Karen London's son, Zachary, was 19 when he began living at The Center for Discovery in New York's Catskill Mountains, where residents eat what they grow on 300 certified organic acres. The young man with autism began to pitch hay, seed land, and collect and sort eggs from free-range chickens. Now 37, Zachary still enjoys meaningful work there, his mother says.

“There's no ultra-processed food,” she adds. “They truly believe that nutrition is a source of wellness. Overall, they optimize Zachary's physical health. He is physically active every day.”

The perks of farm living—fresh air, sunshine, and seasonal produce—are why agriculture-based neighborhoods, or “agrihoods,” have kept sprouting since the start of the century. They incorporate some type of agriculture, such as a working farm or community garden, whose harvests go to residents. Agrihoods provide an amenity the whole family can learn from, let residents be part of a team, and preserve the land. Neurologists say this model and the food it provides could help delay early brain aging and dementia and prevent other neurologic conditions, too.

The United States has about 200 agrihoods in at least 30 states across a variety of climates, including Florida, Illinois, Colorado, and Hawaii, according to a 2024 report by the National Association of Home Builders. They exist in rural communities and around cities.

A Growing Movement

The first well-known model was Agritopia, built in Gilbert, AZ, outside Phoenix. Construction began in 2001, and Agritopia continues to thrive. Newer neighborhoods include upscale housing at Arden in Palm Beach County, FL, and affordable housing units at Agrihood in urban Santa Clara, CA. The farms tend to focus on growing produce, but some also keep livestock.

Some agrihoods grow food just to feed their own residents, while others offer Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm shares, which consumers pay for in advance; sell crops at farmer's markets; or provide produce for on-site stores where residents can shop. People can enjoy getting their hands dirty or, if they have mobility issues, sitting down to help package herbs or mark prices. Some have children's programs or incorporate animals, such as Catskills Agrihood on Hope Street in New York.

Serenbe Farms, an agrihood with more than 1,000 residents in Chattahoochee Hills, GA, was built around a 25-acre certified organic farm starting in 2004. It aims to “connect people to nature, to each other, and to a lifestyle that prioritizes holistic well-being, starting with access to fresh, local produce,” says Amy Peterson, Serenbe's community operations and relationships manager. Ten to 20 residents volunteer each week, growing vegetables, fruit, flowers, and herbs.

Mary Collins-Shepard spends her days sowing seeds in a greenhouse, transplanting seedlings, and organizing produce at Serenbe. “Engaging with my neighbors at the farm is energizing, but the time can also be very meditative if I happen to be working alone,” says the 67 year old, who moved to the agrihood outside Atlanta from Knoxville, TN, with her husband seven years ago.

The produce she helps grow and harvest goes into Serenbe's CSA system, Saturday farmer's market, and farm-to-table restaurants—efforts that benefit not only her but also her neighbors.

Some homes for people with developmental challenges have similar setups, such as Camphill North America community living programs, which serve people with autism, Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, and other conditions. Residents at Camphill Hudson in New York, for example, eat the produce they grow. Former president Tim Paholak has been involved since 1976 and calls the program life-changing: “Developing community is a vital component of human health for all of us.”

Brain Benefits

Demetrius M. Maraganore, MD, FAAN, professor and chair of the department of neurology at Tulane University School of Medicine and co-director of the Healthy Brain Aging Initiative at University Medical Center of New Orleans, says farm-centric living fits nicely into Healthy Brain's mission to prevent cognitive decline and dementia with evidence-based lifestyle and behavioral interventions.

“My father developed Alzheimer's disease, and so did his mother and her mother,” says Dr. Maraganore. “I thought, ‘How can I prevent this? We need to change our lifestyle and habits.’ … My passion is to harness nutrition to develop treatments for Alzheimer's. We now have the opportunity to prevent it.”

He stands by a Mediterranean-style diet, which usually includes lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds, with olive oil as a primary fat source and dairy products, eggs, fish, and poultry consumed in low to moderate amounts. It centers on minimally processed, plant-based foods and limits sugar, fried food, refined carbohydrates, and saturated fats.

Nikolaos Scarmeas, MD, PhD, of the department of neurology at National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in Greece and Columbia University, said by email that a “Mediterranean-like diet” has “the most scientific support regarding less risk for cognitive decline and dementia.” It can improve blood flow and circulation in the brain and promote better overall cardiovascular health, Dr. Maraganore adds.

A review of 64 studies by Tulane's Healthy Brain Aging Initiative team in 2022 found that the Mediterranean diet can help promote gut health, which may be neuroprotective, and was associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. The researchers also found that the diet's nutrient-dense and fiber-rich foods (compared to the typical low-fiber Western diet) may be beneficial for not only overall health but also healthy brain aging.

Not everyone can easily access these foods, Dr. Maraganore points out, especially if they live in a “food desert,” an area with limited access to fresh, affordable, and nutritious food. This makes moving to agrihoods appealing. With farm-grown produce, he says, “you can stick closer to a good diet.”

Sunshine also provides vitamin D, an anti-inflammatory; not having enough vitamin D is a risk factor for Parkinson's, stroke, and Alzheimer's, says Dr. Maraganore, who points out other agrihood benefits, too: “The community involvement and socialization in a farm venture can keep aging brain cells from dying and reduce dementia and anxiety.”

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