Photojournalist Nathan Sharkey takes us to Old School Farms! The non-profit uses therapeutic farming practices and employs adults with developmental disabilities, known as “mission farmers,” who grow, harvest & deliver produce to food insecure communities in Nashville.

The farm provides a supportive work environment where everyone feels comfortable and can learn about organic, regenerative agriculture.

Watch the clip here!

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Through a federally-funded partnership with New Mexico State University, the New Mexico Technology Assistance Program, and the University of New Mexico, Mandy’s Farm offers programming designed specifically for people with disabilities who wish to access education and vocational support designed to cultivate a career in farming. Apprentices complete a two-year long program designed to prepare them to work on an existing farm or start a micro-business of their own and receive hands-on and classroom-based training in growing vegetables, cultivating fruit, caring for small livestock, and more. Following the completion of their apprenticeship, disabled farmers have the opportunity to incubate their own farming business within Mandy’s Farm. Their approach blends residential support, agriculture, and vocational training into a thriving ecosystem of care.

Growing Food in the desert

Mandy’s Farm grows everything from garlic and walking onions to quinoa—and garbanzo beans!—all on Zone 7b land that thrives from mid-April through October. They’re experimenting with diverse crops, including native species, while also growing food for a local restaurant with the goal of providing nutritious food to residents who live in their group homes. Future plans include a farm stand and community-centered meals for local residents.

They’ve planted native shrubs as a windbreak along the edge of the property, reinforcing their commitment to sustainability, and have been working hard to remediate their soil. A greenhouse, flock of ducks, and some very friendly goats greeted us upon our arrival, and are cared for the apprentices at the farm.

Empowerment in Action

What stood out was how choice is embedded into every aspect of daily life. There’s a task board with names and Velcro-backed picture icons that represent farm jobs. Apprentices choose their tasks each day, placing icons by their names and shifting them once completed. Visual tools like the “traffic light” clock help signal transitions between tasks, meals, and rest—simple systems that make a big impact in supporting autonomy.

Innovation Through Apprenticeship and Occupational Therapy

The AgrAbility Apprentice Program is one of Mandy’s Farm’s most exciting innovations. This two-year, paid program provides adults with disabilities the opportunity to gain farming and business skills through a mix of education and hands-on work. Apprentices receive a stipend each month, with additional support from Vocational Rehabilitation and USDA’s Beginning Farmer and Rancher program.

In their final year, apprentices can grow crops on their own plot of land and launch a small business. The program ends with a three-month job placement period, and the goal is for each graduate to be employed in agriculture.

Mandy’s Farm also has a close partnership with the University of New Mexico’s Occupational Therapy department. OT students complete practicum placements on the farm, where they support assessments and adaptive tool development—like a 3D-printed one-handed toolbox.

To learn more about Mandy’s Farm, visit their website at mandysfarm.org.

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As you leave the two-lane highway to enter the graveled road that leads to the 12-acre Red Wiggler farm, an eastern towhee darts across your path and the wilderness opens on your left.

Then the large red barn comes into view.

To your right lies the heartbeat of the farm, the multipurpose building where the fresh vegetables are stacked and washed. On the second floor of the building, the six-person staff works in an open-plan office space that overlooks the cultivated USDA-certified organic vegetables, herbs and flowers that thrive in this corner of Montgomery County, Maryland.

Beyond the multipurpose building, the farm’s executive director and founder Woody Woodroof maintains a solar-operated house.

Red Wiggler is an example of community-supported agriculture or CSA—a farm supported by people in the local community who buy prepaid shares in the farm’s harvest and then receive a portion of that harvest throughout the growing season.

But Red Wiggler is much more.

Read More…

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21 Roots Farm was our gracious host for Care Farming Network’s first Midwest Care Farm Tour and Meet-Up, an opportunity for both aspiring and established care farmers to network, exchange ideas, and gather in person at a host farm. 21 Roots offers high-quality nature and agriculture-based programming that helps people with developmental disabilities cultivate a sense of purpose and community. By fostering inclusive connections that are rooted in real life, they provide opportunities, resources, and support that encourage all people to tend to their gifts and harvest their full potential.

Amy, Brittany, and Mariana provided a tour of their gardens, orchard, barn, and an incredibly friendly assortment of goats, sheep, Highland cows, a pig named Little Bean, donkeys, and vocal kitties. Amy and Brittany shared how shortly after college, they began dreaming of nature-based programming for adults with developmental disabilities. In 2017, they visited a farm in Ontario, Canada. That trip nurtured the seeds and ultimately blossomed into 21 Roots Farm.

We talked about how 21 Roots Farm has grown since 2018, and discussed the challenges of starting one’s own care farm. Some participants were in the early stages of developing their own farms and were curious to hear how 21 Roots Farm has developed into a 26-acre working care farm. We ate a delicious lunch, perused the goat milk soap for sale, and headed back out to the barn to hang out in the goat pasture.

We learned about the youth and adult programming offered at the farm. Farmers can choose the weekly frequency and number of sessions they spend at the farm, providing optimal scheduling flexibility. They participate in sustainable farming practices both in the garden and with the animals, maintaining the garden, harvesting, and helping with animal care. And while it was after harvest, we toured the gardens where vegetables are grown which provide 20 CSA shares to members.

We ended our day watching an apple cider press demonstration, saying a “slow, Minnesota goodbye.” We look forward to meeting again after the snow flies and a new season emerges, making connections, and continuing to build a caring farming community here in the Midwest.

Products of the Farm

21 Roots Farm is always working and experimenting with products produced, grown and developed at the farm. Some of our experimenting is done with different natural dyes that can be used on fabrics and in our soaps. They have been working hard to develop various soaps, balms, and other skin care products. They extract honey, tap maple trees, and grow veggies on a sustainable scale. Their products are available for purchase on a seasonal basis.

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Uncomfortable Confrontation: Simple De-Escalating Tips That Work

Though most of us would prefer to totally avoid confrontation, or any negative emotions or dysregulation, it is simply impossible to do. As a human being, there are times when we will be challenged with someone who is becoming frustrated or angry, possibly a friend or family member, or even someone at work. This can also be true of farm programs, whether it’s employees, volunteers, or participants in your farm program. The focus of this discussion was to provide simple de-escalating tips that will allow you to successfully support someone else who is exhibiting emotions that may be difficult to address while also providing easily remembered techniques to help co-regulate with others. This webinar is best suited for professionals working with people with intellectual & developmental disabilities.

Guest Speaker: Anna Schankowski, LMSW, is a Clinically Licensed Social Worker in Michigan.  She has worked in public schools for almost 20 years, and also has experience with private therapy. Anna is a certified Trauma Informed Practices Trainer and Restorative Practices Train the Trainer.  Founder and President of Healing Hearts Therapeutic Farm in Michigan, Anna has utilized so many of these clinical skills within her farm care program that provides healing to those struggling with emotional concerns, combined with Animal Assisted Interventions (Therapy, Education and Activities). Learn more about Healing Hearts Therapeutic Farm on their website.

Building Healthy Relationships At Work

People with developmental disabilities are often left out of the conversation about sexuality and relationships, almost as if they are incapable of having thoughts, feelings, and needs. In reality, they, too, are sexual beings who need information and skills for making healthy decisions about sexuality. As someone who works in a competitive integrated employment setting or a worksite, you see the need to address relationships and sexuality on a one-on-one basis with people with I/DD who are employees. We explored the topics and main points to teach and examine techniques for helping people with I/DD to have healthy work relationships.

In this webinar participants:

• Gained knowledge about relationships and sexuality and specific issues for people with developmental disabilities.
• Explored knowledge and skills for building healthy relationships at work including types of relationships, public and private, and working with coworkers
• Explored ways to communicate about sexuality with people with developmental disabilities.

Guest Speaker: Katherine McLaughlin (M.Ed.)is certified as a sexuality educator by AASECT (American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists) and is the Founder of Disability Workshops, now Elevatus Training, LLC. She is the CEO, Lead Trainer and delivers Elevatus’ live and online trainings. She is the author of Sexuality Education for People with Developmental Disabilities Curriculum and also develops educational materials for others to use in teaching and communicating. Learn more about Elevates Training on their website.

Adaptive Farming Strategies

In this webinar, member care farms discussed the adaptive farm tools and techniques they use to operate neurodiverse-inclusive farms. Neurodiverse participation was encouraged! Presenters (with and without disabilities) shared their top techniques and tools they use in a production farm setting:

Red Wiggler Community Farm (Maryland) is a sustainable Care Farm where people with and without developmental disabilities come together to work, learn, and grow healthy food. Founded in 1996, Red Wiggler now serves over 1,900 community members, has a 120-share CSA program, distributes 50% of organic produce to low-income households through our Farm to Group Home and Farm to Food Bank programs, employs 15 adults with developmental disabilities, and regularly hosts field trips and volunteers. Learn more here: https://redwiggler.org/

Little Otter Flower Farm (Virginia) is a small family farm started for son Max who has Autism. A flower farm fits with the family’s love of being outdoors, their desire to be part of a community, and tasks that match Max’s strengths. Little Otter sells their flowers online as well as at a local farmers market, and they offer a “Random Act of Kindness” option through which anyone anywhere can purchase flowers as a gift to be locally delivered. Learn more here: https://littleotterflowerfarm.com/

Vertical Harvest (Wyoming) energizes local food systems via hydroponic, vertical, controlled environmental agriculture (CEA) to deliver healthier food and futures. We work with communities to develop underutilized space in urban, underserved neighborhoods, grow “up” on a fraction of the land required by traditional agriculture, while using 85% less water to deliver our produce at peak flavor and nutrition, year-round. We use an inclusive employment model currently focused on individuals with physical and/or intellectual disabilities. Learn more here: https://verticalharvestfarms.com/

Care Farming Network is grateful to Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) for supporting this series!

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