The grass was still wet with dew that morning when Ben Watson, Project Manager at Climate Engineers, stepped out of his car to visit Etzel Sugar Grove Farm for the first time. From the smile on his face, you could tell wet shoes weren’t going to dampen his excitement to learn about Indian Creek Nature Center’s 190-acre organic farm.
As Ben toured the farm (seeing the pasture-raised chicken house, the honey bee apiary, and the permaculture field), his curiosity showed with questions like; “Where does the produce go?” “How long does it take to set up a permaculture field?” “How many people work out here?” “What does pasture-raised mean?”
By the time Ben’s shoes were wet from walking through the dew-coated grass, he had found a deeper understanding and appreciation for the sustainable methods used on the organic farm.
“I didn’t really know much about the farm, other than that you guys had one. It was a good learning opportunity to come out and see everything you guys are doing. I had no idea exactly how extensive it was,” Ben said. “My wife and I, we try to buy locally and eat organic as much as possible. Seeing that there are farms like this out here, working towards that and trying to do things the right way is pretty cool.”
Ben Watson learned about regenerative agriculture during a visit to Etzel Sugar Grove Farm, where riders can enjoy a farm-fresh breakfast during the first inaugural Barn to Farm Bike Ride on September 27.
This new connection to the farm gave Ben one more reason to be glad Climate Engineers is sponsoring the Barn to Farm Bike Ride, where riders can learn about the farm, savor a farm-fresh breakfast, and enjoy live music in the middle of a go-at-your-own-pace 36-mile bike ride.
Ben shared, “I know how excited people get about bike rides, whether it’s RAGBRAI or different events. I think this is one the community will support quite a bit. We have a number of employees who like to bike ride, and it’d be something they would enjoy participating in.”
The Barn to Farm Bike Ride, which will be hosted for the first time on September 27, combines the local community’s love for biking with the chance to celebrate local food, music, and beauty.
The ride route passes multiple local landmarks, the music is by local musicians, the food is prepared by a local restaurant, and the eggs used for the breakfast will be so local you’ll be able to hear the chickens who laid them as you eat!
When asked why Climate Engineers supports the Barn to Farm Bike Ride, Ben said, “Our goal is always to support local businesses and charities to make the community a better place to live. It’s nice to have activities like going out to the Nature Center, eating at local restaurants, or getting help from local charities.”
Climate Engineers also proudly supports the Nature Center’s outdoor craft beverage event, Trailside Tastings, and outdoor yoga series, Practice in the Prairie, because they each “give another option for people to do something and get out in nature. That’s something we feel strongly about.” While Ben was standing in the permaculture field and asking questions about the variety of organic crops grown there, a monarch butterfly fluttered into the field and landed on a purple clover flower. There, in those bright orange and black wings, Ben got to see the cohesive beauty of the permaculture field in action.
The clover, a cover crop selected because it’s native to the local ecosystem, attracted a native pollinator to a field that intentionally makes space for a diversity of crops, wildlife, and native plants that coexist to create a growing environment dependent of herbicides and pesticides.
“This was a great opportunity to learn more about the farm,” Ben said as he approached the end of his farm tour. Before leaving, he expressed a desire to continue giving back.
“We would like to have a volunteer day where we could have employees come out and lend their skill set to anything that could help the Nature Center. Our employees are really good with their hands. They have lots of toys and tools they like to work with.”
There’s always work to be done on the farm, and (as Ben discovered) the Barn to Farm Bike Ride is a great way to learn more about the farm, and its impact on the local food system.
“We hope the Barn to Farm Bike Ride becomes self-sustaining,” Ben said, “Then you’ll get more and more support for the farm, and people will be learning about everything you’re doing here at the farm, which will be pretty cool.”