Nationally and globally dispersed, farms have been developed that focus specifically on individuals with autism spectrum disorders. This practice has been referred to as social farming, green farming or care farming. Social farming is an evolving scenario, more common in Europe than in the United States. In many cases these experiences were born autonomously, which is represented by the absence of a defined institutional framework. The current patchwork-like reality of social farming is that it developed mostly on a voluntary basis, through bottom-up actions, and not supported by any specific policies.This research examines the motivations for social farming through autoethnographic methods of reflection and analysis. Autoethnographic research is a way of producing meaningful, accessible, and evocative research grounded in personal experiences. (Ellis, 2010) Autoethnography recognizes multiple ways of knowledge construction and embraces subjectivity. As a more accessible text, autoethnography offers to reach a wider audience that traditional research usually disregards. This research is gathered from my own journey that starts with the diagnosis of my son with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to opening up a farm where crops were secondary to the other benefits. This study is based on select data from 2000 - 2012 including the operation of a social farm for the summers of 2010 and 2011. This research and writing seeks to describe and systematically analyze my personal experiences in order to understand this complex issues or "wicked" problem facing families and individuals with ASD. The rising rates of autism may make this an urgent issue, but this is also an old concern of how, as a community, we choose to live. Social farming can also be seen as a process of social innovation where collective learning and practices are rooted in local experiences. The farming experience can lead to change by being the venue where people connect. I found that a farm has many features that may give those with ASD the opportunity to engage as well as others. The farm can give a structure that connects across boundaries and disciplines and people to begin to create a framework for inclusion. However, this is a paradigm shift away from traditional engagement and therapies for those with ASD, even at other farms. From my journey and supported in literature, there is a need for improvement in creating positive and supportive opportunities for those with ASD that recognize and respect their voice, perspective, and exceptional abilities.At the start of this research I developed the following hypotheses:1.Motivations for social farming extend beyond a safe place for children with ASD to a belief that there is a special connection between agrarianism and autism. 2.Social farming fills a gap left by the lack of institutional supports.3.As the farm is part of the surrounding rural community, social farming supports inclusion.
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