((PKG)) A FARM LESS ORDINARY
((Banner: A Farm Less Ordinary))
((Reporter: Faiza Elmasry))
((Camera: Adam Greenbaum))
((Map: Bluemont, Virginia))
((NATS))
((Heather: And you just walk, and spread it around. This is
my favorite task!))
((Maya Wechsler, Co-Founder, A Farm Less Ordinary))
We employ people with intellectual and developmental
disabilities and we offer them a welcoming community. We
also grow organic vegetables along the way, and through all
of that, we teach our growers basic employment skills.
((NATS))
((Heather: Jack, why do we start our seeds in trays?))
((Jack: So they can grow faster.))
((Heather: Then what do we do?))
((Jack: Put them outside when they are partially grown.))
((Heather: Yeah!))
((Heather Richardson, Farm Manager, A Farm Less
Ordinary))
I’m always showing the employees how to do everything
step-by-step. So, I really try to stick with it until they fully
understand. Then, I slowly back off, and my goal is to get to
the point where I can be, like, all right, so and so, can you
please go transplant. They know how to get their tray and
what tools they need. Other days, we just have to get the
job done. Like today, we had to spread seeds though it’s
raining, but we had to do it.
((NATS - Rooster crowing))
((Jack Jenkins, Farm Employee, A Farm Less Ordinary))
I’m a big fan of chickens. Clean coops out, get eggs and get
fresh water. I have a big coop at home, like 10 chickens.
((Tina Jenkins, Jack’s Mother))
He does love it. He loves to get his hands dirty. He likes to
be involved. With that comes success. When he plants
something and he sees it growing, he’s very proud of
himself.
((NATS))
((Maya: This is buckwheat, which is a quick growing cover
crop. Feed the soil.))
((NATS))
((Greg Masucci, Co-Founder, A Farm Less Ordinary))
So, 2015 we spent that year learning how to farm.
((Maya Wechsler, Co-Founder, A Farm Less Ordinary))
So, I signed up for all these classes, beginning farmer
classes, how you get your hands dirty, the financial part of
things. And then, I read a lot of books, and we spent our first
year just experimenting and throwing a lot of seeds in the
ground.
((NATS - Max laughing))
((Greg Masucci, Husband of Maya Wechsler; Co-
Founder, A Farm Less Ordinary))
We have a severely autistic child named Max, our son.
((Maya Wechsler, Wife of Greg Masucci; Co-Founder, A
Farm Less Ordinary))
Max is 11 years old, turning 12 in November. He is a high-
energy boy. He’s nonverbal. Being out here also gives him
an opportunity to burn off some of his energy in a way that
we couldn’t give him, when we lived in the middle of
Washington D.C.
((Greg Masucci, Co-Founder, A Farm Less Ordinary))
So, Max was the inspiration for the farm, but he wasn’t the
whole reason we did the farm.
((NATS – Josh filling water using a hose))
((Greg Masucci, Co-Founder, A Farm Less Ordinary))
People with those intellectual, developmental disabilities
have an over 80 percent unemployment rate and we’re trying
to change that.
((NATS))
((Greg Masucci, Co-Founder, A Farm Less Ordinary))
When people are not in the employment picture, you know,
they end up being socially isolated as I mentioned, and it
also puts a financial burden on families.
((NATS))
((Jack: Sprinkle fertilizer on top.))
((Heather: Yeah. Why do we add fertilizer?))
((Jack: So this thing can grow.))
((Heather Richardson, Farm Manager))
Farming really helps people with developmental, intellectual
disabilities, because it’s a lot of small tasks that you need to
do with your hands, which a lot of people might not have
great hand-eye coordination or something like that, and it’s
also a lot of fine motor skills which can also be really difficult.
They can learn that, all right, the world maybe set up this
way, but I can make accommodations for myself. I can go
outside of the box and create a tool that can help me get the
job done no matter what.
((NATS))
((Jack: Hey Josh, want to give me a hand with the goats?))
((Greg Masucci, Co-Founder, A Farm Less Ordinary))
We want to be a stepping-stone. If somebody wants to
continue to work here, that’s great, but if they get another job
outside of here, we’re thrilled.
((Maya Wechsler, Co-Founder, A Farm Less Ordinary))
We moved out here to, kind of, build our own tribe and
surround ourselves with similar people and I think we’ve
succeeded in that.
((NATS - walking down the farm))
((Banner: A Farm Less Ordinary))
((Reporter: Faiza Elmasry))
((Camera: Adam Greenbaum))
((Map: Bluemont, Virginia))
((NATS))
((Heather: And you just walk, and spread it around. This is
my favorite task!))
((Maya Wechsler, Co-Founder, A Farm Less Ordinary))
We employ people with intellectual and developmental
disabilities and we offer them a welcoming community. We
also grow organic vegetables along the way, and through all
of that, we teach our growers basic employment skills.
((NATS))
((Heather: Jack, why do we start our seeds in trays?))
((Jack: So they can grow faster.))
((Heather: Then what do we do?))
((Jack: Put them outside when they are partially grown.))
((Heather: Yeah!))
((Heather Richardson, Farm Manager, A Farm Less
Ordinary))
I’m always showing the employees how to do everything
step-by-step. So, I really try to stick with it until they fully
understand. Then, I slowly back off, and my goal is to get to
the point where I can be, like, all right, so and so, can you
please go transplant. They know how to get their tray and
what tools they need. Other days, we just have to get the
job done. Like today, we had to spread seeds though it’s
raining, but we had to do it.
((NATS - Rooster crowing))
((Jack Jenkins, Farm Employee, A Farm Less Ordinary))
I’m a big fan of chickens. Clean coops out, get eggs and get
fresh water. I have a big coop at home, like 10 chickens.
((Tina Jenkins, Jack’s Mother))
He does love it. He loves to get his hands dirty. He likes to
be involved. With that comes success. When he plants
something and he sees it growing, he’s very proud of
himself.
((NATS))
((Maya: This is buckwheat, which is a quick growing cover
crop. Feed the soil.))
((NATS))
((Greg Masucci, Co-Founder, A Farm Less Ordinary))
So, 2015 we spent that year learning how to farm.
((Maya Wechsler, Co-Founder, A Farm Less Ordinary))
So, I signed up for all these classes, beginning farmer
classes, how you get your hands dirty, the financial part of
things. And then, I read a lot of books, and we spent our first
year just experimenting and throwing a lot of seeds in the
ground.
((NATS - Max laughing))
((Greg Masucci, Husband of Maya Wechsler; Co-
Founder, A Farm Less Ordinary))
We have a severely autistic child named Max, our son.
((Maya Wechsler, Wife of Greg Masucci; Co-Founder, A
Farm Less Ordinary))
Max is 11 years old, turning 12 in November. He is a high-
energy boy. He’s nonverbal. Being out here also gives him
an opportunity to burn off some of his energy in a way that
we couldn’t give him, when we lived in the middle of
Washington D.C.
((Greg Masucci, Co-Founder, A Farm Less Ordinary))
So, Max was the inspiration for the farm, but he wasn’t the
whole reason we did the farm.
((NATS – Josh filling water using a hose))
((Greg Masucci, Co-Founder, A Farm Less Ordinary))
People with those intellectual, developmental disabilities
have an over 80 percent unemployment rate and we’re trying
to change that.
((NATS))
((Greg Masucci, Co-Founder, A Farm Less Ordinary))
When people are not in the employment picture, you know,
they end up being socially isolated as I mentioned, and it
also puts a financial burden on families.
((NATS))
((Jack: Sprinkle fertilizer on top.))
((Heather: Yeah. Why do we add fertilizer?))
((Jack: So this thing can grow.))
((Heather Richardson, Farm Manager))
Farming really helps people with developmental, intellectual
disabilities, because it’s a lot of small tasks that you need to
do with your hands, which a lot of people might not have
great hand-eye coordination or something like that, and it’s
also a lot of fine motor skills which can also be really difficult.
They can learn that, all right, the world maybe set up this
way, but I can make accommodations for myself. I can go
outside of the box and create a tool that can help me get the
job done no matter what.
((NATS))
((Jack: Hey Josh, want to give me a hand with the goats?))
((Greg Masucci, Co-Founder, A Farm Less Ordinary))
We want to be a stepping-stone. If somebody wants to
continue to work here, that’s great, but if they get another job
outside of here, we’re thrilled.
((Maya Wechsler, Co-Founder, A Farm Less Ordinary))
We moved out here to, kind of, build our own tribe and
surround ourselves with similar people and I think we’ve
succeeded in that.
((NATS - walking down the farm))
