By Lisa Pomerantz

Posted: 04.27.09

The gentle hills and green meadows of Yellow Springs Farm (YSF) in Chester Springs were once the home of a thriving dairy cow herd. Today, proprietors Al and Catherine Renzi raise and sell environmentally-friendly native plants and tend a small dairy goat herd, a vineyard and honeybee hives. Solar panels augment their electricity needs and add to the local power grid. This is definitely not your grandpa's dairy farm!

Dedicated to environmentally-sound products and farming practices, Yellow Springs Farm embraces conservation landscaping as a means towards protecting land and water and restoring biodiversity. Their focus is on the ecology of the Farm and the restoration of the native landscape.

"If we simply restore our eight-acre landscape with native plants, it will result in only modest ecological gain. But, if hundreds or even thousands of other landowners begin to add native plants to local landscapes, really good things are bound to happen," pondered the Renzis soon after buying Yellow Springs Farm in 2001.

YSF helps spread the word about native species around the Middle-Atlantic region. There are about 2100 native plant species in Pennsylvania, and another 1300 introduced plant species. About 150 native plant and animal species are already eliminated, and 800 more species are threatened or endangered. This was reason enough for the Renzis to grow native plants at Yellow Springs Farm, but they aspire to reach beyond their eight acres in educating others about native species and sustainable agriculture.

Literally transforming a 19th Century farm, dedicated conservationists Al and Catherine purchased the 8-acre property in 2001, protecting it from future development with a conservation easement. "This kind of easement," says Catherine, "is the strongest land protection tool we have available as farm owners."

Frustrated by the lack of native plants available to increase the diversity of their property, the Renzis saw the potential for a new business and their native plant propagation and sales operation was born. This innovative business has been well-received by local homeowners, businesses, schools and universities. In addition, gardeners from Massachusetts to Wisconsin and even through Georgia purchase plants and nursery products via e-commerce at the Yellow Springs Farm website.

Yellow Springs Farms consulting and design services for homeowners and businesses emphasizes an environmentally-friendly approach to design, plant selection and maintenance with the goals of providing wildlife habitat, improved air quality and less surface water run-off, all for a better quality of life.

Conservation and sustainability are daily concerns at YSF. Al and Catherine recycle all waste, including nursery plastic pots. They compost animal, landscape and household waste for use in the gardens and in the nursery. They have created a demonstration rain garden and meadow on site. They design and install meadows as partial replacement for lawn, and rain gardens to minimize storm water runoff at client sites.

In addition to her work on the Farm, Catherine is a popular speaker and educator on the topics of native plants, environmental stewardship, and the sustainable food system. Recent engagements include the Philadelphia Flower Show, the Connecticut Horticultural Society and schools and universities in Pennsylvania and other states.

Testimonials to the creative progress and endeavors of Yellow Springs Farm since 2001 include the property being twice featured on Chester County Day benefit tours , receipt of the Land Conservation Award from the French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust, and being named a" Distinguished Garden Award" by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society in 2007.

Thanks YSF for being a RecycleBank Reward Partner since 2006