Army vet aims for ‘inclusivity’ at his Julian farm, plant nursery. Here’s what he’s doing
Matt Bacon, who served in the Army for 12 years, just wants everyone to feel welcome. The always-smiling, bushy-bearded vet invited media and U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Howard, to his Resiliency Farm on a warm Thursday afternoon to share his vision for a more inclusive environment.
His "care farm," part of a larger network, aims to eventually cater to all people and all abilities. He has one employee, an autistic man who works up to 6 hours a week, for various farm and plant nursery tasks. And Bacon hopes to one day create an atmosphere where those in wheelchairs could come to birdwatch, kids could come for hands-on activities and those with various disabilities could simply feel welcome.
"I just want to create a place for people to learn about outside, be outside and feel better about themselves," said Bacon, who was diagnosed with ADHD and suffers from back pain and nerve damage. "And if we can find jobs in agriculture for somebody that really takes an interest to it? Great." For now, the former medical laboratory technician — who opened his farm to the public last year — is selling perennials, flowers and shrubs both in-person and online. His Julian farm at 1051 Steele Hollow Road is open from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and by appointment.
Bacon mostly raises chickens, ducks and rabbits as a hobby. But he'll give away eggs to neighbors, friends and his employee's family. On Thursday, the nearby congressman even cradled a large rabbit named "Flanders" while listening to Bacon wax poetic on the peaceful scene in Julian. Congressman Glenn Thompson holds Flanders, a Flemish Giant rabbit, at Resilency Farm as he talks with owner Matt Bacon on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022. Abby Drey adrey@centredaily.com "I couldn't resist the invitation to be here," said Thompson, who was invited by Bacon during August's annual Agriculture Summit in Spring Township.
Bacon, who grew up around farms, said the seeds for this idea were planted when he worked at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland. He'd see veterans' eyes light up when they were given activities that made them forget their disabilities, like when the Wounded Warrior Project brought kayaks to the rehab pool or when clothing was designed specifically for amputees and didn't require safety pins. After working with local nonprofit The ACRES Project, which helps adults with autism build an independent life, Bacon said building a more inclusive farm seemed like a natural step forward.
He still has a lot of ideas, and a lot of work left to be done, to fully achieve his vision — but, as he showed Thompson, he's making progress. "As a society, we're moving more toward inclusivity and wanting everyone to be able to take part in activities, no matter what the activity is," Bacon added. For more information on Bacon's Resiliency Farm, go to resiliencyfarm.com.