Accessing an agricultural holding on a regular basis can help a wide range of people with a vulnerability improve their health and wellbeing and build social skills.

What anyone considering running a similar enterprise needs to know.

Care farming is the use of agricultural practices to improve mental and physical health, social skills or education.

Some are based on commercial farms, while others are more like smallholdings. Clients can get involved in as much or as little as the provider deems appropriate, such as feeding and cleaning out livestock, harvesting crops, or running a box scheme.

Benefits of care farming

• Mental and physical health benefits of being outside in nature
• Meaningful activity – being useful, and working on jobs that need doing in a real business environment, rather than just being kept out of trouble
• Rehabilitation into society for some users – no longer isolated
• Development of social skills such as working in a team, independence and personal responsibility
• Family members get a break or get to meet others in their situation and socialise
• Aims to reduce strain on statutory services
• Alternative use for farm