Autism advocate, Laura Shumaker reported from the recent Farms and Ranches Enabling People with Disabilities (FRED) conference. FRED was coordinated with Golden Heart Ranch and Dr. Carolyn Ybarra of the Special Place Foundation to bring together "experts in the area of farming, community building, housing, and quality of living for individuals with disabilities through the lifespan." Ybarra felt strongly about bringing together resources already in existence planning communities for adults with disabilities. Some of the consensus reached included quality of living in a planned community, sensory considerations to stimulate well-being, and building self-sustaining communities. We recommend you read Shumaker's report for more detailed information on future plans for community growth.