Peachtree Farm and Why It Is Important learn how to work,” he continued, “and [we’ll] l teach them what a job is.” Construction for the farm begins this summer, and Twiner affirmed that, “all the funds necessary are in the bank to complete the Phase One greenhouse, so we’re going to start construction with all necessary assets in place.” However, Peachtree Farm will still need help from local sponsors as they continue their development. The first phase of Peachtree Farm will be a 120-foot greenhouse, along with bee apiaries that will pollinate produce and vegetation around the farm. Their Construction begins this summer for the integrative and inclusive Peachtree Farm. Peachtree Farm will serve as a community initiative to provide high ranking jobs for adults with disabilities and service opportunities for the Peachtree community. Founder Mike Twiner has been involved with the Georgia special needs community for nearly 20 years as his daughter, Qwen Twiner, has special needs. Twiner has worked with several special needs charities throughout Georgia, and even chaired the special Olympics of Georgia. Twiner reflected on the concerns of all parents with disabled children: “What is our child going to do when they graduate from high school that’s productive and meaningful? Where are they going to live that’s safe [where I can feel comfortable with leaving them]? Who’s going to take care of them when I’m gone?” In order to alleviate these con-
By Khariss Bender
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cerns and build hope and better connections in the Peachtree community, Twiner created Peachtree Farm as “a result of that need [and] a community effort to solve these three problems.” These valid concerns are what inspired Peachtree Farm to provide high ranking jobs for adults with disabilities, and on-site homes with caregivers who will ensure the health of the disabled employees. The farm will also be a beacon of unity and provide community volunteers with the opportunity to serve and interact with adults who have disabilities. With hopes for improved interactions between abled and disabled individuals, Twiner believes “the more you interact with people with special needs, the more comfortable you’ll both feel around each other.” Looking back at the grand scope of mistreatment and oppression of adults with disabilities over the past 60 years, there has been a plethora of initiatives to ensure the abled can gain a better understanding of disabled people (and vice-versa). For instance, family shows such as Sesame Street have been long known for educating all people on the importance of comprehensive discussions
Peachtree Corners Magazine ■ August/September 2021 ■ LivingInPeachtreeCorners.com
revolving around disabilities. Specifically, their See Amazing in All Children initiative introduced an autistic four-year old girl, Julia. Efforts such as this capture the genuine essence of how important it is to communicate and form relationships with people in the disabled community. To ensure these healthy connections are made, “The Peachtree Farm’s operations will be led by adults with disabilities,” Twiner said. For the community, Peachtree Farm will also employ adults without disabilities and local high school students “so that they can
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apiaries will also serve as a public art project, where local artists will be able to come and paint bee boxes that will be displayed at the apiary. They also project to have a commercial kitchen, office building, warehouse, 15 residential houses for the adults with disabilities, a barn, a service dog training area and a farm animal area.
Sustainable Crops As a viable part of their greenhouses, Peachtree Farm aims to produce approximately 28,000 lbs.
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