Bernheim Forest is getting back to its roots. A short drive south of Louisville along I-65, this undulating 15,000-plus-acre tract of land is named for Isaac W. Bernheim, who saw the value in preserving this forest nearly a century ago. Fast-forward to the present day and Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest in Clermont is proving to be a sustainable force—one that continues to draw visitors from around the state and beyond.
It was a beacon far too enticing for Tom Block, Isaac’s great-grandson, to ignore. Indeed, Bernheim Forest called Tom from New York to Kentucky, where he, along with Visitor Services Assistant Manager Kathy Hart and the rest of the dedicated Bernheim staff and board of trustees, have spent the last several years ensuring Bernheim’s pursuits in both research and sustainability are maximized. Its expansive edible garden is a shining example of their commitment to not only giving back to the land but also to regenerating it.
When Isaac established his forest, he intended for it to be a place for all, and today, Tom, Kathy and the lovers of Bernheim keep this wish at the heart of everything they do as they steadily guide the forest through the 21st century. There seems to be little doubt that Isaac, who started life in America as a peddler and went on to build a whiskey empire, would be proud of what has become of his lush and sprawling legacy.
Landing in America in 1867, Isaac had left his small childhood village in Germany in pursuit of American opportunity. He was only 19 but had been born with an industrious spirit, and he quickly began working as a peddler, traveling throughout Pennsylvania selling sundries. This line of work allowed him a comfortable life and gave him the resources needed to move to Paducah, where he first entered the business that would make him his fortune: bourbon. Along with his brother, Bernard, Isaac established a liquor sales firm in 1872. Two decades later, the Bernheim brothers found themselves living in Louisville and crafting I.W. Harper, their brand of bourbon.
Exactly when Isaac set eyes on the land that would later bear his name is unknown. The deep green and wooded rolling hills just outside of Shepherdsville reminded him of the terrain of the Black Forest in Germany. The land spoke to him, and his desire to preserve this corner of the world would not be quelled. Instead of leaving his fortune to his children, Isaac created the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest Trust, with the land as the sole benefactor of his life’s work. This trust has sustained the forest and its efforts for years, but with the renewed drive to expand and deepen the impact of the forest comes the need for new revenue streams. Enter Isaac’s great-grandson, Tom Block.
Tom, who was born in Cincinnati, knew little about Bernheim Forest as a child. An age-old rift between Isaac and his children, one of whom was Tom’s grandmother, kept the extended family largely estranged. Tom inherited no small amount of his great-grandfather’s industrious nature and established a successful career of his own, starting with politics. He spent weekends of his senior year at American University flying to and from Ohio, while serving as one of the youngest congressional aides in Washington, D.C. He was running a congressman’s office at 25, and by 27, he was in charge of the day-to-day activities of a senator.
After his success in Washington, Tom went on to the top ranks of financial giant J.P. Morgan Chase. He worked and lived in New York City for 30 years, never dreaming he would spend his retirement in Louisville as an active participant in the growth of his great-grandfather’s legacy.
A visit to Bernheim Forest in 2008 proved serendipitous, and Tom found himself sharing tales of his family history with Bernheim’s executive director, who would reach out to him shortly thereafter, requesting his presence on its board of trustees. Three visits a year turned into five, and then quickly seven or more, with Tom spending more and more time immersing himself in the forest, marveling over the leaves of unique and delicate sycamores, maples, tri-color beech trees that seem to have come straight out of a storybook, and a vast maze of hollies boasting a rainbow of berries in the fall. Nature was the motivation he needed to help maximize all that Bernheim had to offer. The decision to leave New York and head southwest just felt right.
In keeping with Isaac Bernheim’s wish, ensuring that the forest is a place for all people is always top priority, and the new and improved Isaac’s Café is no exception. Kathy Hart is largely credited with the café’s transformation; her passion for cooking with the freshest, most wholesome ingredients available is palpable.
In 2014, an edible garden was developed there, with raised beds built at varying heights to accommodate the young and petite as well as the mature and tall. The garden serves as a learning space, and several beds are designed to be open at the bottom, allowing for handicap accessibility. Many of the more than 35 miles of trails at Bernheim have been made accessible as well.
When Kathy came on board as a volunteer, she saw a missed opportunity—the majority of the vegetables grown in the garden were left unused, simply because those running the kitchen at the café were short on time, space and knowledge of how to cook with the seasons. Kathy stepped in, and three years later, the vast majority of the food served at Isaac’s Café comes directly from the garden. She plans the menus daily based on what she is able to pull from the beds a mere 200 yards away. Now, Kathy and the Bernheim garden team work in tandem, consulting on which vegetables to plant and when, and ensuring fresh food is available not only in the summer and fall but every week of the year.
The edible garden is beautifully designed, with the beds bordered by covered classroom huts, beehives, monarch butterfly way stations and solar panels. The solar panels are part of Bernheim’s participation in the Living Building Challenge, an international sustainable building certification program. Recognizing that operating the sprinkler system used most of the energy in the garden, Kathy and the garden team installed solar panels, generating electricity to distribute water captured in rain barrels. The idea is to move beyond the concept of sustainability and to approach the Earth with a regenerative frame of mind, giving back more than you take. Kathy embraces this same concept with the dishes she makes in the café. She wants the food that the guests enjoy not only to sustain them but also to be a regenerative force in their health.
The café is housed in the visitor center, a light-filled building encased nearly entirely in rich wooden window frames, with glass panels allowing both light and the surrounding greenery to pour in, ensuring guests do not forget they are at the center of a forest. Catering for groups is available from Isaac’s Café, and a small banquet space is adjacent to the gift shop.
In speaking about the future of Bernheim, both Tom and Kathy have their sights firmly set on growth, with hopes of drawing visitors there year-round for the food, changing colors of the seasons, and, eventually, weddings and larger social events. In truth, Bernheim is a forest at its heart, but yet it is so much more than that. With a stronger-than-ever drive to expand the educational programs, the research efforts and the access to fresh, wholesome food, Bernheim Forest is primed to inspire and fortify visitors for generations to come.