The Land Trust for Tennessee's Glen Leven Farm

The Land Trust for Tennessee is a conservation non-profit focused on historic land, working farms, recreational and scenic landscapes, water protection, urban open space, and wildlife habitats. Glen Leven is a home built in 1857  that is not regularly open to the public, but hosts scheduled workshops, field trips, open days, group tours, volunteer days, pasture walks, arboretum walks, cultural events and lectures. I have volunteered and worked at Glen Leven Farm in various capacities since 2013.

Glen leven project manager

In 2022, I accepted the position of Glen Leven Project Manager with the Land Trust for Tennessee. The position involves juggling a lot of day-to-day tasks and ongoing projects. I am responsible for all maintenance at Glen Leven including working closely with vendors to care for the historic structures on the property and maintain the grounds. I perform a significant amount of the work myself ranging from grounds-keeping to home maintenance. I have inventoried the farm equipment and created detailed maintenance records and schedules. I frequently prepare the property to host guests, whether for field trips, events, volunteer days, or other entities with on-site projects, all of which I help coordinate and oversee.

As Glen Leven Project Manager, I also have a variety of historical management responsibilities. I serve as a resource for Land Trust owned properties (e.g. Glen Leven Farm, Conner Toll House), as well as easement properties and active projects with historical value. I work with the Glen Leven education and outreach staff to develop and execute historical programs for all ages and give guided tours of the Glen Leven home. I serve as point of contact for key historical partners (e.g. Tennessee Historical Commission, MTSU Center for Historic Preservation).

As part of the Glen Leven Farm Comprehensive Landscape Plan, I have been tasked with eventually conducting research on the history of the property and developing content that will become part of the strategic plan (i.e., signage, historical panels, etc.), as well as assisting with grant writing for funding. I also serve as a point of contact for key historical partners and Thompson family members, in relation to the plan.

2016 Internship

My internship was funded through a grant by the Barbara J. Mapp Foundation to create a new wildlife educational program.  The new programming would include not only a series of wildlife lesson plans for use on the property, but also activities that could be made available to educators, students and families both prior to and following their visit on the farm. The existing educational program at Glen Leven is based on the students exploring the property as they learn lessons about sustainable gardening and agriculture, historic preservation and trees. For a copy of the educational program I created for my internship, click here.