From January 13-15, 2025, "care farmers" from across the U.S. gathered at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst for the inaugural Care Farming Network National Conference: Pioneering a Movement, Growing a Community. Hosted in collaboration with Red Wiggler Community Farm and ServiceNet’s Prospect Meadow Farm, this groundbreaking event highlighted the growing care farming movement and its vital role in promoting health, inclusion, and recovery through farm-based work.
Gould Farm was proud to present at the conference, sharing our expertise as one of the oldest therapeutic farming communities in the country. We participated in panel discussions and workshops, offering insights into how meaningful work, community living, and clinical care combine to support mental health recovery. Our team also showcased the unique ways Gould Farm’s program integrates farming with therapeutic care, demonstrating the transformative impact of this model.
The conference provided a dynamic space for collaboration and connection, bringing together care farmers, mental health practitioners, human service providers, and advocates to exchange ideas and strategies. It is a privilege to be part of this pioneering movement, and we left inspired by the energy and innovation of our peers.
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