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Red Wiggler Community Farm (For Developmental Disabilities)
Red Wiggler Community Farm (a recognized 501c3 non-profit) is located in Montgomery County, Maryland. Founded in 1996, Red Wiggler’s main tenet is to provide gainful employment for adults with developmental disabilities through a unique horticulture program that uses organic agricultural practices.
The bulk of this program focuses on building a vocational structure that identifies and builds on the capabilities of our clients with developmental disabilities. We call our clients “growers”. We assign the growers’ farm tasks based on their individual abilities which are nurtured by our staff. Our growers cultivate vegetables on seven acres and then sell or donate this produce to a diverse population.
Our Mission: We create fertile ground to nourish a healthy and inclusive community.
This vision has us serving four different “target populations”. This approach creates a vibrant, dynamic and inclusive community farm where each participant has a place at the table.
1. Meaningful employment for adults with developmental disabilities
Meaningful Employments , Our growers – adults with developmental disabilities – plant, care for, harvest our crops and meet the customers who buy their produce. For many of our growers, their relationship with Red Wiggler goes back 8 years and provides them with employment as well as vocational satisfactions they would not otherwise enjoy. Adults with developmentally disabilities are our primary target population.
2. Educational opportunities through “service learning” for area youth
Educational Opportunities- Youth with and without disabilities join the farm team to ensure that our vegetables and flowers are given what they need. They help with harvests and often glean food from the fields for delivery to area food banks. Service Learning opportunities are incorporated with educational lessons about environmental stewardship issues. Area youth are our second target population.
3. Environmental stewardship
Environmental Stewardship- We actively preserve open farmland, create and maintain fertile ground using sustainable agricultural practices and open our doors to groups interested in visiting our farm to see how we make it all happen in concert with nature. Those who participate in our CSA program and the general public who learn from Red Wiggler about environmentally friendly farming practices are the third target population.
4. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
In Febuary of 2006 our Board of Directors voted to include our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) in our Mission Statement. Our CSA program really is the backbone of our activities at Red Wiggler. The CSA is the vehicle that propels us towards our Vision of creating a healthy and inclusive community.
For more information about Red Wiggler Farms please visit our website or contact us:
