About
Care Farming
Care farming is the therapeutic use of farming practices for the purpose of providing a natural and positive teaching environment for the development of social skills, life skills, job skills. Care Farms provide supervised programs of farm related activities that include animal husbandry and cultivating plants.
The benefits of caring for animals can go beyond the human-animal bond by providing opportunities for meaningful occupations, mastery of tasks, leisure, relaxation and social growth.
Cultivating Hope Farms is an inclusive care farm. We welcome all individuals regardless of diagnosis. We are a working farm where individuals can practice the skills learned in therapy while learning about farming and having fun!
Vision:
To cultivate the lives of people with different abilities through sustainable care farming practices.
Mission:
To provide farm experiences that increase skill opportunities and joy to people with different abilities.
Values:
Inclusion:
To support the health and well-being of persons with different abilities and their families.
Quality Programming:
To provide programming opportunities that cultivate growth.
Hear from the kids
Care Farming at Cultivating Hope Farms
Our Mission
Our mission is to grow and support the health and well-being of persons with different abilities through care farming practices. We will cultivate growth through the planting of knowledge and skills that are transferrable to everyday life through the incorporation of animals, agriculture, and recreation. Our family-centered program provides a unique learning environment for participants to work on their individual goals and guide them towards a successful future.
Our vision is planting seeds, growing skills, and cultivating lives.
- Planting > seeds of knowledge
- Growing > skills by learning and working with animals and agriculture
- Cultivating > participants by helping them attain their goals to guide them towards a successful future
Cultivating Hope Farms is an inclusive, family centered, supportive environment using farm care practices to help our participants learn valuable life and job skills. We value kindness and acceptance above all and encourage fun during work and play.
All programing is developed by a certified teacher, occupational therapist, and board certified behavior analyst.
Quick Facts
CHF is an affiliate of Can Play an inclusive sports program in DesMoines.
Story County Conservation and Tuneful Journey offer programs out at the farm occasionally.
CHF is a working farm with breeding livestock.
CHF is for all ages and family focused.
CHF is involved in the ISU ranch rodeo in the fall and Iowa Horse Fair in the spring.
CHF experiences are sensory focused.
CHF has ABA(applied behavior analysis), art, and occupational therapist on the board or advisor to help develop experiences.
Endorsed concept by Dr. Temple Grandin
Board Members
Brad Perkins, BS, MS
Co-Founder, Board President
Brad has been a Teaching Professor at Iowa State University for 14 years in Construction Engineering Program. He is also a Licensed Professional Engineer and sole proprietor of his own engineering business. He lives with his wife of 23 years, 5 children, and multiple farmyard critters on their rural Boone County acreage.
Tammy Rasmussen
Co-Executive Director, Board Member
Tammy Rasmussen currently serves on the Board for Cultivating Hope Farms. Tammy is a mother of twin 14-year-old girls, Caitlyn and Carrigan. Caitlyn was diagnosed with autism January 2016 and later diagnosed with ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder. Tammy has a deep dedication to building an inclusive, supportive community for individuals with disabilities and their families. Her personal experience has led to her becoming an advocate and a volunteer, dedicating her time to helping people with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. In her free time, Tammy is an avid runner and loves playing games with her family.
Chad Schneider
Board Member
Chad is a 2017 graduate of Regent University School of Law of Virginia Beach, Virginia, and was admitted to the Iowa State Bar in October of the same year. He is a member of the Iowa and Story County Bar Associations. He became a partner at HGB in April of 2020.
Prior to becoming a lawyer, Chad was a private Christian school educator for nearly 20 years as a teacher, coach, and administrator. He graduated from Faith Baptist Bible College of Ankeny, Iowa, with an elementary education degree and almost completed his master’s degree in educational leadership from Cedarville University of Cedarville, Ohio. Therefore, he has a passion for helping and educating people as to their rights and obligations under the law and seeking justice and mercy for the disadvantaged.
In addition to the practice of law, Chad is a committee member of the City of Ames Zoning Board of Adjustment and active politically. And he is a member of Cornerstone Church of Ames. In his free time, Chad enjoys spending time with family and friends, attending his children’s school activities, and keeping up on home improvement projects.
Rob Thelen
Board Treasurer
Rob Thelen is a data analyst working at the state of Iowa. He enjoys helping out at Cultivating Hope Farms with his background in computers and accounting by helping with the financials and reporting. He lives with his wife of 30 years and has 2 grown children.
Mark Kruse
Board Member
Mark is a retired electrical engineer with a passion to help youth and young adults succeed and flourish in their life endeavors. As a Mayo Clinic emeritus staff member and having experiencing multiple medical and mental health challenges within his immediate family, he recognizes the power of coordinated education, therapy, training and mentorship to overcome personal challenges. An eastern Iowa farm boy, the concept of care farming aligns well with his overall background.
Mark lives with his wife of 34 years in Ames, has three grown children and an increasing number of grandchildren. In addition to Cultivating Hope Farms, his volunteer activities also include American Legion Boy’s State and Ames YSS.
Sammie Moorman
Board Member
Aloysius Kling
Board Member
Aloysius Kling dedicated 24 years of service to the Iowa Army National Guard, retiring in 2021. He now works in IT delivery at the Casey’s Store Support Center in Ankeny.
Aloysius and his wife, Wanda, are proud parents of their brilliant 12-year-old son, AJ. At the age of four, AJ was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, followed by additional diagnoses of ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, and sensory processing disorder.
In 2024, Wanda suggested trying Cultivating Hope Farms as a summer activity for their family. AJ instantly connected with Sally the sow and the other animals on the farm. Inspired by the profound impact the farm had on his family, Aloysius joined the Cultivating Hope board to help foster a supportive community for individuals with disabilities.
His mission is to create an environment where people with disabilities are empowered to grow and reach their fullest potential.
Aloysius holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration from Upper Iowa University. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, writing, and spending quality time with his family.
Lacey Wolf
Board Member
Lacey Wolf is a dedicated pediatric speech-language pathologist (SLP) who has been serving children and families in the Ames area for the past 14 years. Through her private practice, Playful Speech & Feeding, Lacey’s work spans a wide range of challenges, from helping babies with feeding difficulties, supporting children with reading disorders, to working with those who use alternative and augmentative communication devices. Lacey is deeply committed to understanding and celebrating the uniqueness of every child.
Lacey is the mother to 4 daughters, including one daughter diagnosed with Autism and ADHD. Her unique experience of helping neurodiverse children both personally and professionally brought her to Cultivating Hope Farms. Lacey joined the board to assist with the creation of Iowa’s first farm school for children of all abilities, a project close to her heart.
Lacey is also a board member with the Ames Girls Softball Association and has also served in various roles with the Iowa Speech-Language Hearing Association, including Vice President and President.
Lacey lives in Ames with her husband of 16 years along with their 4 daughters. Outside of her professional life, Lacey is a passionate supporter of her four daughters, often found on a softball field or in a gymnasium cheering them on.