Al and Catherine Renzi to Speak at the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture(PASA)
Talk #1- Title: Native Plants: Pollinator Pockets, Puddle Gardens & Unexpected Edibles
Speakers: Catherine Renzi, Yellow Springs Farm
Start Time: 2/9/2024 4:00PM
End time: 2/9/2024 5:00PM
Opportunities abound to add native plants in small pockets throughout your farm and home landscape. In this session you will learn to create pollinator-friendly borders to attract native bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. You will also learn how to manage low spots, muddy areas, and swales with good root systems. You will discover native species that are unexpectedly edible and profitable, as well as learn and grow the right plants in the right places.
Talk #2-Title: Integrating Goats, Cheesemaking & Native Plants for Sustainability & Profit
Speakers: Al Renzi, Yellow Springs Farm; Catherine Renzi, Yellow Springs Farm
Start Time: 2/10/2024 11:30AM
End time: 2/10/2024 12:30PM
For over two decades, Yellow Springs Farm has operated as both a native plant nursery and an artisanal goat cheese dairy. Al and Catherine Renzi will offer a comprehensive perspective on how they successfully integrated goat herd management, native plants, and artisanal cheese to establish a self-sustaining farm environment. This session will be a resource to beginning and experienced farmers looking to be profitable and sustainable on 8 acres of land.
About Yellow Springs Farm LLC, with Al and Catherine Renzi
Yellow Springs Farm began in Chester County, PA with founder-owners Catherine & Al Renzi in 2001. The PA farm and native plant nursery included a historic 19th-century farmhouse, dairy barn, and a pond with a spring house. Originally a cow dairy farm over 150 years ago, the Renzis took care to steward the farm, plant nursery and goat dairy from 2001-21. The dairy produced many award-winning cheeses, and enjoyed distribution around the Mid-Atlantic region.
Catherine Renzi studied architecture and finds her training in design and art history helpful in creating gardens using native plants to provide an aesthetic appropriate to the site and characteristic of the local region. She became interested in landscape and conservation through a lifelong passion for growing food, flowers, and raising all sorts of plants and animals. Catherine’s oil painting and drawings are naturally inspired by her love of the outdoors. For information on her fine arts work, visit www.catherinerenziart.com
Al Renzi brings his experience in biology and microbiology to plant selections and sustainable practices for landscape care and stewardship. Prior to establishing Yellow Springs Farm in 2001, Al had a lengthy career in the pharmaceutical industry. Al volunteers for various non-profits and watershed conservation organizations including Trout Unlimited.
Together, Catherine and Al’s mix of arts and science makes for productive teamwork. They also offer informative presentations on conservation landscape topics via Zoom or in person. Please ask about offerings and fee schedule if your event, group or organization is looking for speakers.