Care Farming Network

10/14/2026

Care Farming Network published an in-depth Farm Case Study featuring Simple Sparrow Care Farm! It includes the recording of our virtual Deep Dive with Dr. Jamie Tanner of Simple Sparrow.

Simple Sparrow Care Farm is a trauma-informed educational care farm on four acres in Hutto, Texas, northeast of Austin. Founded by ordained pastor, hospice chaplain, and Army veteran Jamie Tanner, it began as her family’s two-acre hobby farm. Today it is a 501(c)(3) where people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities heal by caring for the gardens and animals. The farm serves an average of 4,000 individuals each year — without spending a dollar on marketing. 16 partner therapists, two paid staff, and dozens of volunteers help make this happen.

Read the case study on the CFN website.

10/13/2026

2027 conference attendees choose one of FOUR care farm tour options, including a "busless" tour with Peacehaven at the conference venue. We're excited to highlight their work to connect people of all abilities through inclusive living, learning, work, and play--and to dive into their current project that expands their building space and programs.

No matter which tour you choose, you'll enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at how a care farm operates, the programs they provide, and the communities they support.

Early Bird registration opens next week--stay tuned for details!

10/09/2026

We love this giant pumpkin project at Belmont Correctional Institution (Ohio). "It’s hard work, but Larry thinks it’s worth it. He’s been incarcerated for 13 years and says this is the best use of his recreation time.

"'Everybody seems to enjoy it and they all take a little bit of pride in it,' Larry said. 'So I think it's a good positive thing for the inmates that are working with the program, and it probably sets an example to others for hard work and such.'”

People incarcerated in Belmont Correctional Institution work hard each year to grow giant pumpkins for competitions. But growing pumpkins inside a prison comes with challenges.

10/08/2026

It's official: We're part of Purpose, Produced.

At Care Farming Network we are showing how care farms across the country create positive change in people’s lives. We've teamed up with Design Bridge and Partners, through SixDegrees.org and Advertising Week, to share a story about dignity, inclusion, and what we can grow together.
We can't wait to show you what we build.

10/06/2026

Cheers to Nick and all the "value and talent" he brings to Smile Farms!

10/05/2026

2027 conference attendees choose one of FOUR care farm tour options, including a tour at Seawind Farm, LLC! We can't wait to spotlight SEAWIND's diverse farm and creative programming for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities.

No matter which tour you choose, you'll enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at how a care farm operates, the programs they provide, and the communities they support.

Stay tuned as we reveal the 4th farm tour option, plus other conference highlights 🥁

10/01/2026

On this episode of American VetFarm Network Podcast, CFN Co-Director Kate Mudge explains what care farming is, how it works, and the different ways farms are being used to support health, recovery, vocational training, and meaningful activity. Learn how veterans are connecting with care farming, both as participants and through programs they may choose to develop on their own farms with qualified partners. Listen below!

VetFarm Network Podcast · Episode

09/30/2026

We're thrilled to offer FOUR care farm tour options on Day 1 of the 2027 conference, including a tour at Farm at Penny Lane! No matter which tour you choose, you'll enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at how a care farm operates, the programs they provide, and the communities they support.

Stay tuned as we reveal two more farm tour options, plus other conference highlights 🥁

UNC Center for Excellence in Community Mental Health

09/28/2026

What a day! On Saturday, care farmers and those curious about care farming gathered at 21 Roots Farm in Grant, Minnesota for CFN's Midwest Meetup and Farm Tour.

We started with a tour of the farm and met every one of the animals: goats, sheep, chickens, alpacas, donkeys, cattle, and a pig named Tiny Bean. The farm’s 100+ year old barn was looking beautiful after a recent paint job, and the raised beds were full of late-summer greens tended by participants in their Community Garden program.

We learned about 21 Roots Farms’ programming, including the Agriculture Institute, Work Experience Program, and Animal Pen Pal program. (Getting a letter from a goat, alpaca, or donkey is pretty great!)

We all sat down to enjoy a delicious baked potato bar lunch as people swapped stories, asked questions, and made connections that we know will be carried forward. The group reflected the many ways people find their way to care farming. Some attendees came interested in volunteering at a care farm, others were in the early stages of creating their own farm, some were mental health practitioners, and others were parents of growers.

Read the full story on our website (News > CFN Updates).

09/25/2026

Cheers to a new care farm sprouting! 🌱 Bee In Bloom (North Carolina) is hosting its Grand Opening on October 11th. Learn about their mission and the upcoming event below.

Bee In Bloom will celebrate the grand opening of its new Care Farm in Roxboro with a Fall Festival on Sunday, October 11, from 10 AM to 4 PM. The community is invited to explore the new space and celebrate the beginning of an organization dedicated to helping people connect with nature, plants, food, and one another.

Bee In Bloom was created around a simple idea: that nature can help people grow, connect, and thrive. We are excited to open this space to the community and begin building something that people can experience, contribute to, and make their own.

The Care Farm is still growing and evolving; and that is intentional. It is not a perfectly finished garden, but a living landscape that will change with the seasons, the people who visit, and the community that helps shape it. In many ways, the farm is a reflection of the people it was created to serve: we are all works in progress. Just as a seed does not need to be a fully grown plant to have value, people do not need to have everything figured out to belong, grow, and thrive. Bee In Bloom embraces the beauty of the unfinished, creating a space where growth is celebrated at every stage. Bee In Bloom plans to continue developing the property in partnership with the community; growing it into a shared resource where people can learn, create, grow food and plants, and spend meaningful time in nature. As the farm grows and evolves, so will the opportunities for people to connect, contribute, and grow alongside it.

Fall Festival & Grand Opening
Sunday, October 11 | 10 AM – 4 PM
Bee In Bloom Care Farm | 3375 Bowmantown Road, Roxboro, North Carolina
Admission: Free
To learn more about Bee In Bloom and upcoming programs and events, visit beeinbloom.org.

If you would like to volunteer at the farm or during the festival please reach out to [email protected]. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and can sign off on required volunteer hours.