Photo courtesy of Ben Deflorio Farmers all across Vermont are busy with spring activity—clearing the land after a snowy winter, welcoming babies into the herd, and watching the first sprouts of leafy greens break through the soil. On a quiet mountaintop in Shrewsbury, a special farmstead is pr eparing for something else, too: its next century. Since 1932, Spring Lake Ranch Therapeutic Community (SLR) has used the daily work of running a ranch to help people heal and recover from mental health challenges. Adults come to SLR with diagnoses such as schizophrenia, bipolar, major depression, psychosis, or because they’re seeking more support to make a life transition or maintain sobriety.  Treatment at SLR combines robust clinical care with a Therapeutic Work Program. Residents choose one of four crews—Farm, Gardens, Shop, or Woods—and work alongside staff to keep the community humming. Tending the land gives residents a sense of purpose and accomplishment that helps them heal.  Olivia Mancivalano, who has assisted her father Carl in running Farm Crew for much of the past decade, says the animals are a big part of that therapeutic process. “We try to interact with them every day, giving hands-on contact, so that they’re giving us therapy as much as we’re giving them. They’ve got big heartbeats, and as we interact with them, they can help us coregulate.” A typical day for an SLR resident farmer starts with hot breakfast, including made-to-order eggs the resident might have hand-gathered the day before. After morning meeting, it’s onto chores: collecting fresh eggs, feeding and watering the animals, and maintaining their habitats. Depending on the time of year, Farm Crew might spend their working hours after lunch haying, inoculating logs for the shiitake field, or helping a sow deliver her litter.  “I’ve had the privilege of being part of Farm Crew in a lot of different roles,” says Kevin Molloy, SLR’s Director of Operations and Admissions. A former resident, he also worked with Farm Crew as an intern, support staff, and Assistant Farm Manager. “As a resident, at a point when I really didn’t know how to take care of myself, Farm Crew asked me to show up and care for the animals. That responsibility mattered. It grounded me, and over time, it helped me start building those same skills for myself.” “Being able to care for animals that are entirely dependent on us—even being present for their birth—is a humbling and gratifying experience,” says another employee. “It has brought me much closer to nature and myself.” A former resident says that each day on Farm Crew made her feel stronger and more capable, helping her break the cycle of depression and anxiety. “I met some of my best friends and had the most life-changing experiences. For example, I assisted in three piglet births as someone from a city who had only seen farm animals from a distance.” It’s not just Ranchers who benefit from Farm Crew. Excess eggs and meat are donated to fellow nonprofits in the Rutland area. Ranchers often volunteer or find post-discharge employment at nearby farms, using the skills they learned at SLR to help other small Vermont producers succeed. Amid its success and growth, not much has changed about SLR’s farm program. Barns and shelters are spread across many acres, requiring the crew to spend a long time driving from place to place. The buildings are small and quite old, some of them nearing one hundred years right alongside SLR.  Photo courtesy of Ben Deflorio In 2024, Spring Lake Ranch launched a three-year, $18MM Capital Campaign to update and expand its campus. A big part of that campaign is constructing a new farm complex, which comprises $1.5MM of the total goal. Farm buildings will be consolidated on a hilltop pasture near the shiitake field, including a new main barn, a workshop, and a poultry barn. They’ll be constructed with both long-term sustainability and resident outcomes in mind. “We’re being very intentional in our planning,” says Development and Communications Director Rose McCracken. “We want to be sure our farm property and program thrive for another hundred years.” SLR has engaged the Farm Viability Program at UVM as well as an animal housing expert to maximize the spaces. Director of Facilities and Work Program Manager Nathan Hewitt, himself an eighth-generation Vermont farmer, wants to ensure the complex is designed for current needs with room for future improvement.  “We’re still going to use square bales,” says Hewitt. “Still manure by hand. But we’re thinking about the future, too, like having a big enough roof to support solar panels someday.” Farm Crew has changed the lives of thousands of Ranchers in its first century and has the ability to change thousands more in the next. SLR’s goal is to continue a strong tradition of combining sustainable agriculture practices with nature-based clinical therapy, all within new facilities that better serve the mission. The Capital Campaign wraps up in December 2026, and SLR is asking donors to help them “raise the barn” this summer by funding the $1.5MM farm project. To make a donation, visit springlakeranch.org/raisethebarn or reach out to Rose McCracken at [email protected].  About Spring Lake Ranch Spring Lake Ranch Therapeutic Community supports and empowers people with mental health and substance use challenges by providing opportunities to grow and thrive. Through shared experience, meaningful work, and active participation in an accepting, inclusive community, we help each person develop the confidence and skills needed for recovery. Read the story on VTDigger here: Preparing a Vermont farmstead for the next century. ...read more read less