Lautzenheiser family staying busy on their small farm
Joe and Jen Lautzenheiser, shown with their son, in a pasture at Glenview Acres. Just over the Wayne County border between Dalton and Massillon, the Lautzenheisers are creating a new legacy as first-generation farmers on family land they began reclaiming for farming six years ago.
Just over the Wayne County border, nestled between Dalton and Massillon, the Lautzenheiser family is creating a new legacy as first-generation farmers on family land they began reclaiming for farming six years ago. The farm is one of the many small farms working to provide locally sourced food for the area.
Joe and Jen Lautzenheiser married in 2018 and established Glenview Acres Farm. “We drew the farm name from the long family tradition of Glen being the middle name of the oldest boy in the family. Glen is Joe’s middle name, and we passed that middle name down to our son as well,” Jen Lautzenheiser said.
The farm consists of about 120 acres — 100 acres in pasture and 20 acres in woods. “The land had been rented out for conventional row-cropping for generations,” Jen Lautzenheiser said. “We began reclaiming one field at a time, transitioning it to perennial pasture, building fence, laying water lines and finally rotationally grazing livestock.”
Last year this process was completed. Lautzenheiser said the farm today looks completely different than it once did with cattle, sheep, chickens and pigs now grazing on the reclaimed land. She works full-time on the farm. The hope is that Joe will be able to transition from his work as an electrician to joining her full-time in the next year or two.
Creating Glenview Acres was not a new idea for the couple. “We first began talking about farming when we were dating,” Lautzenheiser said. “Joe had always had in the back of his mind that he’d love to actually use the farm he grew up on.”
Lautzenheiser developed a love of working outside with animals growing up on a small-scale farm.
Their conversation was about more than farming. The couple also both had a keen awareness of nutrition and sourcing healthy, whole foods, and discussions about farming also were about producing clean, healthy food.
“By the time we got married,” Lautzenheiser said, “we were ready to hit the ground running and start farming.”
Utilizing regenerative agriculture practices with a focus on rebuilding the health of the soil, Glenview Acres produces pasture-raised pork, chicken and eggs along with 100% grass-fed beef and lamb. The animals rotationally graze and are moved to fresh pasture daily.
“The omnivores on our farm (pigs and chickens) are raised on pasture but are also given a daily grain ration,” Lautzenheiser said.
This grain is certified organic non-GMO, which Lautzenheiser said ensures commonly used chemicals aren’t making their way to their customers’ plates.
The Lautzenheisers embody their focus on sustainable farming, rebuilding soil and keeping complete nutrient cycles on the farm in a variety of ways.
“We’ve focused our attention on raising livestock because of the massive benefits they contribute to soil health,” Lautzenheiser said.
One of the reasons they raise 100% grass-fed beef is because feeding grain is produced with fossil fuels and soil-depleting practices. “We honor the design of cattle and treat them like herbivores,” Lautzenheiser said. “This not only produces healthier meat, but also contributes to healthier soil, which can in turn absorb greater rainfall and capture more carbon from the atmosphere.”
Glenview Acres has grown every year, and the farming couple has plans for expansion.
“We started with raising 100 chickens and are now raising thousands, all on pasture,” Lautzenheiser said. “We hope to one day be able to offer our customers not only healthy meat and eggs, but also dairy, produce and other kitchen staples for their homes.”
The farm sells at Local Roots Market and Cafe in Wooster and has participated in Wooster’s downtown farmers market the past several years. Additionally, they have a home delivery route in the area and have a pickup freezer at Sure House Coffee in Orrville. They also ship products to Wayne and Holmes counties and have a small farm store.
Glenview Acres gives an annual farm tour including a hay wagon ride, fellowship and refreshments. The summer event date is TBA. To stay in the loop for more information, sign up for the email list by creating an account on the farm website.
Find Glenview Acres online and order for pickup or delivery at www.glenviewacres.com. The Farm Store is located at 1649 Manchester Ave. SW, North Lawrence, OH 44666. Store hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The store accepts cash, check or Venmo.
Why shop for locally produced foods? “I think one of the most important reasons for small, local farms is transparency and trust,” Lautzenheiser said. “There is something irreplaceable about being able to meet your farmer, see how your food is raised with your own eyes, and know that this food is truly good for you and your family.”