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Farmers identify the benefits of social farming to themselves as:

A strong sense of personal satisfaction from making a difference in participant’s lives Improved community connections and reduction in isolation. A sense of enjoyment and fun from having participants and others spend time on the farm Meaningful use of perhaps under-used assets and resources of the farm.

Benefits for farming families are both economic and social.

Many farm families get involved in social farming for reason other than financial, while many farms and organisations engage in farming for therapeutic and holistic reasons rather than economic motives.

Farmers engaged in social farming speak of their own increased awareness both of the needs of those with disabilities/ill health, and of their capabilities.

“I am so positive about it (social farming), it is a fantastic initiative.  I can’t think of any negatives from a student point of view… Anecdotally, I’ve spoken to some of the parents and they would say it’s just the best thing, it’s the highlight of the week for the kids.”

– Leaving Cert Applied Programme Coordinator

“There is great fulfilment and satisfaction in seeing how the participants grow in confidence over the time they are here. Regardless of how nervous they are starting off. The interaction with the animals is key, I think it brings out the best in all of us.”

Social Farmer, Co. Galway

“I have never seen them go on a work experience where they became so involved with people, where they are so relaxed and at home.”

– SICAP Manager

“One participant told me ‘I’ve told you more crap about my life in ten weeks than I’ve told any psychologist in ten years’.”

Social Farmer, Co. Mayo

“I think it had more of an impact on us as a family than we thought at the start, it had more of an impact than I might have expected for the lads as well. It’s been great for the little fella [farmer’s son], well having people coming and going, new people. The lads will bring him out oranges every week because he loves oranges. I think that the family thing is good…. normal life. You’re not hiding anything, you are sharing your house and your space and your food.”

Social Farmer, Co. Wexford

“It was an amazing experience…We got to know each other, I treated them with respect and they treated me with respect.  There was no boss in the group, we just did our thing and we had a lot of fun.  I would say I got more out of it than the four lads.  It taught me how to relax and take things easier as well.”

Social Farmer, Co. Limerick

“The service users have benefited from it and that was the ultimate goal… it was for them to benefit, it wasn’t for the HSE, it wasn’t for me, it wasn’t for LEADER or the social farming network, it was for the users.”

Social Farmer, Co. Cork

“…and like J, he really enjoys being involved in that kind of work…. Rather than going into a day centre and doing yoga and the like, he is culturally more inclined towards the outdoors, being with other men and stuff like that.”

Health Professional, Mental Health Services

“This is our job, getting people involved in their local community. This is what is great about social farming for them. Some of the people they have met had said they had never heard about our centre in C and would love to visit so it’s a two-way friendship….They are working with run of the mill people and that’s what fantastic for us.”

Support Worker, Intellectual Disability Services

“People are not in a classroom or a room where they are looking at four walls and feel that they have to listen or look at something on a projector. They are out and about and it’s good for the mind and the body engaging and benefiting in the farming activity.”

Support Worker, Long term Unemployed

Increased sense of motivation and purpose which can be applied to other areas of life such as social life or self-care or education or job-seeking

“Yeah my mum said that she noticed a difference and I’m speaking up and I’m not sitting quiet all the time because I used to sit in my room all the time and now I’m down the stairs with the rest of them…. she’s sees a big difference in it.”

Improved physical fitness and sense of well-being and vitality

“I think he is a changed man, physically he has lost a lot of weight and he has a much healthier diet.  He is working harder outside so he needs more good food.” – Service Provider

Gaining a different perspective on life and getting a break from institutional or home life

“It’s peaceful… and you learn a lot of new things but you are outside and you’re not stuck in the classroom and people don’t like that……. and time flies because you’re working so you’re doing something.”

The opportunity to develop new interests, such as in animal care or the environment or cooking

“I learnt how to make a loy…. a loy is a traditional Irish spade…. that’s one thing I definitely learnt but it’s not the only thing. We learnt all sorts of stuff, operating the timber machine which I never did before and we made up that wicker bag which I never did before …. I learnt what an orchid looks like. He [the farmer] introduced me to horses and cows….”

“I find it exciting because I’m interested in it.  I find it very therapeutic, doing up the cart was therapeutic, painting and sanding and learning about the cattle and learning about the ivy and very informal you know, and I have a good interest in it and em… I’ve told a lot of people about it already.”

The opportunity to learn lots of new things and to develop new skills outside in nature rather than in a classroom

“There’s a good bit of freedom and you’re out of the house and you’re learning things. You’re not in school but you’re still learning things…. It’s easier to focus when you’re out doing the stuff rather than being in class just sitting there……. it’s practical and you’re learning how to do it and once you’ve done it’s going to stick in you”.

A chance to carry out meaningful activities alongside other people and to achieve something concrete every day

“It’s a very positive place to be. It makes you feel good about yourself, you feel a sense of achievement and that type of thing. When you finish the job, you can you see the fruits of your labour like in the polytunnel we can have a head of lettuce to bring home with us and stuff like that.”

The opportunity to spend time in nature, in the fresh air, working with animals and plants

 “Out here it’s a lovely bright day and it’s totally mind opening. You see the lake you see the mountains, the animal, the sky and everything around is positive…. there is no negativity here at all. Even if it rains it’s not negative we have to have it, it’s all part of the cycle.

Improved social connections and a sense of confidence in being around other people

“It was very positive to meet people, especially different people… it brought us together and we worked get well together.” 

Fun, enjoyment and happiness from spending time with the farmer and the other participants

“I probably do more laughing here than I would in a week away from here….. [the farmer]  is very funny and he has a lot of funny stories….. I felt more encouraged to try and get that part of me across.”

“One participant told me ‘I’ve told you more crap about my life in ten weeks than I’ve told any psychologist in ten years’.”
Social farmer, Co. Mayo 

“It think that there’s something very homely about the support…it’s very casual and there are no airs and graces and people feel like they fit right in.  It’s very comfortable and they don’t feel that they need to be somebody else and they can say whatever they want and they can dress whatever way they want.”
Service worker 

“Especially now since we’re trying to meet all this New Directions Policy…for the people we serve it’s not all about lovely buildings and lovely programmes, it’s about exploring this type of thing that works for people and that’s what works really, and as you have seem today the smiles on the lads faces.  You know it’s working for them because if it wasn’t working it would be a different atmosphere”
Service worker 

“Out here it’s a lovely bright day and it’s totally mind opening.  You see the lake you see the mountains the animals and the sky and everything around is positive… there is no negativity here at all.  Even if it rains it’s not negative we have to have it, it’s all part of the cycle.”
Mental Health participant 

“There’s a good bit of freedom and you’re out of the house and you’re learning things.  You’re not in school but your still learning things… It’s easier to focus when you’re out doing the stuff rather than being in a class just sitting there.”
Long term unemployed participant 

”It’s helped me get my confidence back, just from working with other people, doing different things, cutting timber, working with cattle, fencing.”
Mental Health participant

“My social farming experience has been uplifting. To be able to provide the space where participants can experience the healing properties of nature is great. To see the smiles on their faces and hear the laughter and watch the contented look on the faces at the end of the day lets you know that social farming is working”

Tommy Earley, , Co. Leitrim

“It was an amazing experience… We got to know each other I treated them with respect and they treated me with respect.
There was no boss in the group, we just did our thing and we had a lot of fun. It taught me to relax and take things easier as well.“

SF

To talk more about farmers in our social farming program contact us today..

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