Ann Vandeman, an Olympia native, PhD agricultural economist and mother of Geraldine who has Down Syndrome, is the founder and Executive Director of LFO. She modeled LFO on vocational horticultural therapy programs in the Washington D.C. area, where she worked for 10 years as a research economist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Following the birth of her daughter, Ann began searching for ways of bringing her career in agriculture together with her new community of family, friends and supporters of individuals with developmental disabilities. Her search led her to the Melwood Horticultural Training Institute and the Red Wiggler Foundation. Red Wiggler, a vocational horticultural therapy program employing people with developmental disabilities on a 5-acre organic farm in Montgomery County, Maryland, became her inspiration and model for LFO. After volunteering with both programs and studying horticultural therapy at the Northern Virginia Community College, Ann returned with her family to Washington State to bring her vision to life.
Left Foot Organics - PO Box 12772, Olympia, WA 98508 - 360-754-1849 - info@leftfootorganics.org
Storm Debris Clean Up Thanks!
Many thanks to Roy & Betty Wilbur and Jim Billi for coming to the farm to help with storm clean up. The Wilburs got the trees cut up and loaded into the truck and Jim and Jill worked on disassembling the greenhouse frame; no small task. There is more to be done but we got a start on it.
daughter, Ann began searching for ways of bringing her career in agriculture together with her new community of family, friends and supporters of individuals with developmental disabilities. Her search led her to the Melwood Horticultural Training Institute and the Red Wiggler Foundation. Red Wiggler, a vocational horticultural therapy program employing people with developmental disabilities on a 5-acre organic farm in Montgomery County, Maryland, became her inspiration and model for LFO. After volunteering with both programs and studying horticultural therapy at the Northern Virginia Community College, Ann returned with her family to Washington State to bring her vision to life.
