A Farm Built From Hope
Boltz to Nutz Farm is the creation of Yvonne and Eric Boltz, their adult children and numerous loved ones, volunteers and dedicated employees. Born out of tragedy and hope, Boltz to Nutz seeks to be a source of healing and of solid ground for those who suffer.
In 2015 Eric and Yvonne’s lives were upended when Eric was struck by a negligent motorist and left paralyzed from the chest down while on an after-work training ride. Eric had been an amateur competitive cyclist participating in some 40+ races and logging over 10,000 miles per year on his bicycle at the time he was injured.
Blessed with the support of teammates and the greater Cincinnati cycling community, Eric and Yvonne worked through the early, dark days of their new reality, struggling to find ways to deal with many of the side-effects of a spinal cord injury.
From severe spasms (aka “spasticity”) and 24/7 severe neuropathic pain emanating from the damaged spinal cord to the realities of managing paralyzed bodily functions, Eric, like many paraplegics, found conventional drug therapies both lacking in efficacy and burdened by unacceptable side-effects such as severe sedation. That’s when Eric and Yvonne began their journey developing natural supplement remedies for many of these spinal cord injury symptoms, remedies which work on a wide range of maladies affecting both disabled and able-bodied people.
But Yvonne and Eric wanted Boltz to Nutz to be more than just a supplier of natural remedies.
So they set out to build a place that is accessible - from the fully accessible food preparation kitchen in the hemp processing center, to the raised garden beds designed for wheelchair access, to manufacturing processes designed with different abilities in mind, Boltz to Nutz welcomes visitors and employees of all abilities.
To complete the mission of Boltz to Nutz Farm, the Boltz’s also decided to build not one, but two accessible homes at the farm; one to live in while the second home is a place where recently-disabled people can come, with a caregiver, and explore the farm and the things that their recently-changed body might be able to do: ride a handcycle, drive off-road wheelchairs, try fishing from a wheelchair, make breakfast at a roll-under stove and, most importantly, but optionally, spend time with others who are coping with their own challenges.
The initial stages of learning to live with disability are about grief, acceptance and moving forward. That’s why hosting recently-injured people is so important; because shining a light on the possibilities of life with disability provides hope that is desperately needed in these early days.
The non-profit arm of Boltz to Nutz Farm is our 501(c)3, BoltzStrong, which helps to cover the costs associated with hosting disabled persons, but the Farm itself funds development of the farm, from wheelchair pathways to raised beds (coming soon!), with income from the sale of produce, eggs and hemp products grown and/or processed at the farm.
Boltz to Nutz is more than just a producer of goods. During our open hours you can see our production facility, relax by one of our ponds or visit with our farm animals and guardian dogs.
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