Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the farmers and how are they chosen? How many will be living at the farm?

Our farmers are 18-24 year old young women who have experienced a lot of hardships. When they come to us, they haven’t had a safe place to live and they haven’t had enough money to be secure. They may have a record or challenges like PTSD or addiction. Through extensive assessments and interviews, staff will work with referral partners to determine if candidates are a good fit for the farm program. Everyone coming to Bellfound Farm has been thoroughly vetted. We'll begin in 2018 with just five farmers. Eventually, we'll be able to house up to twenty between the three houses onsite.

How will you make sure farmers are adequately supervised and supported?

Staff will be onsite 24/7 to make sure residents are safe and supported. When farmers come into the program, they agree to a code of conduct that lays out rules for how to be a good community member - we take this code of conduct seriously, both on the farm and in the neighborhood. Any issues can be immediately addressed by contacting the onsite staff person.

What kinds of things will you grow on the farm?

Our farmers will grow dozens of varieties of fruits, vegetables, and flowers - much like you do in a home garden. There won't be big, noisy machinery, though we might use a small tractor like the ones people use to mow their lawns. The food we grow will be shared with neighbors and sold at the old storefront along Meridian.

We'll grow vegetables (including carrots, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, green beans), fruits (including strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, apples, pears), and flowers (including sunflowers, daisies, zinnias). For a full list of what we'll offer in 2019 and to learn more about farming operations, please reach out to Alena!

Who are your community partners?

Bellfound Farm was born from the NEXT Initiative of the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana, a fund of the Central Indiana Community Foundation. The NEXT Initiative engages social entrepreneurs in creating holistic solutions that help emerging adult women move from poverty to a lifetime of economic security. The NEXT Fellowship Prize is a twofold award: the first stage provided two years of incubation funding and wraparound supports to Bellfound Farm (then called the NEXT Farm Initiative), which began in January 2016. The incubation period is followed by a generous eight-year funding commitment, which started early 2018.

Bellfound Farm focuses on a collective impact model, so we work to partner with other service providers and neighborhood volunteers in providing some of the services our farmers need. Have an idea or want to work together? Let us know!

If you questions or would like to have a conversation, please reach out. We’d be happy to schedule a time to talk!