Wood Lane Industries continues to serve the “growing” interests of many of its crew members.
The garden and farm program is now focused on garden efforts in sales and training aspects.
“We are leaving the CSA behind,” said Jessica Nagel, the Wood Lane farm supervisor, regarding Wood Lane’s
former community supported agriculture contracts.
The greenhouse is now concentrated at the Gypsy Lane Road campus to avoid the transportation costs of
traveling for both people and products. While the current greenhouses have been in place, they were not
fully used, instead the program operated at the Agricultural Incubator Foundation on Ohio 582 near
Haskins.
“This allows us to spend more time training,” Nagel said. “We’ve seen a whole lot of progress here.”
Justin Pfaff is one of the crew and has worked in the greenhouses for about a year.
“I like to do everything,” Pfaff said.
He said he enjoys both planting and harvesting work. However, cleaning and sterilizing the planting
trays, pots and equipment might be his favorite task.
“It’s fun to do,” Pfaff said. “I really like to work.”
Another crew member, Stephen Scholl, has also been planting and harvesting vegetables for the program for
a year.
He uses the money he makes to go to the movies and enjoy his favorite coffee at Grounds for Thought.
“They won an award for best coffee in BG,” Scholl said showing as much pride in his coffee shop choice as
the beautiful hanging baskets which he planted.
When the Sentinel visited, he was finishing up with fresh lettuce which are planted in lettuce bowls as
well bags for bulk sale at the greenhouse.
“He could be a spokesman for them,” said Amy Dauer, one of the job coaches.
Dauer said the lettuce bowls being sold are a very popular item.
Nagel explained the farm sells lettuce and other produce to restaurants and other entities on a regular
basis. The lettuce sales are also available at the Wood Lane greenhouses weekdays for $2.25 per pound.
There are five varieties available with the Chef’s Delight and Buttercrunch being the two most popular.

Nagel said the lettuce is the biggest product for them, both for the commercial and retail sales. At the
recent plant sale, they sold out of the lettuce bowls.
The bowls are ready to grow pots with lettuce growing which people take home to have fresh lettuce at
their fingertips. Those are priced at $8 per bowl. When the quality diminishes after a time, Wood Lane
will replant the bowl for half price.
“This also helps people to eat a bit healthier,” she said.
Nagel said lettuce can be purchased at the greenhouse Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
They are also planning to open their own market which she expects to open on Wednesdays sometime in July.

The greenhouse area also includes outdoor raised beds for square foot gardening and other types of
plants.
Superintendent Melanie Stretchbery said the crew finds the work very rewarding as well as therapeutic.

“We see this program as a tremendous opportunity. There is a lot of lessons to be learned out here. Many
people take these things for granted,” Stretchbery said.