Our History – Text

Emory Knoll Farms has been a family-owned farm since 1848. Five generations of the Snodgrass family have worked in agriculture. The farm has evolved through many stages of traditional farming, from raising corn, cattle, Christmas trees, and even llamas.

In the 1980’s, Owner and President, Ed Snodgrass began to redesign the farm under the principles of sustainability using the Natural Step process. As a committed conservationist, Ed has put over 100 acres into agricultural preservation.  A significant portion of what was once open cropland is now restored to indigenous trees and native meadow plants, preserving critical habitat needed by local fauna, including pollinators and migratory birds. Our belief in the advantages of sustainable business practices comes directly from our experiences and remains a central component of how we manage the land and how we do business.

Today, Emory Knoll Farms is home to Green Roof Plants – our wholesale perennial nursery, in operation since 1998.  We also have four acres of grasses and perennials, grown to provide seed stock for Jelitto Perennial Seeds. The 131-acre farm includes 10 green roofs used for testing green roof plants, soil mixes, stormwater management and biodiversity.  Many trial gardens are also in place for testing new varieties of plants.

In 2025 the next generation of owners stepped forward to purchase the business, allowing Ed more time caring for the land as a whole. With deep backgrounds in horticulture and agriculture Arden Pontasch and Ryan Butcher will continue the mission of Emory Knoll Farms, Inc. and Green roof plants to make sure that plants are the focus on building a greener more sustainable world.

As our business continues to grow, we maintain a strong sense of heritage, as well as a close connection to the original beauty and vitality of the land.