In this episode of Equine Assisted World, Rupert Isaacson speaks with Catherine Ward and her daughter Nicole Jones of One Acre Farm in Texas. Together, they’ve built a thriving outdoor farm school and equine-assisted program on just a single acre—proving that miracles don’t require massive land, just massive heart.

From backyard chickens to neurodiverse farm school, from ABA burnout to Montessori inspiration, and from homeschooling to creating a whole new educational paradigm, Catherine and Nicole share how they blend horsemanship, autonomy, and science to create a truly inclusive, joy-filled learning environment.

Discover how they overcame lawsuits, personal tragedy, and cultural bias to build something profoundly impactful—and how you can, too.

📚 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Starting Small: How One Acre Became a Movement (Starts at 01:00)

• The origin of One Acre Farm and why location doesn’t limit transformation.
• Why their first class was on raising backyard chickens.

From ABA to Montessori to Movement Method (Starts at 06:00)

• Nicole’s early experience with ABA and why it didn’t sit right.
• Discovering Montessori and how it changed her educational path.

Faith, Loss, and Resilience: Catherine’s Personal Journey (Starts at 14:00)

• How growing up wealthy and then losing everything shaped her.
• Finding strength through grief and rediscovering purpose in education.

Transition from Public School to Homeschooling (Starts at 24:00)

• Catherine’s decision to homeschool and build a lifestyle of faith and connection.
• What autonomy looked like in their homeschool setting.

Neurodiversity, Animals, and Movement Method (Starts at 33:00)

• Why ABA didn’t work—and how Horse Boy and Movement Method did.
• The power of swinging, manure, and goat poop for emotional regulation.

The Science of Belonging: From Chickens to Compass Skills (Starts at 44:00)

• Building trust, confidence, and cognitive growth through nature.
• Why letting kids lead creates powerful learning moments.

The Curriculum in Action: Real Academics in a Farm School (Starts at 56:00)

• How they teach long division, reading, and geography through farm chores.
• Montessori flexibility and real-world applications.

Emotional Intelligence and Social Development (Starts at 1:08:00)

• How children learn to navigate social dynamics and resolve conflict.
• Why mixed-age groups foster natural mentorship.

Infrastructure and Burnout Prevention (Starts at 1:22:00)

• Turning living rooms into classrooms and avoiding mission drift.
• The challenge of staffing and seasonal demand.

Mentorship, Consulting, and Creating New Campuses (Starts at 1:35:00)

• Helping others start their own programs with land/educator pairings.
• The vision for a “thousand One Acre Farms” worldwide.

From Mobile Education to Legacy Building (Starts at 1:47:00)

• The story of the mobile petting barn and education trailer.
• What Catherine and Nicole want to leave behind for future educators.

🌟 Memorable Moments from the Episode:

• Why kids who “failed” at preschool thrived at One Acre Farm (46:00)
• Catherine's powerful visual for neuroplasticity: getting to Dallas without I-45 (1:27:00)
• When Nicole knew Rupert was speaking "right to her soul" (1:33:00)
• "Let kids do dangerous things carefully"—why risk builds resilience (1:47:00)
• Pumpkin smashing as science, therapy, and fun—all in one (1:50:00)

🤝 Connect with One Acre Farm:

Website: https://oneacrefarmtx.com
Email: Catherine Ward – [email protected] | Nicole Jones – [email protected]
Phone & WhatsApp: +1 832-860-4756
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oneacrefarmtx

See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows:
🌐 Rupert Isaacson: https://rupertisaacson.com
💻 Equine-Assisted Programs: https://newtrailslearning.com

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