Education is the Foundation of Sonnewald
Sep 01, 2020 06:26PM ● By Gisele M. Siebold
Tim Lefever used science to understand how different things affected
the human body and the land. His scientific curiosity led him to seek out
chemical-free methods and handle soil amendments for the 65-acre Sonnewald Farm,
as well as build an on-site solar home.
“The Sonnewald store sits the way it does because it is oriented
to the sun,” explains Willa Lefever who, with her husband Bill Kaiser, carries
on the legacy that her parents began. “The building is 100 by 100; the store is
8000 square feet and the residence is 1500 square feet. It is a very unique
design. The residence—I call it the elegant mobile home—is long and skinny
across the back, and that’s where all the sun is; remember, you don’t want the sun
on your products if you have a grocery store.”
She notes, “It is all designed very
sustainably. From 9 to 5, the residence becomes part of the store. The rooms of
the house become multi-purpose during business hours. Our living room and
dining room becomes a conference room because we can gather at the oval table.”
The principles that founders
Tim and Grace Lefever established remain the same for the Sonnewald team today,
i.e., that natural is the best option. “We feel that we have a responsibility
to raise the awareness of the community to help improve the quality of life. We
are called to be good stewards of our bodies and the Earth,” says Willa.
“The foundation of
Sonnewald is education. We help customers find their own truth about
sustainable living,” she states. “Just because we don’t believe it today or
that we are not comfortable with it today, doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t
the truth. Years ago, things like organic farming, recycling and composting
were controversial. But now we accept those things as being important and
necessary.
“Our success at
Sonnewald is built on a passion for helping people, pure motives, impeccable
integrity, strong morals, quality products and honest information,” shares
Willa. “We are a retail store with the heart of a ministry. My parents accepted
running Sonnewald Natural Foods as a divine assignment. Bill and I carried this
forward. We take our work at Sonnewald very seriously. We feel like it is a
spiritual assignment, and we are now working diligently to prepare the way to
hand it over when the time comes. The Sonnewald Life Institute will carry on
the legacy of Sonnewald after we are gone.”
The purposes of the
Sonnewald Life Institute align with the vision of paying it forward. “We are
committed to living gently on the Earth, and we celebrate differences by
seeking unity, harmony and peace,” affirms Willa. “By cultivating awareness and
encouraging positive action, we support lifelong learning.”
Sonnewald’s legacy provides
the foundation for future generations to engage in pioneering natural methods that
maintain the integrity of the land in its natural form and inspire the spirit of
the people that are entrusted to be its stewards.
Sonnewald Natural Foods is located at 4796 Lehman Rd., in Spring Grove. For more information, call 717-225-3825 or visit Sonnewald.org.