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About Our FarmRoot Down Acres, LLC sat on 17 acres of prime farmland just outside of Springfield, Ohio, and included pastures and woods surrounding Beaver Creek. The farm was home to a small herd of huacaya and suri alpacas, angora goats, miniature donkeys, chickens, livestock guardian dogs, and honeybee hives, in addition to the farm owners, Ohio natives Missy and Wes Kroninger, and their two house cats. Founded in 2011, the farm was the culmination of Missy’s longtime dream to raise animals and live off the land. The farm officially closed in 2017.
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Our Farming Philosophy
As an environmental scientist, Missy considered her responsibility as a steward of the land in every management decision made on the farm. It was important when we were looking for property to buy for the farm that we not only had suitable farmland but also natural habitat. The farm included six acres of woods surrounding a perennial creek, home to a diverse array of flora and fauna, and Missy and Wes worked hard to restore native plant species and improve wildlife habitat.
All of the livestock at Root Down Acres, LLC were raised on pasture throughout the year, with winter supplementation of grass hay. We used no hormones or antibiotics and did not feed any animal by-products or artificial ingredients. We grew our natural pasture without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. A mix of cool- and warm-season grasses and clover ensured that the animals had fresh forage to eat throughout most of the year. We used rotational grazing practices that ensured fresh, clean feed while minimizing grazing impacts on the soil and vegetation.
Missy's love for animals showed in the care they received on the farm. The barn has 12-foot overhangs, which we call "leans," that allow the animals to seek shelter from the sun and rain. The leans were equipped with large fans during warm weather to keep the animals cool and help naturally control flies, and heated water buckets in winter so that the animals always had fresh water to drink. All animals were visually inspected daily to monitor their health and well-being, and handled regularly to increase their comfort around people. When it came time to tend to tasks the animals disliked, such as clipping toenails and giving shots, Missy did everything possible to minimize their stress and discomfort.
As with the pasture, we grew all of the flowers, fruits, and vegetables on the farm without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. We also raised our honeybees naturally. We sought alternatives to treated lumber on the farm whenever possible, as evidenced by the rustic black locust fence posts we debarked by hand. We farmed organically, but we did not seek organic certification. Missy drew on her background as an environmental scientist to farm with the seasons and landscape in a way that was natural and sustainable. Many of the items available for sale in the Farm Store and Online Farm Store were grown or made right here on the farm.
All of the livestock at Root Down Acres, LLC were raised on pasture throughout the year, with winter supplementation of grass hay. We used no hormones or antibiotics and did not feed any animal by-products or artificial ingredients. We grew our natural pasture without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. A mix of cool- and warm-season grasses and clover ensured that the animals had fresh forage to eat throughout most of the year. We used rotational grazing practices that ensured fresh, clean feed while minimizing grazing impacts on the soil and vegetation.
Missy's love for animals showed in the care they received on the farm. The barn has 12-foot overhangs, which we call "leans," that allow the animals to seek shelter from the sun and rain. The leans were equipped with large fans during warm weather to keep the animals cool and help naturally control flies, and heated water buckets in winter so that the animals always had fresh water to drink. All animals were visually inspected daily to monitor their health and well-being, and handled regularly to increase their comfort around people. When it came time to tend to tasks the animals disliked, such as clipping toenails and giving shots, Missy did everything possible to minimize their stress and discomfort.
As with the pasture, we grew all of the flowers, fruits, and vegetables on the farm without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. We also raised our honeybees naturally. We sought alternatives to treated lumber on the farm whenever possible, as evidenced by the rustic black locust fence posts we debarked by hand. We farmed organically, but we did not seek organic certification. Missy drew on her background as an environmental scientist to farm with the seasons and landscape in a way that was natural and sustainable. Many of the items available for sale in the Farm Store and Online Farm Store were grown or made right here on the farm.
