Red Wiggler Community Farm

Red Wiggler Care Farm is a 12‑acre sustainable farm in Montgomery County, Maryland, where neurodiverse people come together to work, learn, and grow healthy food. Our staff and volunteers cultivate vegetables and sell or donate the harvest to nourish our diverse local community. And through Red Wiggler’s Care Farming Network—our initiative to raise awareness, strengthen connections, and expand the reach of therapeutic farming—we’re building capacity for care farms everywhere. Red Wiggler cultivates belonging and well-being through care farming and community-building. As a result of Red Wiggler’s work, people connected to care farms experience belonging and well-being that equip them to make choices and define their own sense of purpose. Together, these create opportunities for people to shape a life of their own design. “On this farm, everyone is learning: the growers, the staff, the volunteers. It's a beautiful and productive classroom.” Founded in 1996, we first dug into the soil on a 2.5-acre farm in Comus, Maryland. The idea came to our founder, Woody Woodroof, after working in group homes in Arizona. Through this experience, Woody saw the need for both healthier food and more meaningful jobs for adults with developmental disabilities. Starting from gardens and composting services, Red Wiggler grew into a full-fledged organic vegetable farmemploying adults with developmental disabilitieswho grow food for the community. Through a partnership with the Arc Montgomery County, Woody spent that first season working and learning how to farm alongside five Growers, growing food for a 12-member CSA program and two farmer’s markets. In 2005 the farm moved to its current location on Ovid Hazen Wells Park in Germantown, Maryland. Through a public/private partnership with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, we lease 12 acres with plans to expand. Now serving more than 1,900 community members, we have a 200-share CSA program, distribute half of our organic produce to low-income households,employ more than 15 adultswith intellectual and developmental disabilities, and regularlyhost groupsandvolunteers. Our Care Farming Networkconnects aspiring and established care farms ensuring they have the support they need to be effective. In 2024 we updated our name from Red Wiggler Community Farm to Red Wiggler Care Farm to reflect our commitment to the care farming movement, which uses therapeutic farming to foster health, well-being, and belonging. “Red Wiggler,” pays tribute to the hardworking worms that enrich the soil—just as we cultivate opportunities for growth and success for everyone in our community. At the heart of our farm is a commitment to create meaningful work for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Our unique50/50 distribution modelprovides stable jobs where our Growers can learn, contribute, and thrive while nourishing our community with fresh, healthy food. Our programs have grown organically to meet the needs of our community. We combine meaningful employment, sustainable agriculture, and hands-on education to grow and distribute vegetables to our community. Ourdistribution modelsupports onsite and off‑farm retail outlets—traditional CSA shares, farm events, and local markets—while ensuring at least half goes directly to those in need. Through partnerships with food banks, group homes, and elementary school programs, we deliver organic produce to families who might otherwise lack access to fresh food. Beyond our work locally, Red Wiggler’s Care Farming Networkbuilds upon Red Wiggler’s impact to provide resources to aspiring and established care farms. You can find financial information in our IRS Form 990s, available below. Explore our reports from the past few years. FY2023 Form 990FY2022 Form 990FY2021 Form 990FY2020 Form 990FY2019 Form 990FY2018 Form 990FY2017 Form 990 From running our programs to growing organic food, meet the staff and board members who help our farm