Glory Benacka
Greenhouse Manager
Glory’s Kansas homeplace is a few acres in Ellsworth County near Lake Kanopolis. She grew up in Nebraska and Chicago. Glory earned a B.A. in Visual Art and minor in Environmental Studies from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. She is excited to join TLI in a position where she can work more actively with her hands and directly with nature. Glory says, “As a passionate life-long learner, my career path has included a variety of teaching and coordinating positions in nonprofit arts, library, and educational organizations. Growing up in Nebraska, I was active in 4-H, worked on a summer detasseling crew, and at a campground. My 4-H entomology background is helpful when identifying insect activities. Walking long seed corn rows in Nebraska and driving carriers makes me comfortable in the fields and nostalgic at TLI.”
Q&A
What drew you to work at TLI?
I have always been an environmentalist and am a modern homesteading enthusiast. I’ve been to Prairie Festivals and Resilience Group meetings where I thoroughly enjoyed the topics of discussion and community of TLI. I like that there is an incredibly practical and scientific application of ideas happening here. I fully support and believe in the TLI mission of healthy people, communities, and soil all being connected.
What’s most inspiring about your specific position at TLI? Plants and Insects! Getting to observe plants and insect conditions in the TLI greenhouses daily is engrossin and I am forever inspired by how hardworking and clever nature is.
What would people never guess that you do as part of your role at TLI?
Everyday involves different ongoing care treatments for the greenhouse plants, facilities, and condition reporting. I feel like a plant spa worker, where I walk around all day, trying to keep everyone happy and healthy with different treatment sprays, tonics, and cleaning routines.
What TLI perennial crop do you look forward to eating most, and how would you prepare it?
Kernza, I have made delicious muffins with it before and I’d like to try it in cornbread next.
What else are you passionate about (outside of work)?!
I am a vegetable gardener, chicken keeper, photographer, videographer, and writer. I love stories; television, movies, and reading. My favorite plant is Genovese Basil, which I like to grow in excessive amounts.
What were you like at age 10?
My childhood bedroom was covered in 4-H entomology projects, bug boxes, and library books. I was mesmerized by gardening, art, photography, and dreamed of living in the country on my own little farm.
What’s your motto / favorite quote?
“In the future, everything you have done may be undone” ~Inspirobot
Support the work of Glory and others at The Land Institute with a donation.