The Kress Farm Garden Preserve north of Hillsboro has been kept more or less a secret ever since it was founded more than six decades ago, but the board chairman, Joe Corio, wants to change that.
“We just want to get more in the public eye,” he said.
Corio, 62, of Hillsboro said he hopes to spread the word about the nonprofit organization and get more people to visit the farm, a 142-acre property that includes 6 miles of trails.
In addition, a museum is in the works.
“I’m trying to push to make this place more accessible,” he said. “We are publicizing (the trails) and we have marked them up.”
Dr. Jacob Kress, a dentist who practiced in south St. Louis County, founded the Kress Farm Garden Preserve, at 5137 Glade Chapel Road, in 1960, when he purchased the property.
A 10-member board oversees the operation of the property.
Corio said Kress died several years ago, but the board, along with volunteers and members who pay dues every year, still work to carry out his mission.
“He loved nature, he loved animals and he wanted to preserve all of this and he wanted to educate the public on that,” Corio said. “Dr. Kress wanted people here. He wanted people to know about it. He wanted people to come on a tour, but he didn’t want to tell anybody about it.”
Corio said the farm had been closed to the public because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and before that it was only open every Wednesday and one Saturday a month.
However, on July 1, the property reopened seven days a week. The hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the trails open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Anyone may use the trails after signing in at the Marie Callas Pavilion.
Kress Farm also sells produce and plants grown on the property. It sells some of the products at the Hillsboro Farmers Market, too.
Trails
Corio said a farm member started creating the trail system at Kress Farm in 2004, and it was finished last summer.
The system has five trails – Blue, Yellow, White, Red and Bluebird trails.
Corio said the Blue Trail is the newest of the trails and is a 1-mile loop with views of Native American cliff caves, which reach up to 40 feet. He said a hike on that trail is rated moderately difficult.
He said a team of archaeologists have found more than 350 artifacts inside the cliff caves, including bone chips and shell fragments. Corio said all the artifacts are being studied at Lindenwood University.
“The students are evaluating them, writing reports. They’re going to put a display together for us,” he said. “We’re going to open a museum in the old farmhouse.”
Corio said he hopes to see the museum open this summer, with artifacts found at the cliff caves displayed there.
Karen Kowal, 77, of Arnold, who has been a Kress Farm member for three years, said the Blue Trail is her favorite.
“It was stupendous to think people used that (cliff caves along the trail) as shelter thousands of years ago. It just blows your mind,” she said.
The Yellow Trail is three-fourths of a mile long and features two intermittent waterfalls, which many people find peaceful, Corio said.
The 2-mile White Trail is the longest trail on the property.
“The White Trail is just a perimeter trail that encompasses bits and pieces of each (trail). It goes around the perimeter of the property,” Corio said. “So, if you’re game and you take the White Trail, you could actually see all the different features we have. It’s probably the easiest, but it’s also the longest.”
The Red Trail is 1.2 miles long and goes around a pond. Corio said the Red Trail also features an Indian marker tree.
“At some point in time (the tree) was bent down to point into a direction of something. It could have been water; it could have been another trail,” he said. “We have naysayers. So some people say yes, it is an authentic Indian marker tree, and others say ‘no, it’s not.’”
The Bluebird Trail takes hikers to a field and past bluebird nest boxes. Corio said the bluebirds arrive in late April or early May to nest in the boxes.
Corio said since Kress Farm is a wildlife sanctuary, pets are not permitted on any of the trails.
Seeking volunteers and members
Corio said Kress Family also welcomes new members and volunteers.
“All of our members are getting older and we can’t do the things we used to do, which is why we need newer younger volunteers because we physically can’t get down on the ground and pull weeds anymore,” he said.
Corio said there’s a small fee to become a member, but no fee to be a volunteer.
“Dr. Kress put the fees in place back in the ’90s and they haven’t changed,” Corio said.
A yearlong membership for one person costs $25, and it’s $35 for two people and $10 for a student.
Corio said members get extra benefits, like fishing in the pond.
Kowal, who is a member, said she likes to work in the herb garden.
“I will welcome anyone who wants to learn more about herbs,” she said.
Those who would like to volunteer at the farm may choose what they would like to work on.
More information about trails, the property and membership can be found at kressfarm.org.