Glenmoore, Pennsylvania

Camphill Soltane stands as a vibrant, inclusive community dedicated to cultivating belonging, purpose, and joy for adults with intellectual and developmental differences. Nestled on a peaceful campus in Glenmoore, Pennsylvania, Soltane has woven together creative learning, meaningful work, and social connection through its array of programs and enterprises for the past 37 years. Grounded in Camphill ideals of mutual contribution, the organization offers a rich tapestry of opportunities that empower participants to grow alongside peers and mentors.

At the heart of Soltane’s land-based work is Soltane Horticulture, a flourishing initiative rooted in care for the land, sustainable cultivation, and inclusive participation and leadership. Through hands-on gardening, orchard care, greenhouse work, and seasonal plantings, participants engage deeply with the rhythms of nature while developing practical skills that support both personal and professional growth and community livelihood. Whether grooming the Angora goats, collecting freshly laid eggs, nurturing tropicals in the greenhouse, or harvesting fresh produce, individuals find connection, purpose, and confidence.

This spring, Camphill Soltane is proud to launch its Horticulture Vocational Training Program, a new and pioneering offering designed to bridge passion with professional pathways. This comprehensive training meets three days a week and focuses on real-world horticultural knowledge — from plant biology and soil science to irrigation and sustainable practices — coupled with professional development skills like teamwork, customer service, and interview readiness. The training is intentionally structured to prepare graduates to enter the workforce with confidence, competence, and a certificate that validates their achievements.

What sets this program apart is its deep commitment to accessibility and individualized learning. With sensory-friendly tools, adaptive pacing, and small class sizes, students receive tailored guidance that honors diverse learning styles and needs. Learners cultivate competencies in orchard care, greenhouse production, and garden design, all while being supported by experienced growers who foster confidence and independence.

Camphill Soltane’s horticulture initiatives echo the organization’s broader mission: to create inclusive spaces where every person can contribute meaningfully and be seen for their unique gifts. The vocational program builds on decades of experience offering supported work, volunteer opportunities, and integrated social enterprises in Soltane’s horticulture, Café, arts, and hospitality ventures. By embedding skill-building in a life-affirming community, Soltane helps participants step boldly into futures defined by capability, purpose, and joy.

Beyond the garden and greenhouse, the Camphill Soltane campus is alive with collaboration and creativity. The horticulture programs intersect with community events, seasonal celebrations, and shared traditions that reinforce dignity, respect, and shared purpose. As the vocational training program takes root in 2026, Camphill Soltane continues to expand its role as a living example of how care farming can nurture both land and human potential — offering an empowering model for inclusive, nature-based vocational pathways. 

Camphill Soltane

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The Healing Path Care Farm is located in Whitman, Massachusetts, and provides innovative psychotherapy that incorporates interaction with animals. October marked a milestone moment for The Healing Path. Five and a half years after purchasing their original farm in Whitman, the care farm is proudly opening its second location at The Forever Farm in Middleboro.

What began as a 4-H family fostering a baby lamb in their home has evolved into a thriving care farm serving individuals of all ages. The early experiences caring for that tiny lamb planted the seed for what would become The Healing Path’s mission: offering traditional therapy in a nontraditional, deeply relational farm setting.

The journey to this moment has been far from simple. The Healing Path has navigated challenges, learning, stumbling, adjusting, and growing at every step. Their story is one of asking questions, leaning on community, learning to ask for help, and committing to doing a little better each day.

With the opening of their Middleboro location, The Healing Path looks forward to expanding its mission across both communities by continuing to offer spaces where the calming and restorative power of animals, land, and connection can flourish.

Seven years ago (before her care farm existed) founder Leila and her family fostered a tiny lamb named Bebe in their home. She wore diapers, was bottle-fed around the clock, and even tagged along to work each day. The joy and comfort she brought to clients sparked something life-changing: the first spark of what would become Leila’s care farming journey.

Because sheep need a flock, Bebe eventually went to live with Leila’s aunt, where she thrived for years. But now, as she retires from breeding, Bebe has returned back to Leila, to live out her retirement at the care farm she helped inspire. It’s a full-circle moment—one that reminds us how a single connection, even with a baby lamb in diapers, can alter the course of a life.

As Leila says: “Fostering a baby lamb literally changed my life. You never know what impact someone or something might have. Bebe is here to tell us to be open to new experiences because it might just be the best thing that could ever happen.”

This is Tiny when he first came to Leila’s farm. He was shy and would back away, isolating, and running from everyone (even his little brother). But slowly—through people giving him time, patience, and wells of compassionate understanding —Tiny began to learn that proximity, affection and care didn’t have to mean danger. One small moment at a time, he discovered safety in connection. Now, he’s able to face his biggest fear and has reached a level of safety (with his selected trusted few) to roll on his tummy and accept pets.

Trust doesn’t have to be blind, and it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. You can move at your own pace, finding the balance between protecting yourself and letting people in.

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Eliada has deep agricultural roots, serving as a working farm since the early 1900’s. Today, Eliada’s Campus Farm program provides fresh organic produce, agricultural education opportunities, and community-based agritourism events to students at Eliada and the greater Asheville community. Our farm features several production spaces including a geodesic Grow Dome, Hoophouse, Corn Maze, and Learning Garden. With these garden spaces, we are equipped to grow food year-round. A majority of the produce grown on campus goes directly to our central kitchen, traveling only a hundred yards, and is prepared for student meals weekly. Excess produce is sold to local community partners who support food justice work in our community.

Agricultural education classes are taught by our Farm Director weekly at our garden sites to students ages 11-17 at Eliada Academy. Class sessions address various agricultural topics including gardening, conservation, farm ecology, irrigation, and pest control, and are part of the science curriculum. Students utilize our growing spaces and gardens to learn about regenerative farming practices and get hands-on experience working the land.

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2 Compton Dr. Asheville, NC

 

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At Ease Orchard, located in Wilkinson, Indiana, empowers veterans with agricultural training, resources, and community support, fostering sustainable farming practices and enhancing well-being through hands-on learning and collaborative networks.

At Ease Orchard empowers military veterans and their caregivers by reconnecting them with the land and with one another. Through hands-on training, practical resources, and a strong support network, the organization helps veterans turn farming into a pathway for healing, resilience, and renewed purpose.

Believing that farming is more than a skill—it’s a way to rebuild, reconnect, and move forward—At Ease Orchard cultivates sustainability, self-reliance, and community, equipping veterans with the tools they need to thrive in agriculture and beyond.

Rooted in Service
At Ease Orchard began with a simple mission: to stand by those who’ve served. What started in Indiana has grown into a national network of veterans learning, growing, and leading in agriculture. Today, the organization supports veteran and first-responder families across the country as they find direction, strength, and fulfillment in the meaningful work of farming.

What “At Ease” Means
“At Ease” is a familiar phrase in military life—a command that signals rest after duty and discipline. For At Ease Orchard, it represents something deeper: a place where veterans can breathe, heal, and rediscover purpose through farming and beekeeping. It’s where the next mission begins—on their terms, in their own time, with support every step of the way.

Resource Collaboration
At Ease Orchard is proud to partner with Justin Ruger—founder of Accessible Beekeeping—who specializes in making beekeeping inclusive for individuals of all abilities. Despite personal challenges that include a traumatic brain injury and stroke, Justin continues to innovate by developing adaptive equipment and training methods for new and disabled beekeepers.

The Resident Beekeeper

While Justin’s expertise shapes our resource collection, At Ease Orchard also benefits from the hands-on knowledge of founder Joe Ricker, who manages their on-site apiary. By combining Justin’s passion for inclusivity with Joe’s practical experience, we ensure veterans, first responders, and anyone interested can enjoy the calming, community-focused nature of beekeeping.

Events

At Ease Orchard hosts a variety of events at its home farm in Indiana and across the country. In addition to in-person events, At Ease Orchard offers monthly virtual sessions on topics ranging from sustainable agriculture to conversations with other veteran-serving nonprofits.

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Create Jobs. Build Community. Change Lives.

New Growth Project, located in Rockford Michigan, employs individuals with disabilities by growing nourishing vegetables for their community.

Why Job Opportunities? Nearly 81% of individuals with cognitive differences are unemployed. This leads to a lack of community connections, isolation, and depression.

Why A Farm Setting? Providing nourishing food for the community that is grown using sustainable practices offers many job opportunities. In addition, New Growth Project can help address the food insecurity experienced by many in their community. They are committed to growing clean food without harsh chemicals lends to a healthy lifestyle.

The farm store located on their property gives the community an opportunity to buy chemical-free vegetables and specialty pantry items direct from the farm.  Their employees will help clean, package, label, and sell our products thus giving them an opportunity to learn more skills, interact with the community and build confidence in their abilities to contribute.

Watch why New Growth Project was created and how they intend to positively impact the community

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The farm is located in Winter Garden, Florida.  A collaboration between Orange County Public Schools and the Special Hearts Farm features a “true transition opportunity” for students with disabilities to train and continue performing meaningful jobs once they age out of school. This transition opportunity is the first of its kind in the state of Florida!

The farm offers a variety of programs, including horticulture therapy, animal-assisted therapy, music, cooking, expressive arts and yoga.

The Special Hearts Farm provides business opportunities for individuals with disabilities and unique abilities by producing and selling products such as goat milk soap, rustic signs, and hosting farm events and goat yoga. The goal for the Special Hearts Farm is to promote health, happiness, and opportunity for individuals with disabilities and unique abilities within the West Orange Community.  

Adult Day Training/Supported Employment 

The Special Hearts Farm provides adult day training, supported employment, and possible entrepreneur business opportunities relating to farming and gardening experiences. Participants are trained to perform jobs including livestock care, woodworking, gardening, and making goat milk soap. Products that are created, marketed, and sold (goat milk soap and rustic signs), provide an opportunity to promote community health and awareness. Contact us to receive more information regarding funding and daily rates.

Orlando Health Partnership

Special Hearts Farm is proud to partner with Orlando Health to empower individuals with disabilities by teaching them essential life skills through engaging, hands-on experiences. Each quarter, the Orlando Health Center for Health Improvement team, supported by volunteers, visits the farm to host interactive cooking classes. Using fresh ingredients grown in the farm’s garden, students learn how to prepare healthy meals while gaining practical knowledge they can use at home to promote independence. During each session, participants help prepare the day’s recipe, enjoy the meal together, and take home the recipe to recreate on their own. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to improving health, fostering independence, and enhancing the quality of life for all members of our community.

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View of Heaven sells a variety of fresh produce and baked goods at at their own Farm Market every Saturday, and throughout the week at Spring House Farm Store. Customers can also preorder items through their online store for convenient pickup. The farm’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its pesticide-free produce and environmentally friendly farming techniques— this not only supports local agriculture but also promotes healthier food options for the community!

Inspired by the story of Thomas (which you can read in the “About” section of their website), View of Heaven Farm was established to create a nurturing workplace where neurodiverse individuals can thrive. The farm empowers them to develop their skills and enjoy a fulfilling work experience. Through their efforts, the farm not only enhances the lives of its workers but also fosters a sense of community and connection among all who are involved.

Our View of Heaven is a farm that provides meaningful employment to people of differing mental and physical abilities, pays a living wage and grows food using environmentally sustainable processes.

Located in: Loudoun County, Virginia.

Website: www.viewofheavenfarm.org

Email: info@viewofheavenfarm.org 

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The UNC Farm at Penny Lane, located on 40 acres in northern Chatham County, uses a holistic and sustainable approach to enhance the quality of life of individuals with severe and persistent mental illness by offering opportunities to become healthier and more self-sufficient. Therapeutic actives take place at the Farm, which consists of a large growing area, heritage-breed chickens, beehives, a learning kitchen and a walking trail. They use organic practices to grow their crops; community volunteers, clients with serious mental illness and staff cultivate the garden.

The farm offers a variety of programs in partnership with the UNC Center for Excellence in Community Mental Health and the nonprofit XDS Inc., including horticulture therapy, animal-assisted therapy, music, cooking, expressive arts and yoga.

Penny Lane is currently in the process of a building an affordable tiny home village for clients who may want to live permanently on the premises. The 15-home community will include amenities, food, transportation and direct access to activities.  

Recovery and Rehabilitation Programs

Recovery-oriented programs include a list of complimentary approaches to traditional therapy and medicine: horticultural and other nature-based therapies, yoga, movement and breathing, expressive arts, music and healthy cooking. Therapeutic skills groups focused on symptom and self-management are also offered, but in a non-clinical setting with a therapeutic garden as the backdrop. The Farm strives to find facilitators with their own lived experience in recovery as peers to offer the various groups and classes.

These programs provide ample opportunities for meaningful social engagement that are important to mental health recovery. Lessening stigma and allowing clients to feel less isolated, willing to maintain their connections with other people, and capture the experiences in their lives that are most meaningful to them. The UNC Farm at Penny Lane aims to be a place of positive reciprocity and show that the path of recovery is a hopeful one.

Most of the groups are open and run throughout the year. For additional program information, contact: Farm Program Manager, Jeff Neer. 

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Our PURPOSE is to nurture the holistic well-being of grieving humans and hurting animals by providing them access to restorative environments and activities. At our carefarm, we foster relationships of support to reduce isolation and provide a source of compassion and companionship.

Our VISION is that all animals and humans living with the effects of bereavement and suffering have a haven in which to breathe, mourn, and receive nourishment in unhurried, gentle ways through connection with the land, self, and others.

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Nestled on 428 acres of scenic countryside, The Lands at Hillside Farms is a historic, non-profit educational dairy farm with a mission that reaches far beyond its fences. As a 501(c)(3) organization, Hillside Farms is dedicated to teaching life choices that are healthy, logical, and sustainable—ensuring that future generations, even 200 years from now, have access to the same or better opportunities and resources.

Hillside Farms’ Care Farming Services provides a compassionate and healing space for children facing the difficult challenges of trauma. Since 2012, it has been a beacon of hope to the region’s children from ages 6 to 14, especially those dealing with various forms of trauma, including the painful loss of family members or challenging circumstances within their homes.

Addressing the trauma, a recent Center for Disease Control report on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) is emphasized here. According to extensive research, damaging experiences may involve violence, abuse, or growing up in a household affected by mental health issues or substance dependencies. Trauma is not a fleeting affliction but leaves lasting effects on a child’s brain development and coping mechanisms.

However, recovery is indeed possible, and the Care Farming Services at Hillside Farms offer a structured yet compassionate route towards healing. This comprehensive, evidence-based program offers children the opportunity to interact with mental health professionals, trauma counselors, and occupational therapists. Children also engage in age-appropriate farm-based activities, creating a bond of shared experience and understanding with likewise affected peers. Moreover, each day includes grief education sessions and emotional support activities tailored to the children’s individual needs, while respecting their individual pace and comfort zones in group activities.

“The Earth and all its creatures are a gift and a responsibility to be cared for by us.” Dr. Douglas J. Ayers

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