About Bowers School Farm
Welcome to YOUR local farm! Owned and operated by Bloomfield Hills Schools (BHS) since 1967, the Bowers School Farm has been a place for schools and our community to gather and celebrate agriculture. Now, more than ever, food, farming, and the outdoors are essential to healthy living and harmony with the world around us. With over 93 acres of forest, fields, gardens, and barns, there is always something new to explore.
As a non-profit organization, our public funding through the BHS general fund supports teaching and learning activities for the K-12 schools. Additional activities are made possible by the generosity of our visitors and funded through user fees, memberships, donor support, and the sales of our farm-fresh products. Recreation, family, and special events are core to our mission as we build a sense of belonging and “place” for all who enter our gates.
We welcome every visitor to discover and wonder in the world around them by partnering with our community to provide fun and enriching experiences.
If you’d like to find out some of the History of Bowers Farm, look here.
Meet Our Staff:
Jackie Doran
Erin Watson
Program Support Specialist- Farm & Nature Center
Guest Experience Specialist
Systems Coordinator - Farm & Nature Center
Louise Kavanaugh
Laurie Simonelli
Camp Coordinator - Farm & Nature Center
Jessica Lynn
Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Teacher
Paul Watkins
Leigh Rowe
Early Childhood Leader - Farm & Nature Center
Resident Farmer
Guest Experience Team:
Noelle Simonelli
Laurie Kissoondial
Lisa Kraiza
Nicholas Simonelli
John Cobb
Gail Corcoran
Amalia Socha
Pierce Helton
Michelle Guzzo
Rajaa Sheena
Gillian Donoghue
Brady Chandler
Myles Drimby
Dan Garber
Lucas Kissoondial
Kristian Alexander
Operation Team:
Brian Mingus
Haley Kaluzny
Community Guide Team:
Lisa Mazzola
Natalie Grosinger
Sharon Watkins
Farm Educational Team:
Amy Cardin
Patty Watson
Nicki Sanom
Tracy Niyo
Kathy Durak
Kitchen Manager/Chef
Building for the Future
Bowers School Farm provides a unique platform within our community to provide engagement, fun, and opportunities that are “outside the box.”
The Bowers Farm Operating Procedures are evaluated annually to reflect the most current science and best management practices within veterinary and animal industries.
We have a big role in developing an understanding of agriculture, which is a task that isn’t taken lightly. This includes the importance of animal welfare in our food system and how animal agriculture connects to our daily lives.
Globally, 54% of people live in a city, a number that continues to rise. For many students, a field trip to Bowers School Farm is the only exposure to agriculture they may experience. The Farm provides a unique and safe environment where learners can ask questions and engage in dialogue surrounding modern food production with practitioners, experts and educators.
Animal Welfare & Care
This article from Michigan Department of Natural Resources is a great resource of what to do (or NOT DO) if you come across a wild baby animal.
Details are also presented in our article “How can you help baby wildlife? Leave them alone”.