In 2021, I was approached by a company dedicated to supporting individuals with special needs through healthcare, housing, day habilitation, and respite services. They had recently acquired a 10-acre property with the vision of transforming it into an activity-based educational space, uniquely tailored for individuals in their programs. This initiative, named Cultivating Dreams Farm, was to serve as a refreshing alternative to traditional classroom settings.

The organization had acquired the property in 2018, but it was in disrepair. The land featured a farmhouse, a barn with weatherproofing issues, and several outbuildings scattered across a largely open field riddled with divots and uneven terrain. In 2019, they invested around $200,000 to bring the site up to code, addressing major infrastructure challenges such as outdated electrical wiring, broken plumbing, and other deficiencies that posed accessibility issues. The project was then put on hold in 2020 due to the pandemic.

By 2021, the CEO, impressed by my background in the summer camp industry, invited me to bring my expertise in outdoor activity planning and program development to help realize their vision for Cultivating Dreams Farm. After a series of interviews, I officially joined the project in April 2021.

On my first day, I took stock of the setting and met some of the groups visiting that day specifically to introduce themselves. The task ahead was vast: there was both “nothing to do” in terms of established programs and “everything to do” to bring the farm to life.

One of my first actions was to create a structured schedule. I designed a daily agenda with 50-minute blocks from 10 AM to 5 PM, incorporating 10-minute breaks for restroom needs and transitions between activities. Although my direct supervisor initially expressed concerns about the length of each block and transition time, I advocated that, given the participants’ unique needs, ample time was essential to ensure a calm, accommodating experience.

Next, I recruited a dedicated team of activity coordinators to facilitate programs across diverse areas: life skills, therapeutic art, movement, and gardening. Each coordinator received a custom schedule, along with curriculum templates to ensure consistency and alignment with our goals. My focus was to create an environment that was both engaging and growth-oriented.

Encouraging attendance at the farm was initially a challenge; groups were accustomed to creating their own schedules at familiar locations. Within a month, I successfully brought in two groups (eight individuals) daily. By the second month, we increased participation to approximately 20 individuals (four groups) per day. I then broadened outreach to managers across Westchester, Orange, and Putnam Counties, and soon we had 40 participants (around 10 groups) engaging daily in farm activities.

To deepen engagement and foster a sense of ownership among participants, I encouraged the coordinators to design larger-scale projects. Together, they decorated the farmhouse for each season, crafted stepping stones for the garden, and painted benches for communal spaces. These projects allowed participants to leave a tangible mark on the farm, cultivating a sense of pride in their contributions.

Collaborative projects across the farm further enriched the experience. For instance, our garden coordinator partnered with the life skills coordinator to create Mother’s Day bouquets. The movement coordinator incorporated strength-building exercises by assisting with planting preparations, while the garden team provided herbs like lavender and lemon balm for therapeutic arts projects, such as soap making. These integrated activities reinforced the farm’s holistic approach, blending skill-building with creative expression and practical life applications.

We also began hosting large-scale events, which fostered a stronger sense of community. Bringing everyone together in one place for shared activities allowed participants to connect with a larger circle of peers, enhancing the communal atmosphere we envisioned.

Through these efforts, we transformed Cultivating Dreams Farm from a mere property into a thriving, activity-rich haven. By blending structured programs with creative, hands-on projects, we created an inviting and supportive environment tailored to the needs and interests of all who visited.