In late October, Care Farming Network’s Co-Director Kate Mudge traveled to Texas to experience firsthand the growth of care farming across the Lone Star State. From the tranquil pastures of Simple Sparrow Care Farm in Hutto to the conference sessions of the Farmer Veteran Coalition’s Stakeholders Conference in Waco, the trip offered a glimpse into how farms are pioneering a movement that uses therapeutic farming to promote health, well-being and belonging.

A Visit to Simple Sparrow Care Farm

Nestled just north of Austin, Simple Sparrow Care Farm provides trauma-informed therapeutic and educational services through farm nature. Founder and Executive Director Jamie Tanner welcomed Kate with her signature warmth and guided her through the farm’s story, from its early beginnings to its present day incarnation.

Simple Sparrow Care Farm began in 2013 when Jamie Tanner’s husband, Eric, bought her a small two-acre farm in Hutto, Texas. Having grown up with an incarcerated parent, Jamie found healing and safety in caring for land and animals—a gift she wanted to share with her own children and community. What started as hosting friends and family soon blossomed into outreach, as Jamie began bringing animals to schools and inviting therapists to use the farm for healing sessions. The response was overwhelming, and Simple Sparrow became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2017. Today, the farm partners with licensed therapists and faith leaders to offer trauma-informed therapy, spiritual care, and training for professionals in holistic, farm-based healing. Jamie, who earned her Doctorate of Education in Ministry from Dallas Theological Seminary in 2025, continues to share her expertise through consulting and workshops that help others integrate trauma-informed care into schools, churches, healthcare, and beyond.

Partnering with therapists, educators, and community groups, the farm offers nature-based and animal-assisted sessions grounded in evidence-based approaches like Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) and the Neuro-Sequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT). With a mission to make care farming accessible and replicable, Simple Sparrow trains others to integrate healing, education, and stewardship through the natural rhythms of farm life.

During the visit, Kate got a sneak peek at Jamie’s new book on trauma-informed care farming, now available on Amazon. Together they visited a menagerie of residents—geese, ducks, chickens, goats, sheep, a llama, dogs, rabbits, and cats—all living their best farm life. Kate also joined a community fundraising event, where participants created beautiful pumpkin-topped floral arrangements, blending art, nature, and connection in the spirit of care farming. And over a plate of legendary Texas barbecue at Rudy’s, the two shared in conversation about the future of care farming and the growing national movement to connect farms, health, and healing.

Learn more about Simple Sparrow at simplesparrow.farm.

Growing a National Partnership: Farmer Veteran Coalition Conference

From Hutto, Kate traveled west to Waco to attend the Farmer Veteran Coalition Stakeholders Conference-the largest national annual gathering of the agriculture and military communities. The three-day event brought together hundreds of veterans, farmers, and advocates for education, networking, and inspiration.

Kate joined a panel titled “From Service to Stewardship: Emerging Health and Wellness Models in Agriculture”, alongside Jeanette Lombardo (CEO, Farmer Veteran Coalition), Lynn Miller (Advocates for Human Potential, Inc.), and Matt Rudder (Project Victory Gardens and Rutter’s Ranch). The discussion highlighted the (new) FVC Care’s program, how care farming, therapeutic agriculture, and health-based farm programs are supporting veterans’ transitions to civilian life and improving mental health.

Throughout the conference, Kate learned from sessions on the Wellness Recovery Action Plan, legal aspects of farming, herbal wellness, and mushroom cultivation. The conference reinforced what we all know- that farming heals and that FVC’s work embodies the same spirit as care farming- empowering people to grow purpose, health, and connection through farming.

The visit also opened doors for deeper collaboration between Care Farming Network and Farmer Veteran Coalition, uniting two movements that share common values: service, stewardship, and community.

To learn more about the Farmer Veteran Coalition Conference, visit the event page.

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BY ABBEY ARCHER

A 16-year-old-boy was sitting in the waiting room with his hood on, unwilling to participate in his therapy. Marti Smith, occupational therapist and co-founder of Simple Sparrow Care Farm, observed that he was downregulated, feeling hopeless and depressed. She sent a text the farm’s founder, Jamie Tanner, and told her to “get the ball python.” “The snake is a really upregulating animal,” Ms. Tanner said. She brought the snake over and sat with Ms. Smith. The whole session, they sat, talking about the snake within earshot of the boy. By the end, he was looking over at them with curiosity. Not once did they try to infringe on the boundary he was setting….

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