The Therapeutic Power of Gardening
By Alisha Seney, Riverside Industries
Published In Northampton Living | May 2026
How Riverside Industries’ Greenhouse and Farm Program Brings Its Mission to Life
There’s a particular kind of quiet that exists inside a greenhouse – warm, earthy and full of possibility.
Riverside Industries’ Greenhouse and Farm Program in Easthampton embraces that environment, creating a sanctuary for program participants and staff.
At its core, the greenhouse project reflects Riverside’s broader focus on skill-building and vocational growth for people with disabilities; however, it began with something simpler – the act of caring for something that grows.
The greenhouse first opened in 2012 in response to a lack of wheelchair-accessible gardening opportunities in the area.
Since then, our Greenhouse and Farm Program has grown into a space where individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities learn how to seed, water, transplant, harvest and maintain a functioning greenhouse.
Every season, more than 50 participants rotate through the program, tending more than 25 varieties of plants.
Beyond horticultural skills, something else begins to take root: confidence.
The structure of tending plants offers predictability and calm, while the sensory richness supports self-regulation and focus.
In May, the work comes full-circle.
Participants are currently prepping vegetable, herb and flower starters they’ve grown to donate to the community at Riverside Open Gallery events.
The experience mirrors real-world work rhythms – preparing products, presenting them neatly, and seeing others appreciate the results of weeks of care.
It’s a small moment with a big impact.
Riverside’s art program director, Halley Philips, has taken a special interest in the greenhouse.
“I’ve always loved gardening, but doing it here, as part of the Riverside community, feels different. Everyone contributes something, and we’re all invested in the outcome together.”
Gardening invites collaboration – someone mixes the soil, another waters the beds, a third trims and organizes trays.
People who may not otherwise cross paths end up working side by side, creating genuine moments of shared accomplishment.
Over time, these shared moments naturally build teamwork and trust – skills that can support people beyond the greenhouse.
Riverside’s mission is to create empowering vocational opportunities for people with disabilities.
From production floors, to packaging lines, to university dining halls, employment services define us.
But not everyone thrives in the same kind of workspace.
In recent years, we’ve tried to create opportunities that meet a wider range of interests and strengths, each offering a different path toward confidence and independence.
The greenhouse is one of those opportunities: a calm, hands-on space where individuals can build transferable skills while engaging in purposeful work.
Alisha Seney
Riverside Industries, Inc.
One Cottage Street
Easthampton, MA 01027
The joy of seeing a plant flourish is universal.
And for many, it becomes a bridge to vocational interests, employment goals or personal growth.
We’ve seen participants develop leadership skills, discover new talents, and find a sense of identity grounded in contribution.
Gardening nurtures calm, connection and purpose.
Everyone needs the space to grow at their own pace.
Learn more about how we cultivate lives at rsi.org.
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