An open house featuring several raffles for big-ticket items will be held at Bertrand Farm in Niles in partnership with Enbridge Energy Partners to promote environmental stewardship and sustainable solutions educational programs.

The open house is scheduled from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 29 at 3575 W. Bertrand Rd., Niles.

Theri Niemier, farm owner, said they would raffle off six wheelbarrows full of garden supplies valued at $500 every half hour.

Also, tours of the facility will be provided showcasing the animals, facilities and grounds.

“People can learn more about what we do here,” she said.

Niemier and her husband, John, have owned the small organic farm since 1996. The Niemiers also run a nonprofit educational farm facility — Bertrand Farm Inc. — on the property that offers year-round learning activities to children of all ages.

Bertrand Farm staff will be available at the open house to discuss summer programming, including Farm Camp, Community Sponsored Agriculture (CSA) memberships, beginner gardening and farming classes, and cooking and preserving classes.

The open house will go on rain or shine.

“We hope a lot of people come out,” she said.

Theri said they weren’t able to run regular programming at the farm while construction was going on for Enbridge’s Line 6B pipe replacement project. A section of the pipe runs through a portion of the Niemier’s property.

“As part of their commitment to making Bertrand farm stronger in the end and bring back our business they (Enbridge) asked me if I would like for them to sponsor an open house,” she said.

Theri told the Niles Daily Star in February of 2013 that she was unhappy with Enbridge’s offer of compensation for the loss of the land during pipeline construction. The Niemiers refused Enbridge’s initial offer at that time.

When asked about it again Thursday, Theri said Enbridge was “quite generous” to Bertrand Farm Inc.

Jennifer Smith, Enbridge public affairs, said Enbridge would be sponsoring the farm’s activities for the summer, including the open house, summer camps and more.

“When we learned about the educational programs they have… we thought that fit right in with our enironmental stewardship program,” she said.

Visit www.bertrandfarm.org for more information.