News and notes from Imagine! and the Imagine! Foundation.
Highlighting Imagine!'s Business Partners: Fair Farm
May-04-2021
Services
Today we put a spotlight on Fair Farm, one of Imagine!’s employment partners located in north Longmont. Founded by Walt Pounds, Fair Farm is a certified organic farm where laying hens have 63 acres of pasture to roam all day and every day. Certified by the Global Animal Partnership as a sustainable laying hen farm, Fair Farm is committed to providing high-quality eggs for the community.
This is where Imagine! comes in. Taking part in our Employment Services, Fair Farm employed three individuals with intellectual disabilities about 2.5 years ago. Rae, Mike, and Ava clock in at the farm to help with washing and packaging the eggs in preparation to be sold at Whole Foods in Boulder and local farm-to-table restaurants.
We sat down with Fair Farm Manager Laina Taylor to discuss how their partnership with Imagine! has been going.
How has your experience been partnering with Imagine! and working with Rae, Mike, and Ava?
Wonderful, they add a beautiful dynamic to the farm. They work hard and I can tell they appreciate being here. They always have a smile on their faces, even with the masks on I can tell they’re smiling!
All three of them bring so many strengths and skills to their jobs and it has been a joy to watch them become part of the Fair Farm family. Rae brings resilience, go power, and willingness – she’s a “yes” to anything you put in front of her. Mike brings ease, love, and ability. He’s completely capable of handling multiple tasks and I’ve never heard him complain once. Ava is all about consistency, she shows up to work hard, tells jokes, and experiences the farm for the beauty that it provides.
What impact do these employees have directly on Fair Farm?
This experience has taught us that we are all equal. Working with Rae, Mike, and Ava has helped close the separation between individuals with disabilities and those without. For me personally, I appreciate their authenticity and I have learned to be more authentic myself. They are who they are, and it’s taught me to soften my heart and be myself.
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What would you say to a company that is considering employing someone with an intellectual disability?
Do it (laughs), it’s that simple. The Imagine! Job Coaches will work with you to find an individual who can do the job and follow through with all duties. It brings a whole new dynamic and element of connection and fellowship. Engaging in this partnership makes our community a whole community because then everyone is represented and no one is left out.
We are very pleased with our partnership with Imagine! and everything that they are doing in the community!
