The main house, built in 1892 in the Queen Anne style, and now home to BRI's offices and the Hinkle-Garton Farmstead museum.                   Background Distinctive both for its architectural style as well as its historical significance in Monroe County, the application to list the Hinkle-Garton Farmstead on the National Register of Historic Places was approved in 2007. The farmstead is comprised of over 11 acres as well as two homes, four farm outbuildings, and extensive grounds. Details of the property can be seen here. The farmstead was donated to BRI by Daisy Garton, a long-time resident of Bloomington who had grown up on the farm, her family homestead, in the early 1900's. For more information about Daisy and her farmstead, please click here. Current Exhibit at the Museum We are excited to host a new exhibit entitled “Hinkle Sandstone Company.” It is based on a recently processed collection at the site. Started in 1953 by John H. Hinkle, younger brother of Daisy Hinkle Garton, the little-known company quarried and milled sandstone for twenty years in a region better known for its limestone. Photos and original documents help tell the story of a business gone, but no longer forgotten. The exhibit is free and will be open to the public during the farmstead's monthly open house. Current Facility Rentals The farmstead is a popular place for facility rental for one-time and on-going events. We currently have a multiple-week writing class developed and given by Michelle Henderson. This is similar to the summer writing camp Michelle held at the farmstead. For more information about this important summer program, click here. For general information about facility rental, click here. Class with People's University BRI and the farmstead often hold classes with People's University. Click here for more information. Open House We have an open house the last Saturday of every month from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Please stop by and visit us.   Volunteer Today We always welcome volunteers. If you're interested in working on the oral history of the farmstead, contact Jody Perkins. If you'd like to volunteer to help maintain the grounds, we've got some great opportunities just waiting for you. Here's our current list of volunteer opportunities at the farmstead. Vegetable and Flower Garden Assistants Are you self-motivated and have an hour or so to share once or twice a week? Arrive onsite at your convenience and tackle basic garden activities outlined in the log book. This generally includes watering, weeding and pest control, and can be perfect for a beginning gardener. Garden Assistants can also be involved in sale of the produce to help provide income to sustain and advance the garden. This is a seasonal position, usually from June through November. Interested? Contact Michael Bell at mbell@kiva.net for more information and to arrange an onsite orientation. Grounds Specialists Are you self-motivated, can regularly devote a block of time to the farmstead grounds, and have a more advanced plant and planting knowledge (Master Gardener or similar training)? Then our adoption program may be for you! Become a Peony Parent, an Invasives Eliminator, a Butterfly Garden Guru, or a Flower Bed Boss! These positions involve bringing various areas of the property into better condition, and then maintaining it that way. Areas of specialization or interest not mentioned above may be considered. Volunteers in these positions have an opportunity to directly influence the future of the site by taking personal responsibility for various areas of the property. Contact each project coordinator for more information on how you can make a difference! * Peony Parents - Redefine, clean-up, re-plant and maintain the remaining old peony rows and plants from the days of the property's Tenth Street Floral Gardens. Contact Danielle Bachant-Bell at danielle@kiva.net. * Invasives Eliminators - Remove invasive plants, clean-up the areas of removal, and maintain the areas against re-growth. Contact Cathy Meyer at cmeyer@co.monroe.in.us. * Butterfly Garden Gurus - Re-claim, clean-up, and maintain the previously planted butterfly garden, while possibly expanding it or creating others on the property. Contact Lucille Bertuccio at lbertucc@indiana.edu. * Flower Bed Bosses - Help design, plant and maintain the various flower beds on the property, particularly those immediately surrounding the main house. Contact Michael Bell at mbell@kiva.net. Seasonal Assistants Not a devoted gardener but enjoy getting outdoors when you can? Then led a hand during our seasonal grounds clean-ups, special grounds projects or be on call when you can for day-to-day work! Volunteers can spend an hour or an afternoon, whatever their time allows. Although there is not currently a set schedule, clean-ups typically occur on MLK Day in January, to help clear out invasive plants in March and November, to spruce up the grounds for Daisy Day in April, and to clear out dead vegetable garden plants and rake leaves in November. Clean-up days can also be great volunteer activities for families or groups. Special projects or other volunteer assistance will be announced as needed. If these options sound right for you, learn more or be placed on the e-mail notification list by contacting Michael Bell at mbell@kiva.net or Danielle Bachant-Bell at danielle@kiva.net.