About the farm
Where friendship, purpose and possibility take root
21 Roots Farm is located on 21 acres in Grant, Minnesota, near Stillwater. The property contains a picturesque barn, rolling hills, woods, grazing land for animals, an apple orchard, vegetable gardens, and several acres of prairie with native grasses and wildflowers. It is currently home to chickens, goats, cows, cats, sheep, donkeys, hives of bees, and a beloved pig.
This is more than your typical hobby farm. Here, we grow lifelong friendships. Here, we harvest bumper crops of laughs. Here, we cultivate community, independence and empowerment for people with developmental disabilities (in addition to the 21 varieties of apples). Come find out what 21 Roots Farm is all about.
Our story
21 Roots Farm has emerged through a culmination of experiences that have been nurtured beneath the surface. Shortly after college two friends, Amy and Brittany, began dreaming of nature-based programming for adults with developmental disabilities. In 2017, they visited a farm in Ontario, Canada. That trip nurtured the seeds and ultimately blossomed into 21 Roots Farm. Along the journey they have found like-minded people who share in their desire for more opportunities for people impacted by disabilities to interact with nature and agriculture.
We knew the right name would come if we were patient. When we acquired the 21-acre property, it felt a little providential, since several people behind the dream have Down syndrome, which is three copies of the 21st chromosome. The name has since taken on deeper meaning. Each person involved brings an intricate root system of experiences, values, and relationships that exist below the surface. These roots are what drive us. They quietly provide the elements that allow growth to happen above the soil line. Together, they shape the work we do and the farm we continue to grow.
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