Adults learn vocational, ag skills through Watch Us Farm

ZIONSVILLE, Ind. — Inside a greenhouse filled with herbs and vegetables, adults with intellectual disabilities are learning job skills and growing confidence through a program called Watch Us Farm.

Led by Executive Director Janice Agarwal, the Boone and Hamilton county-based program creates meaningful employment opportunities through agriculture, artisan-made goods and hands on vocational training designed around each person’s strengths.

“We believe that adults with intellectual disabilities can be a part of meaningful work, earn a paycheck and have a valued place in their community,” Agarwal said.

For many families, Watch Us Farm represents something deeply needed — a place where adults with different abilities can learn and grow.

Agarwal shared the story of Watch Us Farm with AgriNews.

Q: Tell us about Watch Us Farm.

A: Today, we employ 15 team members, 10 of whom are adults with intellectual differences. We operate several revenue-generating programs, including hydroponic greenhouse production — lettuce, microgreens and herbs — fiber arts through our Watch Us Weave program, greeting cards, handcrafted goods and community employment placements.

Our produce is sold at farmers markets and to local restaurants. Our staff-to-employee ratio is 1 to 3, allowing for highly individualized training while maintaining productivity and quality.

We are currently in the midst of a $12 million campus development on 25 acres in Zionsville, made possible by the generous donation of the land from Henke Development. This gift transformed what was once a vision into a tangible, buildable future.

The campus will include a hub building designed to serve up to 100 adults, with and without disabilities, annually across a broad range of vocational programs, positioning Watch Us Farm as a regional — and eventually national — model for inclusive employment.

Q: What inspired you to start Watch Us Farm, and what did those early days look like?

A: My background is in pediatric physical therapy, with nearly four decades spent working with children and their families. Again and again, I watched remarkable young people with intellectual differences thrive in school settings filled with structure, purpose and expectation.

Then, at age 22, they aged out of the system and experienced what many families describe as a “funding cliff” — nearly a 98% reduction in support services.

Parents would ask, “What now?” That question became the heartbeat of Watch Us Farm.

The early days were small, scrappy and deeply hands-on. We started building programs around what our participants could authentically grow into — organic gardening, textiles, greeting cards, building electronics, lawn maintenance, painting and so on. We showed up at farmers markets, knocked on restaurant doors and learned what meaningful work really looked like.

We were later given the opportunity to acquire a greenhouse. We disassembled it and rebuilt it with guidance from a botanical garden expert who also happened to have a grandson with autism — designing a system with environmental controls that support success for adults with intellectual differences.

We have worked closely with several Purdue University professors to continually refine these systems, ensuring they are productive, accessible and sustainable.

Today, our programs are intentionally designed to be revenue-neutral, providing real wages and transferable skills.

We prepare employees not just for work at Watch Us Farm, but for success beyond it. Our community placement program has an 80% success rate for individuals transitioning into roles elsewhere.

Q: Watch Us Farm has grown into a much larger operation. What has that growth looked like, and what need are you seeing in the community?

A: Our growth reflects a growing recognition that adult services must move beyond activities and into employment. Families want long-term solutions that include work, independence, community and stability.

The new campus allows us to meet that need at scale. In addition to expanded greenhouse production, the campus will feature a vocational and event center funded by a transformative grant from IU Health.

This space will include:

• Commercial kitchens.

• Hospitality and event training spaces.

• Barista and cafe training.

• Event hosting capacity.

• Small shop and fiber arts.

These programs support both job training and earned revenue, while opening new vocational pathways.

We are actively partnering with Purdue University, Ivy Tech and IU Health to help develop curriculum, training and applied learning opportunities.

The campus is intentionally designed as a Center of Excellence, where inclusive employment, local food systems, workforce development, education and research intersect in a real-world environment.

Q: What does a typical day look like for participants, and what skills are they learning?

A: A typical day at Watch Us Farm looks like a job, because it is one. Employees arrive, clock in and go to work.

In the greenhouse, they seed trays, monitor nutrient levels, harvest lettuce for restaurant orders and package produce. In Watch Us Weave, employees work looms, select patterns and colors and produce textiles sold to the public.

In our greeting card and handcrafted goods programs, employees design, assemble and package products such as cards, jewelry and wool dryer balls.

As our workforce increases, employees also work outdoors maintaining gardens, lawns and paths, supporting agritourism and seasonal events. Our current footprint limits growth; the new campus allows us to expand both people and opportunities.

Beyond technical skills, employees build vocational readiness — punctuality, teamwork, communication, money handling, stamina and pride in contribution. For many, this is their first structured, purposeful work environment, and it’s transformative.

Q: Is there a story that captures why this work matters?

A: One participant came to us after losing five jobs, not because they lacked desire, but because workplaces were not structured for their abilities.

Within six months at Watch Us Farm, they were harvesting lettuce for a local restaurant, training a newer employee and confidently managing their own schedule. Their parent later called me and said they had returned to work for the first time in years.

Q: What misconceptions about adults with intellectual disabilities do you hope to change?

A: The most damaging misconception is the soft bigotry of low expectations, the belief that adults with intellectual disabilities cannot handle responsibility or real work.

That belief limits opportunities far more than any disability, and that because they are hidden from society after high school, they and their families still want a fulfilling life.

Another misconception is that inclusive employment is charity. Our customers buy our products because they are high quality and reliable. Inclusion and excellence coexist here.

Finally, people underestimate the economic ripple effect. Supporting one adult in meaningful employment can stabilize an entire family. This is workforce development and economic growth.

Q: How can the community support Watch Us Farm?

A: There are many ways:

• Buy our produce and handcrafted goods.

• Attend our sensory-friendly Fall Festival.

• Join us Sept. 26 for our gala, Dinner at Dusk: Under the Big Top.

• Partner with us through community employment.

• Support our capital campaign for the Hub Building.

• Support building, trees, sensory gardens, housing and greenhousing by your donations.

Most importantly, come see us. Our community did, and they showed up overwhelmingly in support.

As we moved through zoning and permitting, approvals were unanimous, and community members spoke out unsolicited in favor of this campus. They see work, community and housing as the legacy they want to be known for.

Q: What is your vision for the future?

A: In the near term, the Hub Building will allow us to serve 100 adults — those with and without disabilities — annually, create 93 new jobs and expand programs in greenhouse production, hospitality, retail, assembly and events and shop classes.

We are developing programs that include:

• Classes for individuals with and without disabilities.

• Internships for high school and college students.

• Engagement with graduate students and faculty.

• Fellowships for college graduates to manage and grow programs that we are working on now.

Long term, we intend to replicate this model across Indiana and into other states. But the biggest vision is cultural.

I want Watch Us Farm to change how communities view adults with intellectual disabilities — not as problems to manage, but as contributors to recruit.

When employers, institutions and communities say, “Yes, we want this,” that’s how we change lives and reshape systems.