At Homesteads for Hope Community Farm, “It’s not about growing the tomatoes, it’s about growing people.”
Jennyrae Brongo, along with her mother Luann, founded Homesteads for Hope in 2013 to address an important need in their family, a need felt by many families.
“We are here to serve people of all abilities, with and without disabilities. We are for adults 18 years and older who graduated high school and find a void when the school bus stops. What happens to that person? There is such a shortage of services, especially since many group homes and day care services closed during the pandemic. We are about being an inclusive community; we are about participation in an intentional community. Everyone has a job here and works to their own unique abilities. We focus on what you can do. We are open to the public, and embrace all. We are about learning and leading a purposeful life, all in nature’s classroom. Not everyone is destined for college. We teach real-life skills, something everyone needs to sustain life,” Brongo said.
Homesteads for Hope is a 55-acre farm where people with disabilities are not overwhelmed by the environment. Located at 2185 Manitou Road, the farm is 10 minutes west of Downtown Rochester, directly on the wide waters of the historic Erie Canal. Homesteads’ classroom is the great outdoors, which provides a peaceful and therapeutic environment for anyone who sets foot on it, no matter their ability level. “Many in our community have never seen a large body of water, and working next to the water opens up a whole new world. We are always outside working; nature needs us. We have no TVs, no tablets. We are about the learning experience and a hands-on approach to developing skills, life lessons, and work education that allows students to flourish in the greater community,” Brongo said.
The Ready! Set! Work! program allows enrolled members the opportunity to learn to work in different business models on the farm. As they develop, further skills can be learned by volunteering to work around the farm. There are opportunities to work on the CSA Farm Share, in the Farm Store, at the Café, in the Office, at the Farmers Market, at the Barn Venue, and new this summer at the Harvest Pizza & Grill. “Working on the farm builds confidence, awareness, inclusion, and purpose. Parents tell me all the time that their children say this is their favorite place to be. Many parents say they could never have imagined their child could do the work they see them doing and enjoying. We teach and allow students to do real stuff; this is really life at the farm. We have 35 apprentices learning life work here, and they run the show. This is their farm; they own the place,” Brongo said.
Everyone knows someone with autism. Statistics show that one in six people have some form of autism. The goal of Homesteads for Hope is to create a community where inclusiveness is the norm. “It is all about creating a future for our children and grandchildren. For them to not just survive, but to also be self-sustaining, to have a job and a place to lead a purposeful life,” Brongo said.
There are many ways to get involved with the Homesteads for Hope Community Farm. There are three levels of membership in the Homesteads family. The Social Membership level allows participation in the day-to-day of the farm, free social programs, discounted events, and seven-day access to the farm for recreation, including hiking, biking, kayaking, fishing, kayak storage, and use of picnic facilities.
The Garden Membership level is about learning to grow your own food. It includes a 5’x10’ plot in the Community Garden, soil, water access, shared tools, seeds, plants, and workshops led by farm staff, plus all benefits of the Social Program.
There is also a CSA Membership that provides all the Social Membership benefits, along with a 22-week food share, providing five to eight items per week of organically grown produce, freshly picked and ready to be picked up on Thursdays. The farm provides over 100 unique varieties of flowers, tomatoes, herbs, greens, and much more. For complete details of each program’s benefits, visit the Memberships page at www.homesteadsforhope.org.
Homesteads for Hope Community Farm also hosts many Community Events, and the public is invited to join in the fun. Upcoming for this year are a Father’s Day Fishing Derby, Food Truck Rodeos with Bands, Harvest Family BBQ, Barn Dances, Trunk or Treat at Halloween, and more.
Every Thursday, June through October, from 5 to 8 p.m. is “Thursdays at the Farm,” featuring farm and artisan vendors, Harvest Pizza & Grill, Farm Cafe, Live Music, and more. All events are open to the public.
The barn at Homesteads for Hope is also available for rental for weddings, private events, life celebrations, fundraisers, and more. See the Homesteads for Hope website, www.homesteadsforhope.org, for details about planning an event at the “Venue with a Purpose.”
There are many different ways to get involved and volunteer your time working at the farm. You can become a farmer, a “sidekick” sharing your skills to train members, or a construction volunteer, helping to maintain and repair the many structures on the farm, all of which are over 200 years old. “We rely on grants, donations, and proceeds from our events to operate our farm. The CSA program is a major part of where our operational funds come from. We appreciate all monetary donations. We want to sustain the farm and support our over 200 family members, making sure we can serve and take care of the people entrusted to us,” Brongo said.
Future plans include the development of 30 acres set aside for building residential housing, a place to truly “Learn. Work. Live. Grow.”
For more information on all that Homesteads for Hope Community Farm offers, go to www.homesteadsforhope.org or stop in for a visit – the doors are always open, and there is always someone around on the farm.
Homesteads for Hope hosted an inclusive Easter Egg Hunt for all ages and abilities on Friday, April 15.
The event was run by the farm’s Ready! Set! Work! Apprentices. Photos by Karen Fien
Those enrolled in the Ready! Set! Work! program learn to work in different business models on the farm, including the Farm Store, shown above. Photo by Karen Fien
