In 2018, Janice and David Agarwal launched the non-profit Watch Us Farm with the goal of finding employment opportunities for adults with special needs.
They partnered with the Town of Zionsville, painting, clearing trails and working on the Watch Us Farm micro-farm.
As word got out and people in the community and beyond began to connect with the Agarwals, the opportunities skyrocketed to something leaders in the organization had only dreamed of.
"We were able to receive a greenhouse, donated from land Witham Health Services owned," Janice Agarwal said. "They allowed us to take the whole thing down and bring it to our property, but then we had to find someone to help us build it."
Cisco Lunsford of Zionsville just happened to have experience building botanical gardens across the country and lent his skills to constructing a greenhouse..
In the meantime, staff at Watch Us Farm has been growing lettuce and have a booth at the Zionsville Farmers' Market every Saturday and the Market Wagon on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
They have staff from Purdue Extension coming out at the end of the month to help evaluate and show the group what they are doing right and where to improve.
"Purdue works with the USDA, so instead of trying to figure out what we don't know, we reached out to them. They have bent over backwards for us -- there's just a list of people who have dropped everything to help us out," Agarwal said.
In addition to developments on the farm, Watch Us Farm opened Watch Us Weave earlier this year at 45 S. Elm St., Zionsville.
"We have 10 floor looms for weaving and they are creating amazing stuff. We're currently looking for someone who wants to take this niche market and offer classes and other events," Agarwal said. "Our adults are amazing. They are making rugs so beautiful; people are calling for custom rugs and dimensions."
Watch Us Farm recently became Medicaid waiver providers, allowing the non-profit to provide vocational training, physical therapy, occupational therapy and much more on the farm property.
"I'm trying to develop a really firm foundation," Agarwal said. "I want to see this go beyond me, and when I'm gone, this is still running. The farm, the shop ... all of this can be replicated again and again. Imagine across the country, creating jobs, not just for those with special needs, but for everyone. You need everyone to make this work."
As parents to a special needs adult themselves, the Agarwals have dreamed of a community where everyone belongs, regardless of ability.
With Boone County School systems citing special education students equaling 10 to 20 percent of their population, that means one in every six homes in your neighborhood has someone with special needs residing there.
"We have communities for the elderly, communities that welcome kids, others have no kids. We don't have anything for special needs. I don't want a group home," Agarwal said. "We want so much more for our kids and we're missing this major element in the community. You can see the definition of a community by who and what they are investing in."
Watch Us Farm has a couple of fall events coming up, in which the community will have such an opportunity.
Their major fundraiser of the year is the annual gala, Dinner at Dusk on Aug. 28. This year, it will be held at Sixpence barn with music, live and online auctions, and catering by Sweet and Savory.
"Funds are used to pay the salary for all employees. We purchase additional equipment and we're still growing," Agarwal said. "We need land to continue to grow and we want a farm we can preserve forever; a real, working farm for adults with special needs. I can picture orchards, a farm-to-table restaurant and so much more."
On Oct. 1, Watch Us Farm hosts its annual Fall Festival event on the farm. Families can enjoy pumpkin picking, games, prizes, food and music. Agarwal hopes the event allows children with special needs and their siblings to enjoy an afternoon of fall fun as a way to give back to the community that has given so much to them.
For tickets and more information, visit the website at https://www.watchusfarm.com.
Categories: Indiana, General