CLAYTON, Ohio — An idea from 2004 came to fruition last month as the Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm in Dayton opened its new Farm Discovery Center.

Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm is an Audubon center for environmental education and organic agriculture. For years it has provided activities that increase understanding and preservation of the planet for children and adults through education, research and recreation.

Now, with the addition of the $4.4 million, 11,000 square-foot Farm Discovery Center, the center can boast having the nation’s first Head Start preschool on a working farm. In addition, this state-of-the-art farmhouse is an energy-efficient educational center that also will be available for community functions and conferences.

Community activities such as reunions, weddings, corporate retreats and dinners are just a few of the functions to be held at Farm Discovery Center. There is exquisite audio/visual equipment for such gatherings, a catering kitchen next to a multi-purpose room and a panoramic view of Aullwood Farm.

“The real heart of the program is getting children and adults there on a regular basis to experience nature, agriculture, farming and conservation,” said Executive Director Charity Krueger. “Secondly, we want to bring a lot of new people into our region, and that will support the restaurants, hotels, gas stations and all the services you need to host national and regional meetings.”

During a special ceremony, Susan Kettering of the Kettering Foundation announced Kettering Family Philanthropies has donated $1.3 million to the total $7 million project.

This farm is a hands-on spot for young people. Children can play in pea gravel, build a stick fort, climb rocks, climb onto a tractor or visit a multitude of farm animals. Chickens roam the premises. Mick and Red (a pair of Belgian draft horses) can be found in a century-old bank barn.

There are goats, sheep, donkeys, miniature horses and barn swallows. There is even a children’s edible vegetable garden that features raised beds planted with ingredients for any meal.

“This is a one-of-a-kind facility that will showcase many new innovative conservation and educational activities,” she said. “We will show innovative agriculture practices as well as ways to transform vacant urban landscapes and neighboring airport land into tall grass prairies that will provide vital habitats for birds at risk. We will continue to provide sustainably raised meat and eggs so that people can buy healthy and locally grown products.”

The purpose of the Farm Discovery Center is to resemble a traditional farmhouse, one with natural woods, a cathedral ceiling and exposed duct work. Within the structure are classrooms, an auditorium and a catering kitchen.

Included are a variety of interactive exhibits for children, along with a complete model of the farm to assist families in planning their visits. Such attractions include a replica of a Holstein cow that can be milked, a magnetic matching game for children to illustrate part of a pig to show where pork comes from and more.

In the fall preschoolers and their teachers will flock to the grounds to be part of the first farm-based Head Start nature/farm play preschool in the country, created in cooperation with the National Audubon Society. According to Krueger, 70 percent of the children who make use of the facility will come from economically disadvantaged homes, while the other 30 percent will be from families who can afford the tuition.

The new center also offers an opportunity for businesses to host meetings and events in a peaceful setting, one which includes a wetland and operating farm. But the main focus is the children and their families.

Last year, Aullwood reached 68,000 children on- and off-site who did everything from walking through creeks to washing a pig, searching for reptiles and digging in gardens. Also available is the Nature Center (erected in 2000) and seven hiking miles.

The original farmhouse on the land is 150 years old and will serve as the home of the farm manager. “Our goal here is to teach children and adults how they can take care of the Earth and protect it so that it will always be healthy,” Krueger said.

Krueger, who is marking her 30th year with Aullwood, said children no longer have the opportunity to play outside in nature and often don’t know where the hamburger on their dinner plate comes from. She’s determined to change all that.

“Our goal is to change attitudes and build a love for the Earth,” she said, “one child at a time.”

Aullwood is owned and operated by the Friends of Aullwood Board of Trustees and the National Audubon Society. Aullwood is one of 48 nature centers operated by Audubon throughout the country.