Covid-19 Information

We are in unparalleled times. We thank everyone for being partners with Community Solutions and Agraria as we work to respond to the events of 2020. We are continuing to work—and grow—with our hands in the soil, our voices on calls, our presence with the children, our feet on the land, our harvests with the hungry, and our hearts are with you. Thank you to everyone who continues to support our work- Safety is our priority.

“It’s now abundantly clear to us that building a more inclusive and resilient local economy and food system is, more than ever, a critical priority.” —Susan Jennings, Executive Director, Community Solutions

Mission

The Arthur Morgan Institute for Community Solutions seeks to educate people around the world about ways to make their communities more resilient, vital, and capable of withstanding dramatic shifts due to climate and economic disruptions.

Agraria is a regenerative farming project of Community Solutions and is Ohio’s first Center for Regenerative Agriculture located in Yellow Springs, Ohio, where we do research and education about regenerative land use that supports the expansion of our regional food system and serves as a platform for building community resilience.

Click Here to Learn More about Agraria

“When the soil sponge fails on a small scale, local farms and small ecosystems collapse. When it fails on a large scale, whole regions and societies collapse. Yet when the soil sponge is intact and healthy, multiple beneficial feedback loops kick into high gear. Regions that regenerate the health of their soils can expect fewer floods and wildfires; less need for irrigation; better air quality; cleaner and more abundant water supplies; more moderate temperatures; less erosion and silting of dams; more biodiversity; less spending on infrastructure repairs; and less spending on public health and disaster recovery.” 

— Didi Pershouse, author of The Ecology of Care

Learn more about who we are by watching the video below:

NEW fall 2020 Agraria Journal

Another exciting capture from our trail cams! This is a long tailed weasel, which are able to hunt prey larger then themselves including rabbits, which we also caught a picture of. #trailcam #trailcamera #regenerativeagriculture #regenerativefarming #regenerativefarm #regenerativelandmanagement
Adding the insulatory layer to our cob oven! #coboven #naturalbuilding #regenerativeagriculture #regenerativefarming #regenerativefarm #regenerativelandmanagement
Mixing the cob for building our cob oven. Cob is made up of clay, sand, straw, and water, and the easiest way to mix it is with your feet! Lots of volunteers came to help, and so did our director Susan! #coboven #naturalbuilding #regenerativeagriculture #regenerativefarming #regenerativefarm #regenerativelandmanagement
First day building our cob oven! 1) digging the foundation 2) dry stacking the stone base 3) testing to see the ratios in our clay soil 4) test bricks with different ratios of clay and sand #coboven #naturalbuilding #regenerativeagriculture #regenerativefarming #regenerativefarm #regenerativelandmanagement
Another trail cam visitor: a young buck. Check out those fuzzy antlers! #regenerativeagriculture #regenerativefarming #regenerativefarm #regenerativelandmanagement
Featured
Dec 5
Reduce, Re-use, Recycle: Creative Holiday Gift Wrapping
Dec 12
Zero Waste Home Practices and Skills
Jan 2
Refresh Your Wardrobe with Natural Dyes

Many thanks to our funders and partners

Featured
The Ohio EPA
The Ohio EPA

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is a trusted leader and environmental steward using innovation, quality service and public involvement to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all Ohioans.

Ohio EPA's goal is to protect the environment and public health by ensuring compliance with environmental laws and demonstrating leadership in environmental stewardship.

The Dayton Foundation
The Dayton Foundation

The Dayton Foundation, the region's largest community foundation, has been helping you help others locally and around the world since 1921.

We provide unmatched services, resources, support and counsel to help individuals achieve their charitable giving goals; we assist other nonprofits by funding important initiatives and offering our expertise to help them operate more effectively; and we’re helping build a better community by identifying important issues and bringing together the people and organizations who can solve them.

Whether you are an individual, financial advisor, nonprofit organization or someone wanting to make a difference, The Dayton Foundation can help you help others.

The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy began when leading scientists, committed citizens and dedicated leaders came together with a shared vision to protect and care for nature. From our first land purchase to our latest water fund, we are constantly evolving to bring innovative solutions to the challenges facing our world.

Yellow Springs Community Foundation
Yellow Springs Community Foundation

Yellow Springs Community Foundation was established to assist the nonprofits and organizations of Yellow Srings and the Miami Township.By providing us with grants and connections to other organizations the Community Foundation has become an integral part of our experience at Agraria.

The Vectren Foundation
The Vectren Foundation

The Vectren Foundation strives to become a community catalyst in our communities - leveraging everyday opportunities to achieve extraordinary outcomes. The Foundation provides funding for nearly 400 nonprofit organizations throughout its service territory. Through Vectren's support, our local communities are able to support home weatherization and energy education programs that help struggling families reduce utility costs, help children gain access to quality education programs, and give adults workforce training that will give them access to jobs with a fair living wage.

Americorps VISTA
Americorps VISTA

AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) members bring passion and perseverance where the need is greatest: to organizations that help eradicate poverty. AmeriCorps VISTA members serve as a catalyst for change, living and working alongside community members to meet our nation’s most pressing challenges and advance local solutions. In addition to funding, members have directly worked alongside us at Agraria to keep our organization going strong.