FACES Alan Jaros n high school, Alan Jaros asked his guidance counselor about taking a class offered at Bloomfield Hills Schools' Charles L. Bowers Farm, but he was advised against it. Now he's their director. "I love the story," Jaros said about his full circle moment. Unlike his former guidance counselor, Jaros thinks courses at the farm are for all kids. Jaros has also done well in the position – which was created for him in 2018. He was just named one of Oakland County's Elite 40 Under 40 for the class of 2020. To fill in some of the details of how he got from A to B, the journey started when he was finally able to take the class during his senior year at Andover High School, when he would fall in love with agriculture. After graduating with a degree in adult education from Oakland University, Jaros took a position with the Tollgate Farm and Education Center in Novi. All those years, he continued as a field trip guide at Bowers. He realized Tollgate had no educational programming, so he proposed they run a course, which became a huge success. "My old principal in Bloomfield reached out and said they were going to do something different with Bowers," he said. "They basically said they really liked what Tollgate’s doing...and wondered how they could bring that to Bowers." A partnership between Michigan State University – which owns Tollgate – and Bloomfield Hills Schools was formed. Jaros served as a liaison between the two and accepted a position at Bowers at the conclusion. Since then, his main focuses as director have been how to open up the farm as a spot for casual visitation, expanding educational programming, and increasing cash flow. "For me, my whole business is to add value to what it means to the community," Jaros said. "My hope is that the farm really forms and can become a place for the residents and they see it as theirs and they’re proud of it and they frequent it." Jaros thinks the farm has meant something different to every generation since it opened in 1967. In the last decade, Jaros said a lot more people have become really interested in health and wellness, and want to know about where their food comes from. Since that is so few and far between, especially in a tri-county area, Jaros has seen the farm become a place where people can become educated on those issues and learn about science in a real-life context. When asked what his favorite part of his job is, Jaros' enthusiasm and excitement busted through. "I love the 'a-ha moment' when a young person is out here having an experience and they’re enjoying it and then you connect it to the fact that they just learned something," he said. "I think that goes into this building of life-long learning," Jaros continued. "To think about change and it’s inevitability and having a growth mindset, that starts with understanding and being a learner and identifying with being a learner." When it comes to the future of the farm, Jaros has big plans, including an expansion of the garden and livestock, and a children's discovery garden that would be made of all natural materials. There's no funds for it yet – but a dream and design. As for his future at the farm? Well, that's easy. "To answer your question, I have no interest in leaving," he said. "I love this place."
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Story: Dana Casadei
Photo: Laurie Tennent