NatUUre Connect is a community-minded program created by Aaron Slayton (they/them) of 5 Acre Farm Daylilies. Part farm program and part outreach program through Jim Wuerch and Aaron Slayton’s church, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Urbana-Champaign (UUCUC), NatUUre Connect brings together conservation, horticulture, and altruism in a hands-on, welcoming way. The program is designed for all ages, with opportunities for children, teens, adults, families, and lifelong learners to connect with nature, serve the community, and have fun while making a difference.
At 5 Acre Farm Daylilies, Jim and Aaron have been dreaming about new ways to use the farm as a place for education, community care, and meaningful connection. The daylily business remains at the heart of the farm, but NatUUre Connect allows us to grow beyond the blooms and share more of what we love with others. Whether someone is planting, learning, volunteering, donating, observing wildlife, or simply exploring something new, these programs and subprograms are built to be approachable, engaging, and enjoyable for all ages.
Conservation
Bat Conservation:On the back half of our five acres, we have an arboretum where we are working to add bat houses and register the area as a bat sanctuary. We already have confirmed bats on the property, and Aaron brings several years of bat conservation experience from their work in Tennessee. This branch offers a wonderful way for people of all ages to learn about bats, their role in the ecosystem, and why protecting their habitat matters.
Monarch Conservation:Aaron serves as team lead for the Monarch Waystation at UUCUC and has also converted part of the farm into a registered Monarch Waystation and butterfly garden. In the future, we plan to raise monarchs on the farm and release them regularly. This is another all-ages opportunity to experience the wonder of pollinators up close while learning how small actions can support a larger conservation mission.
Wildlife Conservation:The farm is home to bird feeders throughout the property, which we fill and maintain to support local wildlife. This simple but meaningful work helps create a more welcoming habitat and gives visitors of all ages a chance to observe, appreciate, and learn from the wildlife around us.
Pollinator Conservation: Pollinator care is woven throughout our monarch and bat conservation efforts, and we also keep bees on the property, as we have for years. From butterflies and bees to bats and birds, this work helps people of all ages see how connected every part of nature can be.
Horticulture
As a daylily farm with an orchard, arboretum, and produce crops, horticulture is naturally one of the roots of NatUUre Connect. One of our featured programs is Hybridizing with 5 Acres, where participants can learn how to hybridize daylilies and become part of the story of a new cultivar. Participants receive naming rights for the cultivars they create while we manage and maintain the seedlings. Once a seedling matures and flowers, we evaluate it, allow the participant to name it, and register it in both the farm’s name and the participant’s name, making them a permanent part of plant history. This program is currently available to members of UUCUC, and while some aspects are best suited for older children, teens, and adults, the spirit of learning, curiosity, and plant discovery is something we hope to make accessible to all ages over time.
Daylilies created through this partnership are classified as NatUUre Lilies. Fifty percent of all sales from these daylilies are donated to UUCUC, while the remaining fifty percent supports the NatUUre Connect program and the costs associated with keeping these projects growing. It is a joyful way to combine horticulture, generosity, and community impact.
In the future, we would love to open a version of this program to the public. That will require additional space, and dedicated gardens separate from retail areas, as well as a list of approved charities participants can choose from. The goal would be for each publicly created plant to support a selected cause, with sales donated exclusively to that charity. We do not expect this expansion to be ready until at least 2028, but interested individuals are welcome to reach out about completing an intake form when planning begins. Our long-term hope is to grow this into an all-ages learning opportunity where families, youth, adults, and community groups can take part in plant creativity while supporting meaningful causes.
Altruism
NUUrture is a subprogram of NatUUre Connect focused on growing and sharing fresh food with neighbors who are experiencing food insecurity. In 2026, the year the program launched, Aaron Slayton grew well over 3,000 produce plants at 5 Acre Farm Daylilies and provided fresh produce to 10–30 people in the local community, weekly, to help them make ends meet. The program is expected to run for around 20 weeks this year, with hopes to expand in the future. Any excess produce is offered to other community programs, including Monday Night Dinners for Gaza, the Immigration Justice Team at UUCUC, and local soup kitchens, with the goal of reducing waste and keeping good food moving toward people who need it. This is hands-on care in action, and it creates meaningful ways for people of all ages to understand food access, service, and community responsibility.
N2UU, or NUUrture to UUs, is another subprogram that helps collect and distribute fresh produce, backpacks, school supplies, and other essentials. Items are gathered at the farm and shared through local leaders and representatives of programs that use them directly in their own community work, including several efforts where we also volunteer. Like the larger NatUUre Connect mission, this program is intended to welcome involvement from all ages, whether that means donating supplies, helping organize collections, learning about local needs, or supporting the people already doing important work in our community.
Viridescent Pathways is a farm-based is a subprogram of NatUUre Connect that we plan to launch in the next few years. These will be affordable, paid classes designed to connect people with nature, offer education, and help fund the broader work of NatUUre Connect. Occasionally there will be free classes on certain subjects offered as well. These are for all ages and would require you to sign up and register so that we know how many to expect. While we cannot offer every program or class for free, we are committed to keeping these experiences welcoming, meaningful, and accessible whenever possible. Most importantly, Viridescent Pathways will carry forward the same all-ages spirit of NatUUre Connect by creating opportunities for children, teens, adults, families, and community members to learn, explore, and grow together.
