Care Farms

“For too long, people have been prescribed medication, but there is another route. When people are engaged and have a connection with nature, often something magical happens.” Doeke Dobma (The Guardian)

Care Farms are using farming activities as a therapeutic tool for people struggling with mental health issues. In these natural environments, farming related activities including animal care and horticulture are being used as primary interventions alongside talk therapy, meditation, creative expression and life skills training in order to increase self-confidence and improve mental health.

In the UK it is estimated that 1 in 4 people are experiencing mental health issues. Due to the rise in anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medication required as well as the delay in waiting for therapy, doctors are referring patients to care farms in an attempt to find more cost effective solutions. There are currently around 180 care farms in the UK and in the last nine years, care farms in the Netherlands have increased from 75 to around 750. In an effort to de-institutionalize mental health in Romania, these farms are helping people regain their independence and stability.

“Mental health is one of the most serious and complex issues that we face in Britain today and it is great that we now have clearer scientific evidence that nature is so beneficial for our minds and our sense of self. As part of our £900 million Countryside Stewardship scheme, we are supporting projects like care farms, providing recovery to those in need.” Rory Stewart (UK Environment Minister)

Some of the reasons for the success of care farms as a therapeutic intervention include working with others in a socially non-threatening environment, doing physical activity, as well as the restorative and calming effects of simply being in nature. Learning new skills is an added advantage, with some farms providing the opportunity for these skills to be developed into employable qualifications which increase employment options, thus increasing hope and self-esteem.