Greenacres’ Renovated Nippert Barn Provides New Ways to Engage

By Mary Casey-Sturk

In late 2024, Greenacres completed an impressive renovation of Nippert Barn, creating a dynamic space that serves as their newest education site and the new home of its Farm Market. The barn offers guests of all ages unique opportunities to learn about Greenacres through immersive educational programs and an enhanced shopping experience.

Inside Nippert Barn
The renovated Nippert Barn provides an expansive setting for field trips, homeschool groups, and other programs. The space blends historical charm with modern functionality, featuring soaring ceilings, reclaimed wood walls, and large windows offering pastoral views. Designed to be accessible, the barn accommodates large groups while maintaining an inviting atmosphere.

Sustainable design elements are central to the renovation. The barn incorporates geothermal heating and cooling, a rainwater capture system, and recycled materials where possible—reflecting Greenacres’ commitment to environmental stewardship. In addition to its educational mission, the space enhances the visitor experience at the Farm Market through rotating exhibits in Carter’s Classroom. These exhibits highlight Greenacres’ diverse programs, from agricultural operations and environmental research to arts and conservation efforts. A full listing of programs and events can be found on their website.

Programs
Programs at Nippert Barn cater to both children and adults, offering educational content that builds upon the Farm Market experience. Agriculture-focused field trips are growing in popularity, providing students with hands-on lessons in generative agriculture—a conservation and rehabilitation approach to food and farming systems. This method focuses on topsoil regeneration, increasing biodiversity, enhancing ecosystems, and improving the water cycle, all while strengthening soil health and resilience to climate change. Field trips help students deepen their connection with the environment and gain a clearer understanding of where their food comes from.

Greenacres’ school field trips are free, with transportation reimbursement available for qualifying schools. Cassidy Harvey, Content Marketing Coordinator, explains, “Our education team customizes programs based on curriculum and state standards. Teachers can reach out with their subject focus, and we’ll tailor experiences in soil health, weather, water cycles, and more.”

In addition to agriculture, Greenacres offers arts, environment, and equine education. The equine program engages middle school students with math concepts like the Pythagorean theorem, using horses as a unique way to teach geometry. Students measure distances between markers on the horses’ bodies, calculate food requirements, and learn about the daily care needs of the animals.

On extended field trips, students may visit the livestock handling facility, where Hanna Berwanger, Site Supervisor at Nippert Barn, teaches about animal care. The facility uses state-of-the-art equipment to weigh, vaccinate, and monitor the health of livestock, helping students understand the importance of humane animal husbandry and sustainable farming practices.

The Farm Market
The new Farm Market, located inside Nippert Barn, offers a welcoming space where visitors can shop for farm-fresh produce, meat, and handmade goods. Children can explore educational exhibits while parents browse seasonal offerings.

Greenacres operates two Farm Market locations—Nippert Barn in Cincinnati and Michaela Farm in Oldenburg, Indiana. Both markets sell produce grown without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides and pasture-raised eggs. The Nippert Barn location also offers 100% grass-fed, grass-finished beef and lamb, along with pasture-raised chicken, turkey, and pork. Livestock are rotationally grazed on fresh pasture, enhancing soil health and promoting animal well-being. Multi-species grazing reduces parasites and supports plant diversity. Greenacres’ generative practices yield nutrient-rich products while improving the land and supporting healthy communities.

A standout feature of the Farm Market is the Greenacres CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. Unlike traditional CSAs, members receive store credit, allowing them to select the products they want, when they want them, while also receiving discounts on certain products. The Market also sells handmade wood items crafted from reclaimed trees on the property, dried floral wreaths, fresh floral bouquets seasonally, herbs, and Greenacres’ signature marinara sauce.

A Testament to the Mission
Nippert Barn is a testament to Greenacres’ mission, which in part states, “To preserve the integrity of all land owned and purchased by Greenacres Foundation in order to encourage conservation and appreciation of nature by providing the public, particularly children, opportunities to study plant and animal life in their natural settings.” By blending historical preservation with sustainable design, the renovated barn creates a space where education, conservation, and community converge.To learn more about Greenacres programs and offerings, visit www.green-acres.org.