History of Care Farming Network
Care Farming Network was created in response to a need that surfaced again and again across the country.
For years, Red Wiggler Care Farm’s leadership received inquiries from both aspiring and established care farmers. People were looking for guidance, resources, and connection. They wanted to know how to start a care farm, how to strengthen an existing program, and how to learn from others doing similar work.
Over time, the same question kept emerging: Where is the support system for people doing this work?
Across the United States, care farms were already creating places of health, belonging, and purpose through agriculture. Yet many were doing so with limited visibility, few shared resources, and little connection to a broader community. In many cases, people didn’t even realize there was a name for what they were building.
In 2021, Care Farming Network (CFN) launched as a response to this growing need—building on Red Wiggler Care Farm’s decades of experience and leadership in the field—to connect, strengthen, and grow a national care farming movement.
Why a care farming network?
Care farming has existed in many forms for years. Farms across the country have been supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental health challenges, youth, veterans, older adults, and others who benefit from meaningful work in nature. But these farms often worked in isolation.
Care Farming Network was established to turn that need into action.
The roots of CFN began in 2018 through outreach and relationship-building led by Red Wiggler Care Farm in Maryland. In 2018, Red Wiggler partnered with Future Harvest to host the inaugural Mid-Atlantic Care Farming Summit. More than 70 people attended from seven states and Italy. For many attendees, it was the first time meeting others doing similar work. One participant shared “I can’t believe I’m not the only one doing this work.” That moment captured something important: care farmers were ready for community.
Building a national network
CFN launched our website, the first online Care Farm Directory, hosted Monthly Member Gatherings, and expanded national outreach focused on relationship-building across the field.
As momentum grew, so did opportunities for connection and learning. CFN expanded to offer educational webinars, a Beginning Care Farming training series, farm tours and regional meetups, a growing online Resource Library, mentorship opportunities for aspiring care farmers, and conferences and other in-person gatherings.
Growing Impact
