Red Wiggler Community Farm

What Red Wiggler Community Farm does

Red Wiggler Care Farm (legally Red Wiggler Foundation Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit; EIN 52-1973795) operates a 12-acre USDA-certified organic farm at Ovid Hazen Wells Park in Germantown, Montgomery County, Maryland, founded in 1996 by Woody Woodroof and rebranded from Red Wiggler Community Farm in 2024. The organization employs adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities as paid Growers (17 growers in 2025 earning $87,627 in wages across 5,479 hours) who participate in all aspects of crop production, distribution, and customer interaction, structured around a four-level skill progression tracking 50+ competencies.

The farm runs an integrated portfolio of programs: a 120-share CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program with three seasonal sessions priced $175–$325 and on-farm pickup; a Harvest Share Program that distributes at least 50% of organic produce to food-insecure households through partnerships with Manna Food Center, Community FarmShare, So What Else, AfriThrive, CCAN, and Community Food Rescue ($74,495 of fresh food distributed in 2025); an Education and Service Learning Program for school groups on a sliding scale ($25–$75); a Volunteer Program managed via GivePulse that engaged 495 volunteers contributing 4,000+ hours in 2025; a composting partnership with Compost Crew; and the Care Farming Network, a national initiative connecting 350+ care farms with an online directory, mentorship program, and annual National Care Farming Conference. Core technology is conventional organic agriculture—crop rotation, cover cropping, integrated pest management, and greenhouse propagation—augmented by CiviCRM for newsletter/event management and GivePulse for volunteer scheduling.

The business model blends earned revenue (CSA subscriptions, farm tour fees $5–$10, event tickets, corporate volunteer suggested donations of $250) with philanthropic revenue (individual and corporate donations, a $30/month sustaining membership, foundation grants, and special event sponsorships ranging $250–$5,000). GTM is community-led and direct-to-consumer: word-of-mouth, CSA referral networks, school and food bank partnerships, and on-farm events drive both membership and donations. Executive Director Kara McCall leads the staff team, which includes Farm Production Manager Spencer Ellsworth, Distribution Manager Rachel Armistead, and Education and Outreach Coordinator Molly McCracken. The organization has no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no venture capital or private equity ownership.

Name

Red Wiggler Community Farm

Legal name

Red Wiggler Foundation Inc.

Website

https://redwiggler.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Red Wiggler Care Farm is a 12-acre USDA-certified organic farm in Montgomery County, Maryland that employs adults with developmental disabilities as paid growers, runs a 120-share CSA, and distributes half its produce to food-insecure households through food bank and school partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Care Farming and Community Supported Agriculture

NAICS

Vegetable and Melon Farming (1112)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Fresh Food Subscription/CSA & Produce Box Retail (CRAHAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Farm-to-Consumer Produce Boxes / CSA Delivery (AFAIANAC), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD)

Keywords

• Sustainable care farming
• Community supported agriculture
• Organic vegetable production
• Developmental disability employment
• Food access programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Clarksburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. CSA Memberships: Community Supported Agriculture subscriptions with three seasonal sessions (Spring $175, Summer $250, Fall $325). Members receive weekly shares of organic produce plus access to Pick-Your-Own gardens and compost program. On-farm pickup only, typically serving members within 15 miles.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, corporate giving, estate and planned giving. Special event sponsorship opportunities. Monthly sustaining membership option at $30/month. One-time and recurring donation options with various giving tiers.
3. Program Fees: Fees for educational programs, volunteer group visits, and corporate team-building experiences. Sliding scale fees for school groups ($25-$75), suggested donation for corporate groups ($250-$500+). Farm tour fees ($10 adults, $5 children under 16).
4. Special Events: Annual Harvest Celebration (tickets $75 adults, $30 children, with various sponsor tiers up to $5,000). Private events including 'Friends in the Fields' at $1,000 for up to 10 people. Ballgame event tickets at $15.39.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Red Wiggler Care Farm is a 12-acre USDA-certified organic farm in Montgomery County, Maryland that combines sustainable agriculture with meaningful employment for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It sells weekly CSA produce subscriptions to community members, distributes at least 50% of its harvest to food-insecure families through partnerships with food banks and schools, and offers farm-based education, volunteer opportunities, and farm tours. The organization also founded the Care Farming Network, a national initiative connecting 350+ care farms across the U.S.

Product overview

Red Wiggler Care Farm operates as an integrated care farming organization offering multiple interconnected programs centered on sustainable agriculture and inclusive employment. The core portfolio includes a CSA Program providing weekly organic produce subscriptions, a Harvest Share Program distributing 50% of produce to underserved communities, a Grower Program employing adults with developmental disabilities, an Education Program offering farm-based learning, a Volunteer Program engaging community members, and the Care Farming Network extending therapeutic farming practices nationally. Additional offerings include farm tours, special events, and a composting partnership. The organization was founded in 1996 and rebranded from Red Wiggler Community Farm to Red Wiggler Care Farm in 2024.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Program A weekly vegetable subscription program providing members with fresh organically grown produce, herbs, and flowers harvested on the farm. Members pick up shares on-site and have access to Pick-Your-Own flower and herb gardens. Three seasonal sessions (Spring $175, Summer $250, Fall $325) with approximately 120 shares serving members within 15 miles of the farm.
• Harvest Share Program Equitable food distribution initiative that distributes at least 50% of organic produce to underserved community members through partnerships with food banks, local schools, and hunger-relief agencies. Program partners include Manna Food Center, Community FarmShare, So What Else, AfriThrive, and Clarksburg Community Assistance Network.
• Grower Program Meaningful employment program providing paid jobs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who participate in all aspects of farming from planting to harvesting and customer interactions. Tracks 50+ skills across four progression levels. In 2025 the program employed 17 Growers who worked 5,479 total hours and earned $87,627 in wages.
• Education and Service Learning Program Hands-on educational experiences for students and community groups teaching sustainable farming, food equity, and disability inclusion through farm visits, field trips, and service learning opportunities. Sliding scale fees for school groups ($25-$75). In 2025 the program served 265 students and participants with 500 hours of hands-on learning experiences.
• Volunteer Program Individual and group volunteering opportunities where volunteers work alongside growers in field tasks including planting, weeding, harvesting, and distribution support. In 2025, 495 volunteers gave more than 4,000 hours to support the mission, including corporate groups with suggested donation of $250 per visit.
• Care Farming Network National initiative connecting care farms across the U.S., providing expert consultations, mentorship opportunities, resource library, and hosting the annual National Care Farming Conference. Network has grown to 350+ care farms with the first National Care Farming Conference attracting 170 attendees and 50+ farms represented.
• Farm Tours Guided tours of the farm offered on select Saturdays during the growing season. Tours last 45-60 minutes, accommodate a maximum of 15-20 participants, and cost $10 for adults and $5 for children under 16 (free for CSA members). Virtual tour video option available.
• Special Events Seasonal events including the annual Harvest Celebration (with sponsorship tiers up to $5,000), Montgomery County Farm Tour participation, and Friends in the Fields private tours with curated tastings ($1,000 for up to 10 people).
• Composting Program Partnership with Compost Crew providing CSA members with compost bins and compostable liners to divert food waste from landfills, with weekly drop-off at the farm. Food scraps are processed by Compost Crew into nutrient-rich soil.

Quantifiable outcome

• 17 Growers employed with $87,627 in wages earned (2025)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Community FarmSharecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Founded during COVID-19 pandemic, Community FarmShare operates mobile farmers markets in food desert neighborhoods, sends produce bags to elementary schools, and coordinates a 'veggie Rx' program where doctors prescribe fresh produce.
• Future Harvest: Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable AgricultureminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 2018Partnership to produce the first-ever Mid-Atlantic Care Farming Summit in October 2018, bringing together 19 farms from 6 states and Italy working with adults with developmental disabilities.
• Manna Food CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1983Since its founding in 1983, Manna Food Center has become a multi-faceted organization distributing over 12,000 pounds of food daily. They fund Red Wiggler's Farm to School CSA program and help organize gleaning groups to harvest excess produce.
• So What ElsecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginally an after-school program for at-risk youth, So What Else pivoted to food assistance during COVID. Red Wiggler donates produce regularly and has sent volunteer groups to help at weekly food distributions.
• AfriThriveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerServes immigrant and minority families in Montgomery County with food assistance, business development, and financial literacy. Red Wiggler donates gleaned sweet potato greens—popular in African cuisine but not well-known locally.
• Clarksburg Community Assistance Network (CCAN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmall food pantry operating monthly from a church basement. Red Wiggler donates produce monthly and has volunteered alongside CSA members.
• Community Food RescueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA program of Manna that matches food donors with food pantries through volunteer drivers. Helps reduce county food waste while alleviating sourcing and transportation challenges for food pantries.
• Fox Chapel Elementary SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeekly deliveries of fresh vegetables for school lunches and weekend meals through Farm to School CSA partnership with Manna Food Center.
• Harriet Tubman Elementary SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeekly deliveries of fresh vegetables for school lunches and weekend meals through Farm to School CSA partnership with Manna Food Center.
• Compost CrewminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal composting provider that turns CSA members' food scraps into nutrient-rich soil. Included as part of CSA membership.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Food Project: Massachusetts-based nonprofit running CSA programs and youth employment on working farms, with food distribution to food-insecure communities. Closely comparable dual-mission model: paid employment + CSA + food access, similar customer segments (CSA members, schools, hunger-relief partners).
• Soul Fire Farm: New York-based BIPOC-led farm with CSA, farmer training, and food sovereignty education. Comparable as a mission-driven organic farm with CSA subscriptions, education programs, and an explicit food-justice lens for underserved communities.
• Cultivate Cincinnati: Ohio nonprofit offering horticultural therapy and care farming programs for adults with developmental disabilities. Comparable program model focused on therapeutic farming for the same disability employment segment.
• Urban Roots (Austin): Austin, TX nonprofit employing youth in paid farming internships while distributing produce to food-insecure Austin families. Comparable dual-mission model pairing paid agricultural employment with food access, with similar scale (small staff, partnered distribution).
• Camphill Communities: International network of intentional care communities integrating adults with developmental disabilities into agricultural and craft work. Closest conceptual peer to Red Wiggler's care-farming approach, with similar therapeutic-employment model centered on farming.
• Pie Ranch: Working farm in Pescadero, CA combining CSA subscriptions with youth education and regenerative agriculture training. Highly comparable structure: small-scale organic farm, CSA revenue, hands-on education programs, and mission-driven nonprofit funding model.
• Rock Steady Farm: Upstate New York farm and care farm operating CSA and community programming with explicit inclusivity of people with disabilities. Comparable care-farming model: CSA-funded organic farm with programs for adults with developmental disabilities.
• Growing Gardens: Boulder, CO nonprofit combining CSA with horticultural therapy, school garden programs, and adult horticulture classes. Highly comparable: CSA-funded nonprofit with therapeutic/horticultural programming and education for community members.

Broad incumbents

• Fair Food Network: National nonprofit focused on food access and equitable food systems through programs like Double Up Food Bucks. Adjacent comparable on the food-access mission side, with similar nonprofit funding model and partnership-driven distribution.
• Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture: Pocantico Hills, NY larger nonprofit farm with extensive education programming and restaurant partnerships. Comparable as an agriculture-centered education nonprofit, though substantially larger scale and different revenue mix (events/dining vs. CSA).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TheRedWigglerFarm
• Facebookfacebook.com/RedWigglerCommunityFarm
• Instagraminstagram.com/red_wiggler
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/red-wiggler-community-farm

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Red Wiggler Community Farm