We have many hopes and dreams for our future, many things we want to accomplish.    Our plans for 2011 include establishing a farm program, specifically to serve at-risk youth, and those with physical or mental challenges.   We also hope to begin therapeutic driving and incorporate yoga into our programming. 

Youth Farm Program

There is extensive research which shows the therapeutic benefit of horticulture, but we would like to take this beyond the inherent benefit that gardening provides.  One of our larger goals is community building and we seek to tie the gardening program to this by creating connections that extend beyond nature.   Our participants will not just grow produce, they will actively engage in their local food system, connect with farmers and food enthusiasts, and create something, which they can share with the community as a whole.   Much of the produce from the garden will be donated, to provide healthy, local food to many of the organizations serving needy people in the Charlottesville area.  This will provide our participants with a sense of self worth that often comes through service to others.  But as a key component of the program, we will involve members of the local food and farming communities to teach participants about food preparation and sustainable agriculture.   Children participating in our program will not only receive horticultural therapy and agricultural education, they will be given an opportunity to learn how to nourish their own bodies with food they grew, and will be able to share their knowledge and the fruits of their labor with their own families.    We also hope to incorporate small farm animals into the program, so that the children will learn the value of caring for other creatures.  And as with all of our programs, we will include education about our ecological footprint and how we, as human beings, must learn to live with the land, rather than against it.

Working as part of a team and caring for other living things are great ways to build social skills and teach responsibility.   Educating participants about multiple facets of agriculture, while engaging them in directed activities on the farm, will easily build skills that some of them may take into their careers.   Contributing something tangible to our community- real food that they grew, for real people in need- is an amazing way in which to build character in our participants, and teach them to be good citizens.  And empowering children to grow and prepare their own food, gives them a gift of self-reliance that is priceless.    Our program will create personal growth and increase participants' mental and physical well-being, by strengthening the bonds between them, their community, and nature, and by teaching them about themselves and the world around them.    Our specific goals for the program are:

·         Building self-esteem and creating a sense of value through service to others

·         Building life skills- cooperation, problem solving, communication, time management

·         Teaching respect for self and others

·         Creating a living classroom where children can learn about agriculture, nutrition, and the environment

·         Offering a unique environment in which children can learn about themselves

·         Providing therapy through connection with animals and nature

·         Creating connection between participants and the community

Therapeutic Driving Program

We’re currently working on establishing a program with Fairhunt Farm (http://fairhunt.com), whose owner Susan Lozano, is a long time supporter of FERTILE.   Besides starting a driving program, we’ll be helping Susan with her horses and her land.  We’re very excited about this partnership!

Susan’s daughter, Rebekah, is partially paralyzed as the result of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) she experienced in 2003.  Our Program Director, Tara, began working with Rebekah in 2004 at a previous program, and the idea of therapeutic driving was first born when Tara realized the miraculous effect of teaching Rebekah to drive a horse and carriage.  Rebekah is one of the most inspirational people we know, her indomitable spirit and courage teach us lessons every time we’re with her.   It is her spirit that compels us to establish therapeutic driving as part of our programs. 

What is therapeutic driving?   Most people are familiar with the concept of therapeutic riding, which uses horseback riding as a form of therapy.  But there’s also been great success with a different method of equine assisted therapy, which can be utilized for anyone, even participants who are fearful or incapable of mounting a horse. Using a horse and carriage we can create an environment for physical and mental therapy, allowing participants the opportunity to use their muscles and minds in new ways.   Fairhunt recently welcomed Pippi, a driving pony, to their stable.  She comes with a cart and harness, so all we need now is funding and we'll be ready to roll in 2011. 

Yoga

Offering yoga as part of our healthy lifestyle/personal wellness agenda, is another activity that we'll be working toward in the coming months.  Yoga has many health benefits and we just happen to have a yoga instructor serving on our Board of Directors, which we think is no accident.  Michele White of Blue Padma Yoga is an awesome instructor and we're discussing ways that we can incorporate her practice into a program for FERTILE participants.    (www.bluepadma.com)

Increasing access to nature

Access to outdoor activities for the physically handicapped is a very important goal of ours.  We are actively seeking landowners with whom we can partner in building wheelchair accessible nature trails.

We're also very open to whatever comes to us.  If you have land, or animals, or needs that aren't being met somehow, please contact us.  We want to do meaningful work in the community and we never know where we'll make connections with others.   Make a suggestion about an activity and let's see what happens.  We want your ideas!