Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 7652 / SEEDWORLD.COM FEBRUARY 2017 CHICAGO’S JULIE and Michael Tracy are the proud parents of two young adult sons, Joseph and John. While Joseph developed typically, John was diagnosed with autism at age two. He struggled in school, and was admitted to Rush University Medical Center during the summer of 2011 while in high school, where he stayed for five weeks. It was almost impossible to stabilize John, and it was during these uncertain months that the impetus for the Tracys’ work emerged. They formed Urban Autism Solutions (UAS) in 2012, dedicated to changing outcomes for young adults with autism through an integrated community life that advances social and vocational opportunities. As part of UAS, the Tracys developed a vocational therapy garden called Growing Solutions Farm, where participants learn skills in agriculture and how to follow structured employment tasks while also gaining soft skills. Teachers, volunteers and staff engage in daily farm work with interns while teaching a curriculum that will help lead to success in the workplace. In 2013, a 900-square-foot pilot garden taught staff that they could increase independence and productivity among young adults with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) while teaching voca- tional and horticulture skills. A 2014 expansion allowed Growing Solutions Farm to provide paid employment and more consist- ent, intensive vocational training opportunities to twice as many young adults. It’s since become a model for how growing plants and gar- dening can be of tremendous value for people with autism and other conditions. John is now a self-directed, successful young man who lives and works in the city like many others his age. Projects such as this are music to the ears of people like Diane Blazek, executive director of All-America Selections and the National Garden Bureau. For Blazek, the success of Growing Solutions Farm in helping people like John with his autism highlights the many ways plants can directly benefit the human brain. SEEDS, PLANTS AND THE BRAIN Each day, we discover more about the therapeutic value of plants. Here’s a look at some of the ways they’re being used to help us heal. Marc Zienkiewicz