Planting Possibilities
21 Roots Farm, located on 21 acres in Grant, Minnesota, works with people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to help them build skills and confidence through hands-on learning. The Farmers at 21 Roots are working the land, taking care of the animals, and creating the products that make the farm a working and sustainable and productive entity.
The founders, Amy Peterson and Brittany Wiitala, both have a background in working with people with disabilities. They saw a need for more opportunities and believed a farm could provide a unique environment for people to grow and thrive.
As a parent of a child with IDD, this project felt especially meaningful to me, and I was grateful for the opportunity to support their work.
They knew they wanted a website refresh, but felt it was important to start with an audit of their current site, so Highfive took a deep dive into the existing experience and uncovered opportunities to turn a lot of good information into a clearer, more guided experience that reflects their mission and makes it easier for people to get involved, as well as improving acccessiblity for their target population.
Next, we held a strategy workshop to help define how they want to show up to the world. We uncovered areas where they receive a lot of questions that could easily be answered on the website, as well as opportunities to better guide visitors and make it easier for them to take action.
Then it was time to design, develop content, and build (the fun part). We presented two design directions, and the team quickly aligned around one: the current design.
We used a fun, vibrant color palette of greens with an accent of orange, rough-edged sections to reflect the hands-on nature of the farm, and the friendly Aleo font to create the welcoming, approachable feel they were after. All of it is supported by content that tells their story in a clear, human way.
The new site outlines everything the farm has to offer, how you can support them, and makes it easy for people to get involved.
Projects like this are why I love what I do. Especially when the organization stands for values i deeply care about. Helping organizations clarify their message and create experiences that truly support their work is what Highfive is all about.
If your website isn’t quite doing that yet, it might be time for a Highfive.
Learn more about this incredible place at 21roots.org