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Alternative Program, The First Step Farm Experience

Privacy in a Nurturing, Caring Environment ~

The First Step Farm provides a secluded rural environment removed from the pressures and temptations of life within today's communities.  It is located in the beautiful Pisgah Mountains of western North Carolina in Candler, NC (within 15 minutes of Asheville). 

A Strategy That Works ~

The Farm provides a safe residential care facility that is supported and oriented toward a recovering atmosphere.  The staff engage with residents in designing a health recovery schedule of self-care. 

Residents receive:
  • quality licensed clinical assessment
  • evaluation
  • person centered plan
  • individual and group counseling
  • case management support, and
  • community resource networking services
Working Together ~

Residents work with Farm staff to develop and implement the person-centered treatment plan, a relapse prevention strategy and a continuing care plan for a healthy transition back into their communities. The First Step Farm works with its residents in providing access to their families, friends and home communities.  This allows residents to practice new ways of staying abstinent and gaining success while being supported by qualified and experience staff.

Learning New Skills ~

As part of its program we operate two fully functional productive farms and greenhouses and a retail store. Residents participate in the Farm's seasonal work program and work in the retail store for which they are paid with a portion of their earnings returned to the Farm.  Residents can also work in the facility kitchens, learning to cook and/or receive training and earn Safety/IM Inspection certification for North Carolina (allowing them to perform NC vehicle inspections).  All of these are skills that residents can utilize as part of their recovery strategy.