The Farm

We believe there is something almost magical about life on a farm. (Lessons like you reap what you sow and animal care comes before taking care of your own needs.) We believe that the daily chores, the physical effort, the animals—all have a way of making teens think about life, about relationships and about priorities. Students at Ironwood School find the 500-acre farm and school setting an environment that actually liberates them from the self-defeating and self-destructive behaviors of the past.

At the beginning many students find having to get up early to take care of chickens, pigs, horses, alpacas, dogs and a host of other farm animals as not very exciting. But given a few weeks, something happens. There comes a certain satisfaction from having to care for animals that they now have a relationship with. Teens feel like they have taken a step back in time, not just about when life seemed easier, but a time when the negative influences didn’t exist. The magic of the farm seems to make it okay—okay to want to change and okay to seek the courage to face difficult issues so teens can change.

It's All About Building Relationships

Ironwood Residential Therapeutic School was purposely designed to operate in this kind of atmosphere where activities and intensive therapy center on cooperative work projects and relationship building. The mid-coast Maine countryside and culture support the learning environment, and the natural setting facilitates introspection, value clarification, and hard work that are easily applied to academics and learning new life skills.

Residing at Ironwood Residential Therapeutic School, adjacent to the scenic Frye Mountain Wildlife Management area, allows a teen freedom from distractions to reflect about where he or she wants their life to go and how they can get on track to making their dreams a reality. The simplicity and serenity of the farm provides teens with the opportunity to rediscover core values and develop skills to cope with living in a new environment away from family and negative peer group influences. The back-to-basics farm environment helps teens develop a relationship with the natural world and learn how to get along with others. The remote natural woodland setting also helps struggling teens evaluate the results of their choices and encourages them to develop improved strategies and problem-solving skills.

A Safe Environment, Free of Distractions to Heal the Soul

Ironwood school is a rural farm nestled in the densely wooded mid-coastal region of Maine, situated near 500 acres of private fields and woodlands, surrounded by an extensive wildlife management area and game preserve. This combination of maintained and wild spaces beautifully supports the students’ exploration of nature through shared work and simple living. Guided by experienced and skilled staff, Ironwood offers a safe environment in which struggling teenagers are guided in the transition to a healthy, responsible lifestyle.

Ironwood teens progress at their own rate in academics, life skills and participating in new cultural and enrichment experiences as they work through their behavioral, emotional and academic issues within a safe and supportive environment where they are constantly motivated to attain their highest potential. Skilled therapists and staff enable students to acquire tools that lead to a life of healthy relationships and teach teens to experience satisfaction from a simple life without “modern conveniences” where teens can practice making positive choices and develop a healthy work ethic while discovering the joy and rewards of a job well done.

Students learn how to cook a meal, construct a carpentry project, bake bread, create paper-mache masks, ride a horse in a trail ride, participate in a canoe trip or hiking adventure, pick blackberries in the forest and cook their berries into homemade jellies and jams, throw a clay pot on a potter’s wheel, plant vegetables in the garden, or sit out under the stars for a music jam.

The Simple Life – Sample Daily Schedule of an Ironwood Farm House Resident Teen

Ironwood teens are up by 6:00 a.m. for exercise and breakfast. Fitness is an integral facet of life at Ironwood. Each morning begins with 30 minutes of exercise running outdoors or hiking, calisthenics, strength training and endurance exercises. Teens also practice Pilates, Tai-chi and Yoga.

Exercise is followed by morning chores which include feeding and caring for the horses and other farm animals, tending chicken coops, gathering eggs and harvesting vegetables, hauling and splitting firewood, building stone walls and carpentry projects, sweeping and cleaning the stables, barn and farm buildings. Monitored shared work is the foundation of the Ironwood program: Teens work cooperatively to maintain the gardens, buildings, stables, barn and grounds, strengthening their bodies and minds, and learning teamwork and how to get along with each other. At 9:30 a.m. school begins until a 10:30 break and a 12:30 lunch, then after lunch clean-up, teens gather for various enrichment programs.

Enrichment Programs Spark New Interests and Self-Discoveries

In the afternoon, a multitude of activities are offered such as equestrian lessons, dog training, art, music, pottery, cooking lessons, horticulture, hiking, life skills training, team-building exercises, one-on-one tutoring, individual or family therapy, equine-assisted psychotherapy, Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT) group, substance abuse group, young women’s group, nutrition group and visits from guest artists and musicians, or local dignitaries. Dinner preparation begins at 4:30 p.m., and after dinner teens participate in clean-up and evening farm house and barn chores.

In the evenings, students may choose how to spend their time: attend an activity such as the campfire group, throwing a Frisbee with their favorite dog, participate in a game of Monopoly, or enjoy quiet time after 8:00 p.m. reading, journaling or writing letters home. Bedtime is at 9:00 p.m.

Preparing and Sharing Meals Are Important Part of Farm Life

Meal times are an important part of farm life at Ironwood. Here students and staff dine together and eat the just-picked vegetables and made-from-scratch foods that teens harvest, prepare and cook themselves. Teens enjoy weekly culinary demonstrations by well-known chefs, special events such as Outdoor Grilling, Sunday Pancakes, or Ethnic Night, where the group explores a different cultural heritage by choosing a region, studying its culture and geography, and planning and serving a full-course meal from that culture—complete with ethnic costumes, music, and decorations in the dining room.

Teens return home with a greater understanding of themselves, a positive change in attitude and a willingness to reunite with parents and family members. Ironwood is a life-changing experience that teens will remember the rest of their lives.

Read more about Ironwood activities in our Farm House Blog.

See more photos of the Farm House and grounds at our Facilities Tour.