Home Farm Alumni News

Christine Pollard, Home Farm

*Photo contributed by Denise Sarauer

On August 14th we had our first Alumni BBQ at Home Farm!  And what a great time it was!  We had students and their partners from Ontario, Saskatchewan and BC, from earlier HT courses held at Providence Farm, the recent Live On-line program and HT Diploma students from Vancouver Island University.  We also had the pleasure of meeting the interns currently participating at Providence Farm from Chicago and BC.    We found out more about “Garden Pals”, an HT program facilitated by Carol Sim here in Duncan, a proposed program for people with Acquired Brain Injury in Peterborough, Ontario and potential HT programming for youth at risk in Saskatchewan.  New connections were made and information shared.  Thank you all for making the evening so pleasant.

Malton Village long term care facility  opens a new sustainable garden.  The garden is part of a larger horticultural therapy program delivered by Horticultural Therapist, Tracy Ruffini.

View media release:  A State of the Art Garden Opens at Malton Village

Cindy Brookshaw, Brantford, Ontario

I started down the road to the garden path when my husband asked me to consider quitting my full time position.  This took a great deal of soul searching and deliberation.  Finally, I came to the conclusion that my own family would benefit.  I was encouraged to do something that set my heart on fire, something that I had never had the time to pursue in the past.  This led me to the Brantford Garden Club, where at my first meeting Nancy Lee-Colibaba was presenting on Horticulture Therapy.

Early in March, with the encouragement of one of the teachers, I submitted a proposal to create a horticulture program.  I initially gave the proposal to this teacher to read and to spread the word to her colleagues.  She gave it to the principal the following week.  A couple weeks passed before I had the opportunity and courage to drop by the principal’s office.  Much to my surprise he had the proposal on his desk at his fingertips!  He had obviously thoroughly reviewed the contents as he had jotted notes and questions in the margin.  He felt the proposal was well written, easily understood and he would be taking it to the next board meeting.  He presented the proposal several times.  It was well received at each meeting, however, some members required re-assurance that the horticulture program would compliment the curriculum not provide new material.  I was thrilled to receive the call that the proposal was accepted and could commence as a 12 week pilot program in September 2009.   There are already a list of individuals who are interested!

Margaret Vallieres, Kingston, Ontario

All levels seem to be on the same environmental page lately, which makes the situation ripe for Horticultural Therapy (HT). I am one of Christine Pollard’s students in the new online HT certification program. We have just finished the second course, and I am finding more encouragement all the time to continue the program and apply Horticultural Therapy principles. My first success was actually finding that HT existed in Canada. The CHTA website did a great job there. Next was Christine’s program online. Online has allowed me to work through the program without the need for travel. I have even found financial sponsorship for the courses. Now I have also been approved into a multi-level government program to turn what I have into a business through the Ontario Self-Employment Benefit.

To be approved into this program, I needed to have a clear business idea, Horticultural Therapist for me of course. Then it had to go through the levels of scrutiny (jumping through the hoops).  Was I EI eligible or reach back eligible? Yes. Did I have a clear business idea? Yes. Did my employment counselor agree to this as part of a return to work plan? Yes.  Did a panel of local businesspersons agree that this was a viable business idea? Yes. Was the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities on board with the idea? Yes. I am convinced that the timing for horticultural proposals is right. Federal, provincial and municipal departments and individuals have all voiced their support for a Horticultural Therapist in the community.

So, this Tuesday I start 40 weeks of support from Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) with a 4 week in class session to get familiar with the administrative functions of a business. This is an Ontario program, but I would encourage others to look into their provincial counterparts. The different avenues for Horticultural Therapists to work in make it even easier to build a career that utilizes personal experience and skills. I am looking forward to working alongside other Horticultural Therapists to present a confident and professional vision of using Horticultural to support participants in their personal goals.  It is really an exciting time for HT.

Home Farm Alumni News included by Physical Therapy Assistant Schools as part of Top 50 Therapy Blogs.

Take a look for other interesting blog sites.

Emma Rooney, Home Farm Associate

March marked the official launch of the Home Farm Horticultural Therapy Certificate Live On Line. We successfully offered the first module, “What is Horticultural Therapy” over three days with students from across Canada and even a southern neighbor participating. The program takes place in a virtual classroom through Elluminate where the instructors speak to the class and present on a whiteboard. Each day begins with students describing what they see outside their windows and current temperatures in their area, connecting our weather patterns cross country. Students are also able to interact by raising their hands and adding their perspectives to the discussion. There is also the opportunity for student led presentations, video showings, web tours, file sharing and a message board.

At first everyone is a bit tentative about the technology but due to the ease of the set-up, quickly students are sold and we see true personalities being expressed online. A true on-line learning community is established with a group of people who are interested in engaging on the same topic. Thank you to all the first timers who took the risk to join us with this new venture. We hope to see you in Module 2 (coming in April). Thank you to Christine Pollard for providing another accessible horticultural therapy education platform and for allowing me to take part in the instruction and development of this exciting advancement for horticultural therapy in Canada and beyond.

Canada AM today featured horticultural therapy programming at Providence Farm as part of a week series focusing on alternative sources of rehabilitation.  Greenhouse employee, Mark Jenkinson speaks about the role of the farm in transforming his life.  Colleen Davis, Providence  Farm Rehabilitation Manager, is also interviewed, along with founding member Jack Hutton.

The Calgary Sun reports on the impact of the Horticultural Therapy Program, at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, in improving the patient experience.  The program is led by Becky Feasby, HTR and Home Farm Alumnus. 

Dear friends,

“Just Like Anyone”, a documentary film created and directed by Alonso F. Mayo, that tells the story of 5 students with different abilities and their families from the Centro Ann Sullivan del Perú-CASP, is now available in its entirety online.

The documentary explores the personal journey each family has taken in learning to appreciate the abilities of their children with autism, Downs Syndrome and developmental delays, rather than focusing on what they cannot do, and then in working with CASP to help them to become independent and productive members of society with the abilities they have strengthened through their education.

Please visit the film’s website:  Just Like Anyone.

The film is divided into 6 scenes and on the “view the film” section of the site you will have the option to click on each scene and view them on the site itself in a high quality YouTube embedded player, or a low quality version if you have a slower connection.

As we hope to make similar documentaries in the future, we would appreciate your opinions of this one.

Please share the site’s link with your colleagues, students and friends!

Muchas gracias

Liliana Mayo O., Ph. D.
Founder & General Director
Centro Ann Sullivan del Perú- CASP
Calle Petronila Alvarez 180 Urb. Pando V Etapa
San Miguel – Lima – Perú
Telephone: 263 6296 – 263 4880 (extension 103)
Fax:  263 1237
E-Mail:  lilimayo@ku.edu

(Left to Right: Nancy Lee-Colibaba, Sylvia Piano Onetto, Christine Pollard, Maria Arana and Estela Cardeza D.)

Christine Pollard, HTM
Home Farm

*Photos courtesy of Maria Teresa Riveros.

This was my third trip to Chile to support Marie Arana of Herbarium in her Horticultural Therapy Education endeavors. Every trip is a different experience with vignettes that make each trip unique. Just having Nancy Lee-Colibaba of the Royal Botanical Gardens with me on this trip was such a treat. Being able to share the experience with her and then have Nancy share the HT presentations allowed me to enjoy my first experience listening to Nancy and spend more time appreciating the experiences and passions of the students.

One of the most moving outcomes of participating in HT seminars with students is seeing how the student then goes on and applies their HT knowledge. The last day of this year’s seminar was dedicated to new HT programs and educational opportunities established by previous students.

After Maria gave us an update on the programs at Herbarium, our first presentation was by Jeanette Olivares Herrera, a psychologist with Cultiva, an organization dedicated to rehabilitative, vocational and community connection programs for people with mental health issues. The Cultiva program is conducted in a commercial nursery in Santiago. The 19 participants work at the nursery as well a produce their own plant products, compost and mosaics for sale. The nursery has provided clubhouse space that includes a kitchen, activities room, bathroom and office. Jeanette and another HT student of Herbarium, Patricia Herrera Parra, administrator of Cultiva, are successfully using Horticultural Therapy to evaluate, assess and plan rehabilitative interventions for Cultiva.

Another former student Francisca Muller Montes, an agriculturalist, and Carolina Urbina of the San Cristobel Waldorf School presented on the use of the school garden to meet the teaching philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, education through process and emotion. In the garden once per week, the students individually garden in an area of one square meter to learn the rhythms of life and practical life experience.

The next presentation was by Maria Paz Iturriaga, an Occupational Therapist and educator with The Professional Institute of Chile and former Herbarium HT student. Maria has successfully added Horticultural Therapy to the fourth year Occupational Therapy curriculum at the institute. She brought two of her students that have successfully created a “Sowing Life” mental health program, a long term care “Seniors of Atardecer” HT program and a 7 week HT workshop for the participants of the Montecarmelo Special Needs School. Thank you Maria for taking HT to another educational level in Santiago!

Christine Raffo, President of the Argentine Garden Club (AGC) and former Herbarium HT student gave the next presentation. The Garden Club is all volunteer, mostly women that, among other things, aid various organizations and are great supporters of HT. The AGC is also a member of the National Garden Club (US) supporting world social needs.

Carlos Kaiser, former Executive Director of the National Fund for Persons with Disabilities, said that HT was not a therapy for differences but for commonalities. HT is not artificial but natural.

The next presentation by a Herbarium HT student was by Claudia Bustamante and Bernadita Salas of Manos y Naturaliza, an after school program for children of working parents. They provide support for 80 children 6-8 years old. Though the club houses do not feed the children as they are fed at school, their club houses have hot water, soap and shampoo so that good hygiene can be modeled. Manos y Natualiza provide happy second homes. Their neighborhood does not have gardens so they participate in Pillpa, the children’s garden at Herbarium. The children learn to grow and then eat the vegetables from the Pillpa garden.

Also attending the seminar was Sylvia Piano Onetto, President of the Garden Club of Chile. The Garden Club of Chile is now supporting the Colegio Humberto Aranda for special needs children. The teachers asked for help to plant a grazing garden at the school. Now that the garden is planted, the garden club is now planning to teacher the teachers about horticulture so that gardening can be incorporated into the school curriculum.

So Alumni, as you can see, the roots have spread far since the germination of HT plantings!!