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July 8, 2025Blue Rock Farmland Commons, Ohio
This multigenerational work needs your support
Help transition this 38-acre sustainability center located in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains in southeastern Ohio into the Blue Rock Farmland Commons and to the next generation farm stewards.
Blue Rock Station, a 38-acre sustainability center located in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains in southeastern Ohio, is the first earthship built east of the Mississippi River. It is a working example testing and demonstrating sustainable living concepts and options.
The Farmers Land Trust and Blue Rock Station and Farm have come together in collaboration, partnership, and trust with Women, Food and Agriculture Network and Women's Peacepower Foundation to manifest bold and innovative actions that create a new relationship and structure for land transition, ownership, access, tenure, and equity. This collaborative embraces shared goals of protecting and preserving agrarian food and living systems in a way that holds and caringly and purposefully transitions a unique and important model of regenerative agriculture and sustainable living to create next generation enterprise and partnership opportunities.
A women-led and centered community and national collaboration has come together to transition a unique living and teaching sustainable Earthship home. Designed by architect Michael Reynolds, and 38-acres of farm land for peace, love, revolution, legacy, and human and soil multi-generation stewardship and relationship through living, learning, testing and demonstrating sustainable living. They hope to convey knowledge, power, and connection in and to share an example of how to live in ecological harmony with the hills, hollers, and forest ecosystem of this magical place in Appalachian Ohio.
The Visionary Leaders & Landowners
For more than three decades, Annie and Jay Warmke have poured their hearts into Blue Rock Station, transforming it from a quiet patch of Appalachian hillside into a vibrant living classroom for sustainability, resilience, and joy. Together, they planted thousands of trees, welcomed tens of thousands of visitors, and cultivated a place where people could learn not just how to care for the earth, but how to find their place within it. Their stewardship has been deeply personal, rooted in curiosity, generosity, and an unwavering belief that another way of living is possible.
Now, as they transition their land into the Blue Rock Farmland Commons, Annie and Jay are taking a hopeful step toward a future where land remains accessible, protected, and regenerative. Their choice to place Blue Rock Station into a commons model reflects both their courage and their commitment to the next generation of farmers and land stewards. By partnering with The Farmers Land Trust, they are ensuring that the land they nurtured so lovingly will continue to inspire, teach, and nourish long after their chapter on this hillside has closed.
The Next Generation
After decades of creating and stewarding Blue Rock Station, Annie and Jay Warmke are moving on to a new chapter, and are welcoming the next generation stewards of Blue Rock Station.
Sarah and Jason and their two children are aspiring first-generation land stewards grounded in a shared purpose of ecological regeneration, community building, and holistic living. With backgrounds in environmental advocacy, education, community organizing, brewing, and urban micro-farming, they bring a rich blend of experience and determination to their path forward.
Sarah is a dedicated educator and community organizer, serves as board president of the Sycamore Learning Cooperative, and leads numerous educational and cooperative initiatives. Jason, with a background in brewing and systems thinking, is passionate about ecological design, health, and soil stewardship.
Together, they envision cultivating a life at Blue Rock Station centered on small-scale market gardening, agroforestry, and regenerative livestock systems, while creating an intergenerational place of learning, healing, food production. Their commitment to land stewardship is deeply rooted in their family values, permaculture ethics, and a growing regional support network.
Meet the Blue Rock Farmland Commons Board of Directors
Mona Cook-Haught, Legal Counsel
Mona practices law in Ohio. She is the owner of nine acres in the hills of southeastern Ohio where she is cultivating at risk forest medicinals and running her young business, Appalachian Herb Company.
Beth Makley, Women's Peace Power
Beth is passionate about all living things, plant life and small crawling things in particular. When she isn't meddling with those subjects she enjoys sculpting, hiking, reading, and collecting.
Sarah Ricks, The Farmers Land Trust
Sarah Ricks is a mother, artist, educator, community organizer, and land steward who is committed to sustainable living and regenerative agricultural practices that fosters long-term well-being for all.
Naomi Schalle, Women's Peace Power
Naomi is a mechanical engineer with experience in renewable energy systems and energy efficiency work and a passion for regenerative agriculture and local food systems.
Rachel Tayse, Women, Food & Ag Network
Rachel is a Midwestern soil creative dedicated to supporting equitable sustainable farm and food access projects, with experience in operating a certified organic produce farm and training beginning farmers.
Sam Tannenbaum, Women, Food, and Ag Network
Sam is an orchardist and data analyst in Northeast Ohio; they work for Ohio's leading organic certification nonprofit and volunteer on the board of Women Food and Agriculture Network..
Kristina Villa, The Farmers Land Trust
Kristina is the Co-Executive Director of The Farmers Land Trust and believes that our connection to the soil is directly related to the health of our bodies, economy, and society.
Blue Rock Farmland Commons Bylaws
Together with representatives from The Farmers Land Trust, Women's Peace Power Foundation, Women Food & Ag Network, and the landowner, Annie Warmke, these Bylaws were created to reflect the values of all organizations involved and to serve as the Governance structure of the Blue Rock Farmland Commons.
This multigenerational work needs your support
Help transition this 38-acre sustainability center located in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains in southeastern Ohio into the Blue Rock Farmland Commons and to the next generation farm stewards.
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Join the Blue Rock Farmland Commons mailing list!
Scenes From the Land
In the Headlines
Living off the earth, and in an Earthship
Southern Ohio Sustainable Haven: Blue Rock Station
Mud, trash are Ohio eco-home's building blocks
Regional Data
Franklin County
- 1, 319,000 metro
- median age 33.1
- 58% White
- 29% Black
- $60, 000 median HH
- 14.1% poverty
- OH avg $4,200/acre
- Muskingham Co. $5,200/acre
- $71,100 median HH
- $36,800 per capita
- 13.5% poverty
- 12.0% of residents
- 16.5% of children
- 210, 000 acres of cropland; livestock; specialty crops; major sectors manufacturing & healthcare.
- Appalacreshian‑heritage family farms; county fairs; growing farm‑to‑school cooperatives.
- Columbus metro sources from 300+ farms; 50+ farmers’ markets.
- Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams was founded downtown in 2002
