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Design, Arts and Technology Professor, Angela Miller, connected Jessa Henry with the Bellarmine Farm in the summer of 2025 with the hopes of setting up a collaboration project with Bellarmine University students and Native Oasis. Now, as a community partner working with the co-managers of the Bellarmine Farm, Jessa leads monthly work days at the farm to remove invasive species and replace them with native plants. The most prevalent invasive's in the area are Johnson Grass and Porcelain berry vines, in addition to other vines choking out the apple and pear trees in the farm orchard.
Students have a hands-on, learning-lab experience with this restoration project. Each workday, we take time to explain what we are planting and the methods and methodology behind the day's tasks. Many native plants used are aggressive, because they have to compete with the existing Johnson Grass and other grasses that are present and being smothered.
Sheep were brought in to manage half of the orchard, while the team tackles the other half. Facilities were mowed, which allowed better access into the orchard. Previously, chiggers, ticks, and deer lurked in the tall grass.
The first workday in August involved 40 incoming Bellarmine students. Students put cardboard and then a thick layer of mulch over a large portion of the grass. This process will be a natural means of suppressing the unwanted Johnson Grass, and mulch will be continually re-applied as it decomposes, until the native plants take over.
The second workday in September involved 9 students who expanded the area with cardboard and mulch, and cut back the vines on 2 trees. Students began planting. They planted 4 trees on the upper hillside, which will cast some much-needed shade in a few years. They put in a few native plants including Swamp Hibiscus near the existing Yellow Wingstem, and Purple Passionflower Vine up by community vegetable garden.
The third workday in October involved 8 students, with some returning students! In addition to expanding the area with cardboard and mulch, students planted more native species, including Blue Vervain, Cup Plant, Ironweed, Boneset, Swamp Marigold, Milkweed, and a few others. Students weeded and brought gravel to the space. In the future, there will be gravel paths and gravel edging to mark the edges of the native plant orchard and protect it from accidental mowing.
The fourth workday in November involved 9 students with several returning students! The team expanded the area with cardboard and mulch and cut the vines off the remaining 4 trees in the orchard. Students planted Yellow Coneflower, Common Milkweed, Rattlesnake Master, Stiff Goldenrod, and New England Aster. All of the fall plants were transplants, which will give them a jump start at growing here next year. Students worked on the gravel paths, putting down pavers. This was the last, successful workday at Bellarmine Farm in 2025!
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