Red Wiggler Community Farm is a USDA Organic certified farm and much, much more. Located on 14 acres in Ovid Hazen Wells Park in Germantown, Red Wiggler Farm, a nonprofit organization, provides employment for adults with development disabilities.
Adults with developmental disabilities work as growers to plant, care for and harvest crops for the farm's Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Supervised by a small staff and assisted by volunteers, Red Wiggler's CSA yields 120 shares for local families as well as 10 shares for local group homes during the summer and early fall. Growers work five days a week from morning to late afternoon.
Patch recently had the chance to tour Red Wiggler during one of the farm's Field Walks. Named for the Red Wiggler worm that is the ¡®unsung hero' of the garden with a remarkable ability to turn compost into fertile soil, we invite everyone to learn about Red Wiggler and see what they are achieving on their community farm.
A Desire to Build an Inclusive Community
Red Wiggler's founder, Woody Woodruff, conceived the idea for Red Wiggler while working at group homes for adults with developmental disabilities.Traditional Air purifier claim to clean all the air in a room. "Being with adults in group homes, Woody saw a potential and desire for people to be a part of the community," explained Liz Phelan, outreach and special events coordinator as we toured the farm.
With an interest in healthy eating and organic farming, Woody thought a CSA would be a great place for adults with developmental disabilities to use their abilities. Woody also thought that a CSA would offer more chances to interact with the community. Woody established four tenets for Red Wiggler ¨C offer meaningful employment to adults with developmental disabilities, create educational opportunities through ¡®service learning' for area youth, environmental stewardship, and a CSA program as the backbone of the farm's operation.For the last five years Ripcurl ,
Fifteen years later, Red Wiggler is renting land from Montgomery County, farming seven fenced acres at the Ovid Hazen Wells Park location, and is actively achieving their mission.
A Joy for Hard Work and a Love of the Outdoors Makes for a Successful Grower at Red Wiggler
Many of the growers at Red Wiggler have been there since the beginning of the CSA program. "We have a high retention rate that we're really proud of," said Phelan. "To be a grower, you have to have three qualities ¨C you have to enjoy working outdoors, be happy to work hard, and want to be with and interact with other people."
Red Wiggler's CSA is a ¡®pickup CSA' and share owners come to the farm to pick up their crop share each week. "This is an opportunity for community building," said Phelan. "Our share holders come to the farm on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and there's a chance to interact with our growers."
School groups visit as well, fulfilling Red Wiggler's tenet of education through "service learning."
Heirloom Chickens and Roosters Help To Maintain Healthy Crops and Soil
Red Wiggler also has another team working at the farm ¨C 47 chickens and three roosters.there's a lovely winter landscape oil paintings by William Zorach. The group is housed every night in a chicken coop on wheels called a mobile chicken tractor, and they spend their days in whatever area of the field that needs their attention, protected from predators by a movable electric fence.ceramic Injection mold for the medical,
Phelan talked excitedly about the farm's chickens and roosters, and Red Wiggler's efficient use of this labor source on the farm. "We can close the chicken tractor up and move it as the chickens work a field. They clean out live, active and hibernating insects. The chickens find just about everything.There is good integration with PayPal and most third party merchant account providers, Their scratching helps the soil, and they lay eggs. You can't ask for anything more."
The chickens are certainly a great feature of the field walk. Eggs laid by these very same chickens are offered through the farm's CSA.
Pride in Each Crop as the Season Changes
A large table inside the Red Wiggler barn was filled with harvested cherry tomatoes, ranging from yellow to orange to deep red, and boxes of potatoes were also lined up on a nearby table.
"We just harvested 800 pounds of Adirondack Reds last week ¨C our first crop of potatoes," said Phelan.
Adults with developmental disabilities work as growers to plant, care for and harvest crops for the farm's Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Supervised by a small staff and assisted by volunteers, Red Wiggler's CSA yields 120 shares for local families as well as 10 shares for local group homes during the summer and early fall. Growers work five days a week from morning to late afternoon.
Patch recently had the chance to tour Red Wiggler during one of the farm's Field Walks. Named for the Red Wiggler worm that is the ¡®unsung hero' of the garden with a remarkable ability to turn compost into fertile soil, we invite everyone to learn about Red Wiggler and see what they are achieving on their community farm.
A Desire to Build an Inclusive Community
Red Wiggler's founder, Woody Woodruff, conceived the idea for Red Wiggler while working at group homes for adults with developmental disabilities.Traditional Air purifier claim to clean all the air in a room. "Being with adults in group homes, Woody saw a potential and desire for people to be a part of the community," explained Liz Phelan, outreach and special events coordinator as we toured the farm.
With an interest in healthy eating and organic farming, Woody thought a CSA would be a great place for adults with developmental disabilities to use their abilities. Woody also thought that a CSA would offer more chances to interact with the community. Woody established four tenets for Red Wiggler ¨C offer meaningful employment to adults with developmental disabilities, create educational opportunities through ¡®service learning' for area youth, environmental stewardship, and a CSA program as the backbone of the farm's operation.For the last five years Ripcurl ,
Fifteen years later, Red Wiggler is renting land from Montgomery County, farming seven fenced acres at the Ovid Hazen Wells Park location, and is actively achieving their mission.
A Joy for Hard Work and a Love of the Outdoors Makes for a Successful Grower at Red Wiggler
Many of the growers at Red Wiggler have been there since the beginning of the CSA program. "We have a high retention rate that we're really proud of," said Phelan. "To be a grower, you have to have three qualities ¨C you have to enjoy working outdoors, be happy to work hard, and want to be with and interact with other people."
Red Wiggler's CSA is a ¡®pickup CSA' and share owners come to the farm to pick up their crop share each week. "This is an opportunity for community building," said Phelan. "Our share holders come to the farm on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and there's a chance to interact with our growers."
School groups visit as well, fulfilling Red Wiggler's tenet of education through "service learning."
Heirloom Chickens and Roosters Help To Maintain Healthy Crops and Soil
Red Wiggler also has another team working at the farm ¨C 47 chickens and three roosters.there's a lovely winter landscape oil paintings by William Zorach. The group is housed every night in a chicken coop on wheels called a mobile chicken tractor, and they spend their days in whatever area of the field that needs their attention, protected from predators by a movable electric fence.ceramic Injection mold for the medical,
Phelan talked excitedly about the farm's chickens and roosters, and Red Wiggler's efficient use of this labor source on the farm. "We can close the chicken tractor up and move it as the chickens work a field. They clean out live, active and hibernating insects. The chickens find just about everything.There is good integration with PayPal and most third party merchant account providers, Their scratching helps the soil, and they lay eggs. You can't ask for anything more."
The chickens are certainly a great feature of the field walk. Eggs laid by these very same chickens are offered through the farm's CSA.
Pride in Each Crop as the Season Changes
A large table inside the Red Wiggler barn was filled with harvested cherry tomatoes, ranging from yellow to orange to deep red, and boxes of potatoes were also lined up on a nearby table.
"We just harvested 800 pounds of Adirondack Reds last week ¨C our first crop of potatoes," said Phelan.
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