Charles L. Bowers School Farm – Bloomfield Hills School District
1219 E. Square Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, 48304
The Oakland County Master Gardener Society, Inc. is the largest Master Gardener Society in the State of Michigan. Although MGSOC offers many opportunities for education and volunteering, The Charles L. Bowers School Farm is our largest project.
Charles L. Bowers School Farm is a working school farm with an emphasis on educational activities for all age groups, including students working at the farm, visiting school groups, and an active 4H Club. The farm is part of the Bloomfield Hills Schools and is a partner with Michigan State University Extension, the Bloomfield Historical Society, and the Master Gardener Society of Oakland County. This is the largest project of the Master Gardener Society of Oakland County. EMGs volunteer April through October. Workdays are weather-dependent.
EMGs design and maintain over 21 unique gardens consisting of perennials, annuals, Plant-a-Row vegetable, and Pioneer Garden. We are gradually moving toward more native and pollinator plantings. There are approximately 40,000 visitors to the farm each year. The Farm hosts community visitors during “Open Barns” where families experience the farm through casual engagement. The EMG-curated educational gardens are a highlight during these events. We are working to restore the design of the hardscape area, built by Goldner Walsh Nursery several years ago, to the intended more formal gardens. We assist in educating school students about planting vegetable gardens.
The Wednesday group has added a fern / hellebore garden, and has finalized a plan to extend the Cottage Garden. The popular Sunflower Fort will be an annual addition to Open Barn events. The five-year plan is to reclaim the hill between the Gazebo and the Barton Farm House. Ongoing projects will add more signage to the gardens.
The Saturday volunteer group will be growing a limited amount of vegetables and helping maintain the current perennial gardens. The Pioneer Garden will grow vegetables authentic to the time of the Craig log cabin.
One of the newest and most exciting projects is the Children’s Discovery Garden which will come to fruition in 2024. First conceptualized in 2019, EMGs have supported and added to the design and development with Dr. Norm Lownds, Curator at MSU 4-H Children’s Garden in East Lansing. This project will become one of the most unique, hands-on horticultural learning and discovery gardens for area youth across Greater Detroit.
EMG’s partner with the farm for Fall Farm Fest and other special activities, with volunteers providing tours of the gardens and answering horticulture and Smart Gardening questions. They also partner with Bowers for the Michigan Native Plant Sale, assisting with sales and providing information on native plants.
The total number of EMG hours work at Bowers Farm in 2024 was 1164. At a value of $33.49 per volunteer hour, the value to the farm was $38,982.36.
Contact: Nancy Schmid at [email protected] or 586-662-9394 with questions about Wednesday workdays and Amanda Koran, [email protected] or (231) 578-6027 with questions about Saturday workdays. Please contact Nancy Schmid to be added to the e-mail list.
Wednesday Volunteer Hours – 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
Team Leaders:
Nancy Schmid, [email protected], (586) 662-9394
Christine Van Wagoner, [email protected]
Cecily Roney, [email protected]
Saturday Volunteer Hours – 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
Team Leaders:
Amanda Koran, [email protected], (231) 578-6027
Karol Carter, [email protected]
Robert Denver, [email protected]
This volunteer group meets every Saturday except Holiday weekends.
You must wear your Master Gardener name badge to be on the grounds of the school. Please bring your own tools – anything you would be using in your own garden at this time of the year, dress for gardening and bring water. You will be required to fill out a simple online background check for Bloomfield Hills School District to work on the Bowers Farm grounds. You’ll love gardening at the farm with a friendly and supportive group of Extension Master Gardeners of all levels. We all learn from each other!
From the Bowers Farm website, more about the Master Gardeners contribution to the farm:
Master Gardener Volunteer Program at Bowers Farm
Charles L. Bowers School Farm is a working school farm with an emphasis on educational activities for all age groups, including students working at the farm, visiting school groups, and an active 4H Club. The farm is part of the Bloomfield Hills Schools and is a partner with Michigan State University Extension, the Bloomfield Historical Society, and the Master Gardener Society of Oakland County, Inc. The Bowers Farm gardens open in April and the date is usually tied to the first of two Open Barn weekends. Workdays are weather dependent and usually late October is time to close down for a winter’s rest.
A favorite of onsite visitors is the Farm Store and Kitchen, serving MSU Dairy Store Ice Cream, selling farm-fresh eggs and organically-grown vegetables from the farm.
The Saturday volunteer group will be growing a limited number of vegetables and helping maintain the current perennial gardens. The Pioneer Garden will grow vegetables authentic to the time of the Craig log cabin.
One of the newest and most exciting projects is the “Children’s Discovery Garden.” First conceptualized in 2019, EMGs have supported the design and development with Dr. Norm Lownds, Curator at MSU 4-H Children’s Garden in East Lansing. This project will bring on of the most unique, hands-on horticultural learning and discovery for area youth across Greater Detroit. EMG’s also partner with the farm for Fall Farm Fest, with volunteers providing tours of the garden and answering horticulture questions.
The educational component of our work there is significant. We are all about EDUCATION! Often when we are working there, schoolchildren, as well as adults, come thorugh. We pride ourselves on being able to answer their questions, and pique their curiosity about and interest in gardening. The EMG-curated educational gardens are a highlight during events at the farm.
At the end of 2019, the Michigan State University Value of an Extension Master Gardener volunteer hour was $24.69/hour. The 2019 EMG economic contribution value to Bowers Farm was $30,517, and the 6-year (2014-2019) EMG economic contribution value to Bowers Farm was $163,758. Also in 2019, 1,140 pounds of produced was donated to Open Door Pantry by Beth Brown and the Saturday Plant-A-Row volunteers.
Wednesday Volunteer Hours – 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
Team Leaders:
Nancy Schmid, [email protected], (586) 662-9394
Christine Van Wagoner, [email protected]
Cecily Roney, [email protected]
Saturday Volunteer Hours – 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
Team Leaders:
Amanda Koran, [email protected], (231) 578-6027
Karol Carter, [email protected]
Robert Denver, [email protected]
This volunteer group meets every Saturday except Holiday weekends.
You must wear your Master Gardener name badge to be on the grounds of the school. In 2022, COVID mask and social distancing will be in effect.
