysuckle via satellite. Amur honeysuckle and other invasive shrubs were removed at Greenacres starting in 2017. Amur honeysuckle maintains a competitive advantage over native plants by keeping green leaves and photosynthesizing after most native trees/shrubs have lost their leaves. Because of this, satellite imagery from November can “see through” the bare canopy and distinguish green honeysuckle leaves from the surrounding dormant vegetation.

As with all models, the data presented by GIS should not be immediately accepted as fact; there will be sources of error. These maps can, however, be used as a starting point to notice broad patterns (like the overall success of the removal), indicate areas on property where honeysuckle presence needs to be confirmed/rejected, and identify where honeysuckle is most likely to re-enter the property.

Above is the output map of that analysis, modeling where honeysuckle (yellow) may be present. Notice the lack of honeysuckle present on Greenacres’ property in comparison to surrounding areas, especially along the right edge of the property.

“Maps and GIS allow us to get quickly get a snapshot of the land, using a combination of field-collected and remotely-sensed data. With a better understanding of our properties, our researchers and land managers can more effectively achieve their goals.”

-Luke Weyer, Research Assistant 

Electric Lawn Mowers

After a year long trial of electric automatic lawn mowers, Greenacres has purchased an additional six. These electric mowers are quieter, safer, and require less maintenance than traditional lawn mowers, making them a great fit for our “green” initiatives. Our goal is that they outlive our older-model lawn equipment to prove their sustainability. Our Buildings and Grounds Director, Alex Saurber informs us, “after several months of research, we are very excited to move forward with the additional automatic mowers. With these new mowers at work, it frees up a lot of time for our estate crew to start new projects, including ‘green’ ones. We are proud to be taking steps towards a greener future and look forward to reduced emissions when maintaining our lawns.”

“After several months of research, we are very excited to move forward with the additional automatic mowers. With these new mowers at work, it frees up a lot of time for our estate crew to start new projects, including ‘green’ ones. We are proud to be taking steps towards a greener future and look forward to reduced emissions when maintaining our lawns.”

-Alex Saurber, Director of Buildings and Grounds 

Maple Syrup Production at Greenacres

Did you know North America is the only place in the world where maple syrup is produced?  In fact, the majority of maple syrup comes from Canada. However, there are twelve maple-producing states in the US, and Ohio is ranked in the Top Five. In southern Ohio, sap begins to flow in late January or early February. The best production happens when the temperatures reach over 40F during the day and below 32F during the nights.

We tap sugar maple trees as this species has the highest sugar content of all maple species. It requires over 40 gallons of sap to produce 1 gallon of pure maple syrup!  Each maple season, students visit Greenacres to experience the entire maple syrup process through our field trip programming.  This year we shared the joy of maple syrup production in our new Sugar Shack at our Old Church site. This is where we begin the process of evaporating and producing maple syrup from the sap we collected in our “sugar bush.”

A group of children gathering outside a wooden maple sugar shake

Preserving Herbs Through Dehydration

Dried herbs are a great way to add flavor to your cooking, especially when fresh options are not available. Drying preserves the flavor of the herbs, reducing waste and maximizing the yield of our plants during the growing season. We were able to introduce these to our customers thanks to the efforts of our Garden Apprentice, Abby McGuire. Garden apprentices are required to select a project for personal development and Abby selected dried herb production. We’re very proud of what she accomplished!  

We grow a vareity of herbs, like sage, thyme, lavender and chamomile. The plants are packed with oils and flavors and are harvested by the garden team early in the day alongside our vegetables. Post-harvest care varies based on the characteristics of each herb. Some herbs like sage and rosemary benefit from the leaves being removed from the stem before drying, while thyme is small and tender, better suited to dry with the leaves on the stem, and then stripped after drying.

We worked with the Health Department to develop kitchen protocols to ensure food safe practices are followed during the dehydration and packaging process. It can take anywhere from 8-12 hours to create a finished product depending on the variety of the herb being dehydrated. Herbs that are woody, like rosemary, take longer to dry fully than delicate herbs like basil and dill. Once dry, the herbs are carefully weighed and packaged into individual packets, heat sealed, and labeled. We are excited to bring these little glimpses of summertime freshness into the Farm Store!

Dried Herbs in Brown Packaging (Dill and Rosemary)

“We want to ensure our plants are healthy before we harvest, to guarantee a quality product and allow the plant to regenerate for the future.”

Abby McGuire, Garden Apprentice

Winter Equine Program

The 2023 Spring Session is full. We still have an active waitlist, so if you are interested in enrolling your children in the lesson program we invite you to join our waitlist. We enroll riders between the ages of 8-18. 

School Horse Spotlight

Sol is a 24 year old warmblood and has been a Greenacres school horse since 2012. Sol is a jack of all trades in our lesson program. He is quiet enough to teach the beginners how to walk and trot, but he can also teach riders how to jump. During show season, Sol enjoys traveling to horse shows with our Pony Club members. When Sol is not teaching lessons or traveling to horse shows, you will find him hanging out with his best friend Quest during turnout.

Horse cantering through pasture with rider at competition
17 Feb 2023
Featured, News, Research Leonore Salvado 0 comment

Arts and Agriculture Come Together in New Documentary Film

Arts and agriculture
Come together in new documentary film

Produced by Interlochen Arts Academy and Greenacres Foundation, the film will showcase the power of generative farming practices and its connection with human nutrition and the environment.

Greenacres Foundation and Interlochen Center for the Arts are proud to announce their partnership on a new film project exploring the impact of generative agriculture. The film will be produced by Interlochen Arts Academy’s Film & New Media students and will feature interviews with farmers and scientists as well as data from agricultural research conducted by Greenacres and its partners.

“It is great to have a partner to bring to life the research we’ve done,” said Greenacres President Carter Randolph, Ph.D. “Partnering with Interlochen Center for the Arts will allow us to reach a wider audience and bring attention to the importance of generative agriculture through impactful storytelling. There are so many truths in the research and science and it’s time to make it available in a format that resonates with consumers.”

“It is great to have a partner to bring to life the research we’ve done. Partnering with Interlochen Center for the Arts will allow us to reach a wider audience and bring attention to the importance of generative agriculture through impactful storytelling. There are so many truths in the research and science and it’s time to make it available in a format that resonates with consumers.”

Carter Randolph, Ph.D., Greenacres President

Interlochen Film and New Media students will do just that.

“The film aspires to tell a human, accessible story that will emotionally connect with, inspire and educate audiences, empowering them with knowledge to act,” said Interlochen Center for the Arts Director of Film and New Media Michael Mittelstaedt. “Our students will be integral to the creation of this film under the guidance of our faculty and resident artists. Their voice is an important one in these issues and this will be one of the first times their perspective is shared with the world.”

“The film aspires to tell a human, accessible story that will emotionally connect with, inspire and educate audiences, empowering them with knowledge to act. Our students will be integral to the creation of this film under the guidance of our faculty and resident artists. Their voice is an important one in these issues and this will be one of the first times their perspective is shared with the world.”

Michael Mittelstaedt, Interlochen Center for the Arts Director of Film and New Media

As part of the educational experience, Interlochen students will enroll in a new hands-on science class utilizing Interlochen’s on-campus organic farm and the RB Annis Botanical Lab. The class, entitled Biology: Regenerative Agriculture, explores the complexities of regenerative agriculture through the lens of documentary film study.

“It’s important for students to understand the philosophy and science behind regenerative agriculture. Students learn on such a deeper level when they actually get to see it in practice and actively participate in the process,” said Interlochen Director of Sustainability Emily Umbarger.

“It’s important for students to understand the philosophy and science behind regenerative agriculture. Students learn on such a deeper level when they actually get to see it in practice and actively participate in the process.”

Emily Umbarger, Interlochen Director of Sustainability

“We are thrilled to join with Greenacres Foundation to produce this film and bring broader attention to the critical benefits of regenerative agriculture,” said Interlochen Center for the Arts President Trey Devey. “This partnership provides  unparalleled opportunities  for our students to work across artistic disciplines, engage with professional artists, explore new facets of sustainability, and create meaningful, world-changing art.”

“We are thrilled to join with Greenacres Foundation to produce this film and bring broader attention to the critical benefits of regenerative agriculture. This partnership provides  unparalleled opportunities  for our students to work across artistic disciplines, engage with professional artists, explore new facets of sustainability, and create meaningful, world-changing art.”

Trey Devey, Interlochen Center for Arts President

In 2016, Interlochen’s Board of Trustees adopted a sustainability resolution, pledging to “create an environmentally friendly and sustainable campus” at Interlochen Center for the Arts. In the six years since, the organization has constructed a botanical lab and community garden; initiated campus-wide recycling and composting programs; installed water-saving appliances and restroom fixtures; established sustainability education programs for Interlochen students and members of the local community; and donated thousands of pounds of organic fruits and vegetables to the local food pantry at Redeemer Lutheran Church. In 2019, the United States Department of Education designated Interlochen Center for the Arts a Green Ribbon School in recognition of the organization’s efforts to reduce its environmental impact, improve the health and wellness of its students and staff, and provide effective environmental and sustainability education. Later this year, Interlochen will also release its first-ever formalized climate action plan, which will outline further steps toward mitigating climate change and reducing the institution’s carbon footprint.

The film is set to begin production this fall, with a goal of premiering at national film festivals. It will then be made available to the public through a streaming platform and community screenings.

About Interlochen Center for the Arts

The nonprofit Interlochen Center for the Arts is a recipient of the National Medal of Arts and the only organization in the world that brings together a 3,000-student summer camp program; a 500-student fine arts boarding high school; opportunities for hundreds of adults to engage in fulfilling artistic and creative programs; two 24-hour listener-supported public radio services (classical music and news); more than 600 arts presentations annually by students, faculty and world-renowned guest artists; and a global alumni base spanning nine decades, including leaders in the arts and all other endeavors. For information, visit Interlochen online at www.interlochen.org.

About Greenacres Foundation

Greenacres Foundation is an Ohio-based nonprofit and underwriter of the project. The foundation’s work focuses on education, conservation and generative agriculture with an emphasis on encouraging appreciation of nature by providing the public, particularly children, opportunities to study plant and animal life in their natural settings. For more information, visit Greenacres online at www.green-acres.org.

02 Feb 2023
News Peter Wheeler 0 comment

Silo Removal at Michaela Farm

Silo Removal at Michaela Farm

The blue silos behind the Michaela Farm barn building are being removed and recycled for the safety of employees and visitors. These silos were not part of the original construction of the barn, and they have reached the end of their functional life span because of their age and condition. Greenacres respects and appreciates the historic nature of the barn and is working to preserve this important piece of the farm for future generations.

“We carefully inspected these structures and determined the best course of action would be to remove them as they were showing signs of their age. They served their intended purpose for several decades, but as Greenacres transitions the property towards its focus on education, we want to ensure that the environment is as safe as possible for everyone. We are working with an Indiana contractor specializing in the safe and clean removal of these structures. We expect the project to be completed before the end of February 2023.”

Alex Saurber, Director of Buildings & Grounds

There are several ways old silos can be dismantled. Greenacres wanted to ensure that the historic barn building was not at risk throughout the process. The contractor who will remove the silos specializes in a method removing them from the bottom up. Although more time-consuming, there is no risk of unintended damage to surrounding structures. The recyclable materials will be sorted and sent to the appropriate facilities for reuse.

The deconstruction method we will use is very similar to a popular silo construction method in which a contractor builds a section and uses jacks to lift it to make room for the next section underneath. Each layer is added below the previous section. Deconstruction reverses this process by lifting the silo off the ground and removing the lowest section. One the ring is completely removed they lower the jacks and remove the next section and continue this process until the silo is completely dismantled. Very few contractors use this method to remove silos, instead preferring a quicker method of dropping them like a tree. Due to the potential danger to the surrounding historical buildings, we didn’t feel this option was viable. We spent a number of weeks finding a contractor who specialized in our preferred method and they will begin deconstruction on February 27th.

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