Farm-Based Therapy with Megan Moran, Cultivate Farms

On this week’s episode of American Family Farmer, host Doug Stephan welcomes Megan Moran, a licensed mental health counselor and Executive Director of Cultivate Care Farms in Bolton, Massachusetts. Megan shares how her journey from high school English teacher to mental health professional led her to explore the powerful connection between identity development, community, and nature. With more than 18 years of experience working with adolescents and young adults, she now leads an innovative program that uses hands-on farm experiences to support emotional growth and mental wellness. Doug and Megan discuss the mission behind Cultivate Care Farms and its pioneering Farm-Based Therapy model, where children, teens, and young adults engage in meaningful farm work—caring for livestock, growing food, and maintaining the land—as part of their therapeutic process. The approach helps clients build confidence, resilience, empathy, and problem-solving skills while forming a deeper connection with animals, nature, and their own capabilities. Megan also explains how the nonprofit has grown dramatically since becoming a 501(c)(3) organization in 2017, now serving an average of 180 clients per week through clinical programs and community wellness initiatives. She highlights the importance of expanding access to mental health care, reducing stigma, and creating inclusive spaces where young people can thrive—especially those who struggle in traditional therapy settings. It’s an inspiring conversation about the intersection of agriculture, community, and mental health—and how farms can play a meaningful role in helping the next generation heal and grow. Website: AmericanFamilyFarmerShow.com Social Media: @GoodDayNetworks

You can listen to Farm-Based Therapy with Megan Moran, Cultivate Farms online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Farm-Based Therapy with Megan Moran, Cultivate Farms is an episode from American Family Farmer by Doug Stephan.

This episode is 20:29 long.

This episode was published on Mar 18, 2026.

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