Conference Details

Co-hosted with Red Wiggler Care Farm, the second annual conference takes place February 9-11, 2026 in the Greater Washington D.C. area. Our theme this year is “Rooted and Rising: Growing the Future of Care Farming.” Join care farmers, educators, practitioners, and advocates from across the country for an inclusive, energizing event that deepens connections and cultivates a thriving national care farming community.

Attendees will enjoy a robust program, including farmer-to-farmer learning through interactive sessions led by experienced and aspiring care farmers. Red Wiggler Care Farm will showcase its operations and provide interactive experiences for attendees. Panel discussions will address challenges, successes, and innovations in care farming. And of course we’ll have plenty of networking opportunities to connect and collaborate with peers from across the country.

Conference goals

We aim to create a collaborative space that fosters connections between aspiring and established care farmers, care providers, educators, and allies. We will elevate the care farming movement by highlighting the therapeutic power of farming and its potential to address mental health and social inclusion challenges for marginalized and vulnerable populations. Additionally, the conference will support farmers by providing practical tools and resources to strengthen care farming operations across the United States.

We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible space. The conference provides opportunities for all voices to be heard and valued, and we invite individuals with firsthand knowledge of care farming to actively participate and shape the conversation.

The information below is for those submitting formal proposals to present at the conference. If you’d like to recommend a topic or presenter but don’t intend to develop a proposal, please email Sarah at Conference@carefarmingnetwork.org and share your idea.

Proposal selection

Conference organizers strive to provide programming that meets the needs of our diverse network. We evaluate proposals using the following criteria:

• Consistency with CFN’s mission to connect established and aspiring care farms, foster meaningful support, and build awareness about the transformative power of care farming.
• Relevance of the topic for care farmers, care providers, educators, and allies
• First-hand knowledge of care farming and lived experience
• Clarity and thoroughness of the proposal
• The presenter lineup will reflect the diverse experiences and identities of the care farming community.

Looking for Inspiration?

Here’s a list of presentation topics we’re especially excited to see addressed by presenters:

Case Studies

• Successful partnerships (food banks, schools, health organizations)
• Accessing funding through DDS or similar public programs
• Incorporating volunteers into farm workdays

Research & Impact

• Evaluating program effectiveness (community needs assessments, outcomes evaluation)
• Innovative methods: growing practices, value-added products, sourcing materials creatively, off-season programming
• Serving diverse populations
• Managing volunteer corporate or community service groups

Practical Considerations for Care Farms

• Farm safety protocols
• Insurance and liability
• 501(c)(3) vs. LLC models

Fundraising, Storytelling & Leadership

• Creative fundraising events
• Media training and storytelling for care farmers
• Self-advocacy and leadership by people with lived experience
• Building and sustaining effective boards
• Navigating change: “The Art of Pivoting”

Timeline and process

Deadline to submit proposals: August 18, 2025 (** We encourage early submissions—presentation slots may fill up quickly)

Notification: Applicants will be notified by mid-September 2025. We may contact you before then if we have questions about your proposal.

If your proposal is accepted, we’ll work with you to refine the content as needed. We may ask you to provide additional session information; for example, if you’ll be using a slideshow, we’ll ask you to submit your slides via Google Drive before the conference. You may be asked to attend one or more meetings with the CFN team. We’ll provide speaker guidelines for you to review, and you’ll submit a bio.

Questions?: Contact Sarah at Conference@carefarmingnetwork.org

Session length and formats

Lightning Session (5-10 minutes): Brief presentation to spark conversation and share insights, innovative projects or programming, or thought-provoking ideas. 

Standard Session (60 minutes) 

Extended Session (90 minutes)

Standard and Extended Sessions may include one or more of the following formats:

• Panel discussion: A facilitated conversation featuring 3–4 speakers sharing diverse perspectives on a specific topic, followed by audience Q&A. 
• Lecture / Slide presentation: 1-2 presenters use slides or visuals to share information, research, or a compelling story. (e.g. Deep dive on farm or practice; demonstration of a practical skill)
• Small group discussion: A facilitated, interactive discussion for crowdsourcing ideas
• Hands-on learning: Participants engage in an activity or a series of interactive stations 
• If you have an idea that utilizes a different format, feel free to share it!

Presenter support

We value the knowledge and perspective our presenters contribute to the care farming community. To thank presenters for their efforts, we offer full complimentary registration, including all conference events and meals.

We are a small non-profit with limited resources for lodging support. If lodging is a barrier to your participation in the conference, you may apply for lodging support later in the process. We are unable to cover presenter’s travel expenses.