Cultivating Dreams Farm provides a year-round prevocational agriculture program tailored to people with autism and developmental disabilities. The individuals in our program learn the basics of planting, nurturing, and harvesting crops. Often the plants that are grown are shared with local people and organizations. A recent example are the salad bowls that were grown and shared with neighbors.
Farm to Table Salad Bowls
The individuals in the prevocational agriculture program grew the plants for the salad bowls from seed, cared for them in the green houses, and then transplanted the seedlings into the bowl. The work teaches them about the lifecycle of the plants. The result is a farm to table, delicious gourmet salad ready to be harvested. Each bowl contains a mini garden of various kinds of lettuces, such as romaine, Lola Rosa (red lettuce), tango (butter leaf lettuce) and red oak leaf lettuce. Sometimes the salad bowls contain edible viola flowers. These salad bowls are lovingly grown to be sold, or in this case, given to our neighbors here at the farm.
Teambuilding & Socialization Through Prevocational Agriculture
Teambuilding and socialization are woven into the agricultural experience. For instance, individuals work together to ensure the success of the growing season. Most importantly, a relationship with our neighbors and people in the wider community is fostered when the harvest is shared. For example, individuals practiced socializing with neighbors and gifting them with a healthy and vibrant home-grown salad bowl. Seeing our neighbors' appreciation helps the individuals to recognize the importance of their contributions while realizing their capabilities.
Like all of the activities on Cultivating Dreams Farm, the growing of salad bowls is meaningful and provides each individual with enhanced work and social skills as well as a greater sense of purpose in the community.
