Urban Cows, Regenerative Agriculture, and Good Ol’ Hiking Trails

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Contributors: Claire Carlson, Jack Stenger

Have you ever met an urban cow? They are just like any other cow, except they live within city limits and enjoy beautiful views of downtown. If you’re curious to learn more about urban cows and the farm they call home, keep reading.

Join Cardinal Land Conservancy and Green Umbrella’s Greenspace Alliance for their collaborative hike at Bahr Farm and Winton Preserve on Friday, March 21 from 3-4:30 PM.

The Story of Bahr Farm and Winton Preserve

Tucked away in Northside is Bahr Farm, a 39-acre property purchased by the Bahr Family in 1916. In 2021, the Bahr Family generously gifted the farm to Cardinal Land Conservancy in exchange for permanent protection from development, which resulted in a win for the family and the creation of the Conservancy’s first working farm. Fun fact: The barn on the property was built in the early 1800s, making it the oldest barn in Hamilton County!

The working farm is home to a small number of urban cattle and Our Harvest Cooperative. The cattle are spend their time grazing on the mix of pollinator-friendly plants throughout the property, which serves as their main feed source. Our Harvest Cooperative, a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and member of Co-Op Cincy, occupies 6 acres near the front of the property. The organization’s mission is to ensure that Cincinnatians have fresh, easy-to-access food grown by fairly compensated workers. If you’re interested in Our Harvest, want to join their CSA, or want to support their work, check out their website.

Bahr Farm is connected to Winton Preserve, a 19-acre wooded area east of the farm and owned by Cardinal Land Conservancy. Winton Preserve contains native trees and vegetation restored to its natural state after extensive invasive honeysuckle removal. The Cardinal Land Conservancy is working in this space to establish a trail system for public use.

Bahr Farm’s Future

Cardinal Land Conservancy plans to turn Bahr Farm and Winton Preserve into its flagship property and open it up to the community so they can learn more about urban agriculture and restoration practices. Additionally, the woods that make up the Preserve are part of a carbon credit program. This program enables individuals or companies to offset their carbon emissions by purchasing credits from an organization implementing environmental practices that directly contribute to carbon dioxide removal.

Visit Bahr Farm and Winton Preserve!

We hope you’ll join us for our upcoming hike with Cardinal Land Conservancy at their Bahr Farm and Winton Preserve properties! The hike will take place on Friday, March 21 from 3-4:30 PM, and will be guided by Cardinal Land Conservancy staff. We will meet in the parking lot at 973 W North Bend Rd., Cincinnati, OH.

This hike is part of our monthly Meet a Greenspace Hiking series. We hope these hikes will provide those who join the time and space they need to reconnect with nature. If you have any questions, contact Green Umbrella’s Greenspace Alliance Manager, Claire Carlson, at claire@greenumbrella.org.

Tax Tips to Benefit You in 2024!

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See transcript below.

Video run time: 9:43
The following has been edited for clarity and length.

Beth: Welcome to Maximizing Your Year-End Giving, where we will explore unique ways for you to give to your favorite charities in this giving season. 30% of annual giving occurs in December. That means it’s a busy time of year for your giving advisors. My name is Beth Robison, and I’m the Development Director for Cincinnati Green Umbrella. Green Umbrella is a non-profit working to address climate change and to help build a more resilient, equitable, and thriving future. I’m excited today to be joined by two experts in charitable giving to talk about ways to give for you to consider this giving season. Leah Bobby is the Senior Philanthropic Strategies Advisor for the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, where she works collaboratively with individuals and their professional advisors to help them achieve maximum philanthropic impact. Welcome, Leah.

Leah: Thank you. 

Beth: Logan Holman is an experienced certified public accountant who specializes in individual tax. After nearly a decade with traditional accounting firms, working with affluent families and business owners, she has co-founded her own tax company, Vivify. Vivify brings tax services to the everyday taxpayer. Welcome, Logan.

Logan: Hi, Beth. Thank you. 

Beth: Before we begin, I want to clarify that while I’m with Green Umbrella, our discussion today pertains to charitable giving for any 501(c)(3) organization. And I want to say that I’m looking forward to chatting with both of you because this time of year I do get a lot of questions from donors about unique ways to give, and I thought having this conversation today would be a great way for us to explore some of those questions and do a little bit of a deeper dive. Shall we dig in?

Logan: Yes, let’s do it.

Leah: Sounds good.

Beth: With the growth in stocks and the good market we’ve had since the end of 2022, donors are interested in how they can take advantage of that stock growth in terms of their charitable giving. Do you have any ideas for that?

Logan: I’ll take this one, Leah. There’s a way that you can gift or donate appreciated stock without actually having to sell and generate that capital gain on your tax return. How this works is you buy a stock, let’s say you spend $100 on it. Time passes, now it’s worth $1,000. You have that large gain, and you want to be able to help an organization like Green Umbrella. Typically you might think, “Okay, I have to sell this stock and report a $900 capital gain on my tax return. I pay tax on the gain and then that leftover cash, I’ll give to the charity.” You can actually skip the steps in between and make a greater impact with that by just taking that stock that’s worth $1,000 and transferring it directly to the organization. 

Beth: Oh, wow. 

Logan: This is great because your taxable income stays down. You’re not paying that capital gains tax, and the organization doesn’t have to pay the capital gains tax either. So you’re just avoiding that altogether. And even though I only paid $100 for that stock years ago, this year I’m getting a full tax deduction for the fair market value. I’m getting a $1,000 deduction while donating to that charity. This is a great time to capitalize on those appreciated stocks.

Leah: I love that, Logan, so much. At GCF (Greater Cincinnati Foundation), we see a lot of folks who choose to utilize a gift of appreciated stock by creating what is called a donor-advised fund. This is a vehicle that is becoming popular for folks, more and more nonprofits are seeing gifts come through a donor-advised fund. This is great because a lot of folks can choose to frontload their giving by making one big gift that can then be granted to as many organizations as you please over the years, and you can really have a greater tax impact, especially in that one taxable event that you may have this year or next year. You can receive just one acknowledgment letter for your taxes, which is really nice for getting organized. 

Logan: And CPAs love that. 

Leah: As long as you grant to a 501(c)(3 with very few limitations, that is doable. A donor-advised fund is great because money continues to grow tax-free, which increases your giving power, which I’m sure you (Logan) also love as the accountant. This is really a great way to involve the entire family, especially if you’re getting the kids or grandkids involved in giving. You can do that together by making decisions of giving from your donor-advised fund.

Beth: Another question is from donors who have assets outside of stocks that they want to give. How can they do that strategically?

Logan: That’s another good question. A lot of times retirees have a lot of their net worth or their assets in their retirement vehicles, like their IRA. Something that’s relatively new is called a qualified charitable distribution (QCD). You have to be at least 70 and a half, but once you reach that age, you can transfer assets, stocks, whatever’s in your IRA, you can transfer it from the IRA directly to the charity. What that means is you’re not getting a tax deduction, but it’s completely avoiding your taxable income altogether. 

Let’s say you take your required minimum distribution is $30,000. $5,000 of that you want to go to Green Umbrella. You’re only going to show $25,000 as income on your tax return. This obviously saves tax. And the other really cool thing about that is you’ll be lowering your taxable income even if you don’t itemize your deduction. With the higher standard deduction limitations, a lot of people now haven’t been able to utilize the tax advantages of giving. With a QCD, even if you take the standard deduction, you get this tax benefit. That’s a really good way to give if you don’t have a lot of cash on hand. 

Beth: Okay, this is our final question of the day. Green Umbrella also has a lot of donors who own real estate and property. Can they use donor-advised funds and other giving vehicles to be used for more complex assets like those?

Leah: Oh, definitely, Beth. In addition to stocks, like we’ve been talking about a little earlier, you can also gift real estate, shares of privately owned businesses, and, really, the sky’s the limit when it comes to giving. There’s a lot of giving vehicles that can accommodate those more complex assets. I know at GCF, we see that more and more these days, and we always say cash is NOT king when you want to give. It’s something to think about, especially as you talk to your financial advisors. When you go to folks like Logan over at Vivify, they’ll be able to look at your full financial picture and make a decision that’s right for you and the impact you want to have on the community.

Logan: Yeah, I do reiterate what Leah said about talking to your personal advisors because they’re going to know your situation better. And they can help you brainstorm about some of what you’ve learned today, certain goals that you have for your own financial situation, and how to best utilize your gift to the organization.

Beth: I do think there’s a lot of value in that personal relationship, where they start to understand what your values are and what your priorities are for giving. They often know of ways to give that you might not be aware of. And then, of course, they can certainly help you with the tax advantages and all the different ways to give. 

Leah: Absolutely. 

Beth: Thank you both so much for sharing and giving us all these insights today. End-of-year giving is a great way to ensure that your priorities for our community are realized. I’m hoping that this 2024 giving season is going to be a really exciting one. If you all listening today have any questions, comments, or ideas for future collaborations like this, you can reach out to me and we can see about getting those on the schedule. I want to thank you both for helping me out with this today, and happy giving to everyone in 2024.

Logan: Thank you so much, Beth.

Leah: Thank you so much.

Beth Robeson is the Development Director for Green Umbrella. As Greater Cincinnati’s Regional Climate Collaborative, Green Umbrella leads a network of people, organizations, and governments committed to taking decisive action in the face of climate change. Impacting over 2.2 million residents throughout the region, Green Umbrella helps communities become more climate resilient and equitable, and work collectively to decrease the region’s emissions. 

Leah Bobby, CAP, CFRE, is the Senior Philanthropic Strategies Advisor for the Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF). Greater Cincinnati Foundation’s mission is to connect generous people with trusted nonprofits to create a vibrant tri-state region where every person has a fair opportunity to thrive. When you partner with GCF to achieve your charitable goals, you can look forward to collaborating with a multidisciplinary team that has a deep commitment to the Tri-State. 

Logan Holman, CPA, is the Co-Founder of Vivify, a female-owned team with a breadth of experience dedicated to making tax season approachable. Their mission is to break away from traditional norms and design an experience that alleviates the stress and confusion surrounding taxes. Vivify empowers individuals to navigate their taxes with ease while focusing on building wealth and achieving their financial goals.

A Midwest Mountain

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While we may not have steep and jagged peaks in the Midwest, our landscapes still have elevation and equally spectacular views. If you’re looking for a Mountain West experience close to home, join the Bender Mountain Autumnal Hike!

Join the Western Wildlife Corridor and Green Umbrella’s Greenspace Alliance for an Autumnal Hike at Bender Mountain on Friday, November 8th from 3-4:30 p.m.

Keep reading to learn more. We hope to see you there!

The Journey to the Top

The hike at Bender Mountain begins by crossing the creek. Pulling your focus away from external worries and directly into placing one foot in front of the other, it is an act of balance that requires your full and undivided attention. After placing your feet on its rocky banks, you pause and look up to see old-growth deciduous trees growing on an open forest floor. Throughout the year, flowering plants, ferns, moss, and lichen blossom and unfurl, making each visit to this wild place different than the last. You breathe in the smells of damp soil and leaves as the sounds of cars passing by slowly fade away. The hike to the top is breathtaking, both in the literal and physical sense of the word. The trail zigzags as you climb higher and higher up the rocky hillside. As you make your final ascent to the top, you are rewarded with a view unencumbered by development, transporting you back to a time when life was simpler. It is the perfect time to pause and catch your breath.

Guardians of the Land

Since 1992, Western Wildlife Corridor has protected land along the Ohio River Valley. To this day, they have preserved over 400 acres of land. A predominantly volunteer-based organization, they rely on the generosity and passion of others to preserve and restore their properties. Their Bender Mountain Property, where this month’s hike will take place, has been dubbed the “best place in Hamilton County to observe wildflowers” and is one of the most biodiverse places in the Tri-State, boasting over 470 species of plants.

Explore Bender Mountain

If you’re interested in exploring this Midwest Mountain gem, we hope you’ll join us at our upcoming Bender Mountain Autumnal Hike. This hike is a higher level of difficulty, featuring a creek crossing and high incline throughout. The hike will take place on Friday, November 8 from 3-4:30 p.m. and will be guided by Western Wildlife Corridor’s Executive Director, Matt Trokan. The hike will follow the Bender Loop Trail, roughly 2.3 miles and feature conversations on their habitat restoration efforts, the local history, and plans for the nature preserve. We will meet in the parking lot at the preserve entrance (6320 Bender Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45233).

This hike is a part of our monthly Meet a Greenspace Hiking series. We hope these hikes will provide those who join the time and space they need to reconnect with nature. If you have any questions, contact Green Umbrella’s Greenspace Alliance Manager Claire Carlson at claire@greenumbrella.org.

Northern Kentucky Schools Participate in Farm to School Month Challenge

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Contributors: Kristine Cahall-Dosch, Maddie Chera

Twenty-two Northern Kentucky schools participated in a Farm to School (F2S) challenge as part of the national Farm to School Month celebration in October. Participating schools received education and promotion kits from the Northern Kentucky Health Department to facilitate conversations around nutrition and agriculture. 

October has been recognized as National Farm to School Month since 2010, when the National Farm to School Network advocated a month-long recognition before Congress. The month of October serves a time to celebrate the connections between children and local food. From taste tests in the cafeteria and nutrition education activities in the classroom, to farm visits and school garden harvest parties, communities across the entire United States take part in the celebrations. 

The Northern Kentucky Health Department promotes a localized F2S program called the KY Farm to School Challenge. “They are encouraged to do a TASTE, GROW & LEARN activity. Some are doing taste tests, some are serving on the line, some are doing farm field trips,” said Monica Smith, a Community Registered Dietitian who leads the NKY Health Department’s F2S initiatives. Teachers, food service providers, and administrators are invited to sign-up for the challenge and in return receive F2S kits that include bulletin board kits, resources of where to source local food appropriate for the school cafeteria, word searches, Feed Our Future farmer trading cards, apple cutters, handouts, and much more. 


Green Umbrella’s Food Policy Council partners with the NKY Health Department to supply Feed Our Future educational materials included in the promotional kits. These materials were developed by Feed Our Future and Green Umbrella to highlight regional farmers who supply our tristate schools. F2S initiatives have been a backbone project of the Food Policy Council over the past 7 years to promote local food purchasing as a method to reduce carbon emissions from food miles and creating a resilient food system. 

Want to learn more about the F2S movement? Check out the National Farm to School Network or contact kristine@greenumbrella.org to learn more about what’s happening in our region. 

First Cultivate + Connect Event Brings Together Food System Champions Across the Region

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Contributors: Maddie Chera, Charlie Gonzalez, Anna Parnigoni

Green Umbrella’s Food Policy Council and the Common Orchard Project hosted a celebration at Urban Artifact’s The Reliquary on September 19th focused on the intersections of food, climate, and community. It was wonderful to see over 125 passionate local food champions come together to celebrate the impactful role we each play in creating a resilient regional food system here in Greater Cincinnati. The evening buzzed with energy as attendees cultivated new connections and participated in an interactive photo activity that mapped each of our vital roles in the regional food system—Farmers, Processors, Distributors, Consumers, and Waste Managers. These roles reflect a simplified version of our comprehensive, interconnected food system, and illustrate the circularity in that food system, as we attend to all aspects of the cycle from production through the lifecycle to organics processing.

As they mingled, guests enjoyed food and drink from 18 local businesses (check out the evening’s delicious menu!). One of the goals of the event was to provide an exceptional culinary experience that allowed each attendee to sample food from a variety of entrepreneurs who work tirelessly every day to nourish our communities. We hope you will support these businesses, too, when you cater your next event.

Sharing Experiences & Advocating For Change

As guests took their seats for the event’s main program, they enjoyed family-style dishes and beautiful centerpieces from ByCofi using Wildwood Flora flowers. The program featured Cincinnati City Council Member Anna Albi and five storytellers involved in our programs: Becky Richey, Anna Haas, Fran Knox Kazimierczuk, Polly Campbell, and Levi Grimm.

Council Member Albi highlighted the unexpected connection between youth gun violence and nutrition insecurity that inspired her to engage in food access work in Cincinnati. Richey, Haas, and Knox Kazimierczuk used their unique experiences working across the food system to highlight the importance of collaboration and commitment to community, and encouraged the audience to get involved. Campbell, a longtime food writer, spoke to change and continuity in our regional food system over the decades, and Grimm, the youngest speaker, encouraged listeners to embrace an entrepreneurial spirit in the face of complicated problems and use creativity and hope to work on solutions. It was all inspiring!

Common Orchard Project director Chris Smyth highlighted the dedication of our food system champions in building a resilient and well-fed region. Smyth described the purpose of the event as “celebrating the food that is created here, in our region, acknowledging that we are under constant cultivation and hopefully we are growing a more just, equitable, and tended-to world.”

Food Policy Council director Maddie Chera highlighted how Green Umbrella and its members link long-term climate strategy to the daily realities of nourishing families and the urgent need for sufficient food.

It’s not one or the other, climate or nutrition, long-term or short term, equity or prosperity. With food, it’s all of the above.

Chera shared the incredible climate impact that growing, distributing, and eating local food has in our region. Using Green Umbrella’s Local Food Climate Impact Calculator, the Common Orchard Project and Green Umbrella members, Rich Life Farm and Fungi, Sleepy Bee, and What Chefs Want!, found they saved over 232K kg of CO2 emissions by growing, distributing, and eating local food. That’s equivalent to over 50 gas-powered cars off the road! (If you want help figuring out your emissions savings through local food or food waste diversion, reach out to our Food Policy Council today!)

Cultivating Connections

We observed so many reignited and new connections at the event. Council Member Albi’s office connected Data Bloom with Cincinnati Zoo to utilize the Local Food Impact Calculator and better communicate greenhouse gas emissions savings of their hydroponic production. An NKY member of the Organic Association of Kentucky connected with a nutrition educator from UKY Cooperative Extension. And attendees heard in the concluding remarks that Urban Artifact is now setting up GoZero composting for their entire operations after using the service for this event. And so much more!

What connections did you make? How can Green Umbrella continue to cultivate connections for you? Email us to let us know!

Thanks & See You Next Year

A huge thank you to our event sponsors, Cincinnati Metro, Urban Artifact, and Edible Ohio Valley, whose support was instrumental. Our gratitude also extends to Robeson Marketing for the fabulous photography. And last but certainly not least, we thank all attendees for bringing your passion, filling the room with vibrant energy, and being a part of and supporting this important work we do.

We’ve compiled an album of photos and invite you to download any you’d like to keep or share. (And send us or tag us in any of yours!). Lastly, stay tuned for next year’s Cultivate + Connect! We can’t wait to see you there.

More Information & Resources 

All proceeds from Cultivate + Connect support Green Umbrella’s critical food systems work. If you were unable to attend, you can still support us by making a donation at greenumbrella.org/donate.

Your Downtown Cincinnati Pedestrian Experience is Incomplete

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You’ve visited Findlay Market and attended Bengals, Reds, and FC Cincinnati games. You’ve hung out in Washington Park and meandered along the riverfront. But your pedestrian experience in Cincinnati is incomplete until you’ve toured the historic alleys and stairways tucked between houses and zig-zagging throughout downtown.

So join Spring in Our Steps and Green Umbrella’s Greenspace Alliance for Stairs Walk in Downtown Cincinnati on Friday, September 13th, from 3-4:30 PM! 

Keep reading to learn more about these alleys and stairs ahead of the hike. We hope to see you there!

A Fading Past

Photos are provided by Spring In Our Steps, the photos above show view Court Alley in Mt. Auburn which has been demolished.

Some of the most iconic features of downtown Cincinnati, unknown or unused by many in the community, are the public alleys and stairways that traverse the city’s historic hillsides. Maybe you’ve driven by one on your way to Clifton or passed by another during a trip to the Over-the-Rhine. But if you haven’t noticed them, don’t worry, you’re not alone.

Hundreds of these public walkways were built as Cincinnati expanded in the 19th and 20th centuries. They became an integral part of how people navigated the city. Over the years, however, many of these spaces became neglected and fell into disrepair – fading into the shadows of buildings and overgrown by brush. Their usage diminished and many have been closed and are no longer open for public use.

Reclamation and Revitalization

Since 2012, a local nonprofit called Spring in Our Steps (SiOS) has been dedicated to repairing, and cleaning these forgotten public walkways to improve their usability and breathe new life into a once-thriving feature of the Cincinnati urban landscape. Christian Huelsman, co-founder and Executive Director of SiOS has been revitalizing these spaces for over a decade. Through volunteer cleanup efforts and community outreach events like their Alley Flicker Film Series, in addition to several walking and biking tours, SiOS has continually achieved its mission to bring a brighter future to the city’s most neglected public corridors. 

Some of their key projects include the revitalization of Peete Alley, the upper Ohio Avenue Steps, Fig Alley Steps, and Fairmount Avenue Steps.

Photo provided by Spring In Our Steps from the Annual Alley Ronde: 100 Alleys Bike Ride, a collaboration with Queen City Bike.

Explore Cincinnati’s Public Stairs and Alleyways

If you’re interested in completing your pedestrian experience in downtown Cincinnati, we hope you’ll join us at our upcoming Downtown Stairs Walk for a unique urban exploration experience. The walk will take place on Friday, September 13th from 3-4:30 p.m. and will be guided by SiOS’s Christian Huelsman.  It will feature the alleys and stairways connected along Vine Street Hill and allow participants to observe the urban greenspaces that are often neglected and overlooked. We will meet at Deeper Roots Coffee (1814 Race) across from Findlay Market.

This hike is a part of our monthly Meet a Greenspace Hiking series. We hope these hikes will provide those who join the time and space they need to reconnect with nature. If you have any questions, contact Green Umbrella’s Greenspace Alliance Manager Claire Carlson at claire@greenumbrella.org.

Explore the Hidden Gem of Northern Kentucky

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Located along Gunpowder Creek, Boone County Conservation District’s private 92-acre Earl and Hazel Jones Center for Conservation is a haven for wildlife and a time capsule housing remnants of past life. 

You’re invited to join the Conservation District as they open their property to the public for a Meet a Greenspace Hike on Friday, August 16th from 3-4:30 p.m.

The Fine Line Between Past and Present

Tucked down a winding, tree-covered road, and past a horse farm with a very energetic golden retriever, lies a Northern Kentucky hidden gem. On my first visit to the Earl and Hazel Jones Center for Conservation, I was greeted by Boone County Conservation District (BCCDKY) staff and invited to sit in the shade of the old barn. Completely black with spaces between the wooden planks, I couldn’t help but feel as if time had stood still. 

The feeling was compounded when our hike began and I was shown the remnants of the Crisler-Gulley Mill site. Located at the convergence of bygone roadways, the mill complex was once one of the largest, if not the largest, in Boone County and was a central hub for families in the region. Today, all that remains is the lower level of what once was a towering structure as nature has slowly overtaken the site. BCCDKY is currently working with archaeologists to continue to unearth the history of the Mill.

After our brief foray into the past, we stepped back into the modern world to learn about a few of BCCDKY’s current intern-led research projects. The first stop was at the acoustic bat monitoring station. The project, led by intern Jaron Cooper, uses ultrasonic microphones to record bat echolocation calls. So far, Jaron has identified the property as home to a threatened bat species. He will continue to monitor their calls for current and ongoing research and conservation efforts.

We continued to traverse over ridgelines and through woodlands and made our way down to Gunpowder Creek where intern, Ilys Anderson, was conducting a camera trapping project. Inspired by recent otter sightings, Ilys uses trail cams to monitor the activity of mammals along the riparian area of the creek. Since the inception of this project, BCCDKY staff have witnessed otters, mink, beaver, muskrat, fox, coyote, groundhog, and everything in between!

The remainder of the day was spent soaking in the fresh air and warm sun. As we made our final climb up the hillside, I couldn’t help but feel immense gratitude to the BCCDKY staff for the opportunity to explore this beautiful property. 

Explore the Earl and Hazel Jones Center for Conservation

While the Earl and Hazel Jones Center for Conservation is not open to the public, there is an opportunity to explore it with Green Umbrella’s Greenspace Alliance at their upcoming creek walk.

The walk will take place on Friday, August 16th from 3-4:30 p.m. We will meet at the property’s entrance located at 2588 Camp Ernst Lane in Burlington, KY 41005. To get there, drive to the very end of the road. Parking is limited and carpooling is encouraged.

This hike is a part of our Greenspace Alliance Meet a Greenspace Hiking series. We hope these hikes will provide those who join the time and space they need to reconnect with nature. If you have any questions, contact me at claire@greenumbrella.org. 

The Food Policy Council Welcomes UC Dietetics Student Yale Godfrey

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Contributors: Yale Godfrey, Maddie Chera, Kelly St. Charles

The Food Policy Council Welcomes Another UC Dietetics Student

Yale Godfrey, a graduate student in University of Cincinnati’s Nutrition Science Program, is studying to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD/RDN). This summer, he worked with the Food Policy Council (FPC) as an intern in his Community Nutrition Rotation. During this time, Yale focused on developing optimized communication methods that the FPC can use to further connect to the community. Additionally, he was able to expand his understanding of the food system by meeting and chatting with individuals from various sectors of the FPC network so that he may apply this knowledge in his future endeavors.  

A Rotation Based in Community

During his six-week rotation with Green Umbrella, Yale worked on improving communication with members of the community regarding complex subjects. He focused on developing concise informational resources to introduce those inexperienced with food systems to FPC’s work, resulting in two new resources: 

In addition to his communications research, Yale helped with the FPC’s session at the Regional Green Schoolyards Summit, “Enjoying the Fruits of Farm to School: Transformational Collaboration Across Local Food Businesses, School Gardens, and Dining Services”. He also assisted with FPC meetings and presented at the June Full Council meeting. 

Through this community rotation, Yale was introduced to the complexity of our food system and the many different moving parts that are involved just in our region alone. When asked what he would take away with him as he moves toward his goal of a career in clinical nutrition, Yale said, “I have a newfound appreciation for the work of school foodservice directors, after I took a deep dive into their operations. I realized the multitude of challenges they face in their position.” Despite his short time with Green Umbrella, Yale has made an impactful contribution to our communication efforts that will continue to progress the FPC’s work in food systems change in Greater Cincinnati. We love to see the empathy and understanding grow through community connections, and we appreciate Yale, foodservice directors, and all our members in educational institutions!

More Information & Resources 

Cincinnati Passes “Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights” Resolution

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Contributors: Kelly Morton and Cynthia Walters 

On May 30, 2024, the City of Cincinnati passed a resolution approving the Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights, which guarantees that every child in the city has accessible pathways to experience and interact with nature throughout their childhood.

Councilmember Meeka Owens submitted the resolution and Green Umbrella staff member Cynthia Walters spoke to support the Bill of Rights:


My work directly relates to providing outdoor spaces for learning, play, and for connecting children with nature. I am grateful that I get to work with so many incredible partners, school districts, elected officials, your staff, and with the Office of Environment and Sustainability.

I hope you will pass the Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights for the following reasons:

  • Because children and families depend on us to act against the disparities and the injustices related to climate change
  • To show that Cincinnati Youth Voices Matter in making decisions that directly impact them
  • Because children and families need to feel safe in accessing green spaces or those spaces will not be used
  • Because children deserve to see for themselves what equity looks like in action
  • To be inclusive of all children will varying abilities
  • Because Educators need resources not budget cuts
  • For students to have environmental education at every grade level to equip them for green jobs
  • Because policy ignites change, calls people to action, and makes us accountable-this is the best education we can provide for our children.”

As Green Schoolyards Manager for Green Umbrella’s Greater Cincinnati Regional Green Schoolyards Action Network, Cynthia leads a team of educators, organizations, public agencies, and volunteers working across local public school systems to expand greenspace, environmental education, and farm-to-school opportunities to K-12 students and educators across our region.

The “Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights” provides that every child in Cincinnati has the right to:

  • Be physically active and play outside every day to grow up healthy.
  • Connect with nature, discover the wonders of plants and animals, and explore the diversity of Cincinnati’s natural habitats on their schoolgrounds and in their communities.
  • Discover leadership opportunities to be stewards of nature.
  • Safe, accessible, and adequately shaded routes to green spaces or high-quality parks within a ten-minute walk of their home.
  • Equitably funded public parks regardless of zip code.
  • Be included and accommodated with accessible outdoor environments.
  • Green spaces that mitigate the impact of climate change.
  • Teachers and educators with the resources to create free or low-cost programming and educational opportunities that engage the outdoors.
  • Breathe fresh and clean air.
  • Be safe outdoors.
  • Experience the mental health and holistic wellness benefits of engaging with nature.

Greater Cincinnati Regional Green Schoolyards Summit: Join Us for the Inaugural Year!

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What: The first-ever Greater Cincinnati Regional Green Schoolyards Summit, showcasing the collaboration between Green Umbrella, Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS), and the City of Cincinnati to implement a district-wide Green Schoolyards initiative focused on providing equitable access to outdoor learning and environmental educational resources for all students and staff members.

Who: School staff, students, parents, partners, and elected officials are invited. School districts are encouraged to register representatives from their educators, administrators, facilities, food service, and curriculum staff. 

When: June 5, 2024 from 9:30 am-4:00 pm – Register Here

Where: Aiken New Tech High School, 5641 Belmont Ave Cincinnati, OH 45224

Events of the Day

Highlights from the upcoming Summit will include:

  • Keynote speakers from Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS), the City of Cincinnati, and Green Umbrella
  • A panel on school gardens moderated by the Civic Garden Center
  • A student-lead tour of the Aiken community garden featuring animals, composting, and high-tunnel growing, as well as the food safety pilot program that allows students to sell produce from the garden to CPS Student Dining Services
  • Lunch procured from local farms, hosted by CPS Student Dining Services

Plus informative sessions covering subjects like:

  • Mobilizing school districts and environmental education partnerships
  • Career tech education & workforce skills development
  • Facilities improvements & maintenance plans
  • Identifying joint funding for outdoor & environmental education projects and programs
  • Connecting food services to garden-based instruction & integrated curriculum implementation

Volunteer at the Summit

The Green Schoolyards Action Network is seeking volunteers to help the days before and after the Summit as well as during the event. Contact Green Schoolyards Manager Cynthia if you are interested in volunteering for one of the tasks listed below:

  • Attach/remove signage, collect summit materials, set-up and tear down tables, return seating, general preparation & clean-up (June 4 & 6, before and/or after the event) 
  • Non-profit and business vendor support prior to and during the Summit on June 5
  • Audio visual set-up support prior & during the event on June 5
  • Student Dining Services breakfast & lunch assistance (June 5)
  • Check-in table & greeters (June 5)

Tickets & Registration

Register Here for the Summit!

Green Umbrella members receive a discount to the Summit. Contact Green Schoolyards Manager Cynthia for discount details.

The Summit is an inclusive event. Scholarships are available for anyone who finds registration cost-prohibitive. Please contact Cynthia for scholarship information.

Non-profit partners can register to have a vendor table during the Summit. Contact Green Schoolyards Manager Cynthia for details.

Meet a Greenspace: New Hiking Event Series with the Greenspace Alliance

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Our lives can pull us from the places and experiences that ground and restore us.  Too often, we uncouple ourselves from the many forms of nature and mindlessly meander through our days: hopping from one meeting to another, rushing through the motions of life, jobs, hobbies, just to check another task off the to-do list.  

For those of us working either directly or indirectly in environmental conservation fields, this feeling can be amplified and lead to an internal abyss full of restlessness and disconnectedness. 

Sound familiar? Add our Meet a Greenspace Hike Series to your calendar!

This hiking series will take place once a month and explore both protected and unprotected greenspaces across the region. There is no agenda or plan of action other to reconnect to nature, ourselves, and each other.  

Each month, we will explore a different area, ranging from our greenspace gems to urban strolls.  They will last for one hour and are open to anyone and everyone interested.  

We hope that these hikes will provide time and space to reconnect with nature. Hikes will be posted on our Events Calendar with links to the month’s location (please look at the locations’ website for accessibility information). If you have any questions, contact Green Umbrella’s Greenspace Alliance Manager Claire Carlson at claire@greenumbrella.org. We’ll see you on the trails!

Celebrating CSA Week: February 19-25, 2024

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Contributors: Maddie Chera, Ph.D. and Kelly Morton; Images provided by Marykate Glenn of Mustard Seed Farm

Happy National CSA Week! CSA Week is an opportunity to celebrate and learn about Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs all across the country—and, of course, sign up for a CSA membership this year! If you’re a farmer looking for resources to support your CSA, check out the CSA Innovation Network for online discussion groups, webinars, resources, and more.

What is a CSA?

CSA stands for “Community-Supported Agriculture.” When you sign up for a farm’s CSA, you purchase a membership, or “share.” Each week of the harvest season, you’ll get a box of freshly picked fruits and vegetables directly from the farm—meaning you’ll get the freshest, most nutritious food you can find, all while supporting a local producer!

Mustard Seed Farm CSA

“Buy a share = get veggies every week” is pretty typical, but most farms’ CSA programs have more options. For example, you can choose larger or smaller share sizes to accommodate your household; you can supplement your veggie box with additional farm products like eggs or cheese; or you can adjust your pick-up from weekly to bi-weekly or monthly. 

CSAs are an excellent way to support your favorite local farm. Purchasing a CSA share provides the farmer with much-needed funds at the beginning of the harvest season; it relieves the burden of having to sell their entire harvest right after it’s picked; and it creates a reliable community around the farm. 

CSAs aren’t just helpful for farms—they’re great for the consumer, too! In addition to getting the best fresh products, you’ll likely discover new produce and new ways of eating it. (Garlic scapes? Purple carrots?? Kohlrabi??? Get ready!) And often you get to meet other food-lovers in your local community, including the farmer themself, which strengthens the food system and your experience through relationships and direct knowledge of where your food comes from.

Picking the right CSA for you

It’s important to take the time to figure out the best CSA for your lifestyle. Before you select your CSA share, ask yourself the following questions:

How much food will my household eat? 

No one wants to watch good food go to waste! If it’s your first CSA and you’re deciding between share sizes, pick the smaller size. Often, you can buy extra produce from the farm if you need it, and next year you can move up to a bigger size. Some CSAs offer a sliding scale for membership pricing or other discounts, including “work-shares,” where you volunteer to help the farm in exchange for a reduced membership rate. Another option is splitting a share with a friend, coworker, relative, or neighbor. You can go halfsies week-to-week or switch off who gets the produce box. Use your creativity to put the “community” in Community-Supported Agriculture!

Which pick-up option is right for me?

Choose a CSA with a pick-up option that is relatively accessible to make it easy for you to grab your veggies every week. Most farms won’t have the capacity to give you your money back if you miss a pick-up (though they might be able to give you a double share next time or donate your share to a local food access point like a neighborhood pantry or fridge). If regular pick-ups aren’t going to be feasible for your schedule, choose a more infrequent share or find a CSA that offers delivery (usually for an extra fee). Luckily, many CSAs have multiple pick-up sites in area communities, often co-located with other locally owned businesses like breweries or community hubs. Some employers in our region even offer workplace pick-ups designed to be extra convenient for employees and a boost to worker wellness!

How adventurous am I with trying new foods?

Your share is going to be made up of whatever produce is in season, so chances are once in a while you’ll get something you’ve never tasted or don’t like (this writer will not abide eggplant!). Most farms can’t offer a lot of customization in their boxes and won’t be able to accommodate requests like “I don’t want any kale, replace all my kale with strawberries.” Some CSAs offer more variety than others, but all CSAs are great for experimenting with unfamiliar foods and trying new preparations of produce you are familiar with. Though you might not have liked a particular veggie in the past, an heirloom variety or the freshly picked version you get in your CSA just might change your mind. Most CSAs offer recipes and preparation suggestions, and swapping ideas with the farmer and fellow CSA members is a major perk of having a share! If all you want from your farm is blueberries and tomatoes with no surprises, a CSA share might not be for you this year.

What items do I want from my CSA?

While most CSAs focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, there are some specialty farms that offer flower shares, egg and dairy shares, or even meat shares. These vary a lot in size, price, and frequency, so make sure you have a clear understanding of what you need (and what you’ll eat!) before you sign up. For example, some farms offer a herd share. When the herd is processed, members get a sizable amount of fresh meat—and not everyone has space in their freezer for half a cow! Most farms offer optional add-ons to their weekly shares, and that’s a great, easy way to get more from your CSA without signing up for a full extra share.

Once you answer these questions, you’ll be in the right position to select your CSA. 

Find your CSA

We’re lucky to be in a FANTASTIC region for local farms! Whatever your neighborhood, CSA needs, and price range, you’ll be able to find the right CSA for you and your family. 

To find your CSA, check out Edible Ohio Valley, a fantastic quarterly magazine that is all about our region’s great food and producers, and the CORV Guide, Central Ohio River Valley’s source for eating local. 

Here at Green Umbrella, we’ve partnered with Mustard Seed Farm in Cincinnati to make our offices, UC’s Digital Futures Building, a CSA share pick-up location for Avondale. They also offer pick-up in Norwood, a home-delivery option, and sliding-scale pricing to help make fresh food accessible for all. Learn more about Mustard Seed Farm’s CSA here.

“[The CSA pick-up] was very convenient, and I have no doubt that my family and I ate more healthily as a result. We especially enjoyed learning to cook and prepare new (to us) veggies and identifying the wide variety of greens and sprouts that came with our share. My partner became very engaged in finding new recipes and it added quite a lot of fun to our meal prep. It felt like opening a surprise every week!” -Chris C., Mustard Seed CSA Member

We’re also collaborating with other local partners like Our Harvest and KY Farm Share Coalition (KYFSC) to support regional expansion of a model that’s had great success in Kentucky: worker wellness CSAs subsidized by employers. You can learn more about this model at KYFSC’s website. If you want to explore how your workplace might adopt such a program, stay tuned for additional resources, training, and consulting by our Food Policy Council, as a Green Umbrella member benefit, or reach out to Food Policy Council Director Maddie Chera directly.

Happy eating!