Associations that promote social services on farms define these as particularly therapeutically effective. Beside aspects of nature, garden or animal therapy, they see therapeutic effects through integration into everyday life with everyone participating and being included. The article discusses the underlying conceptions of agriculture and rurality. It presents the results of a content analysis of various publications and websites of umbrella organizations in six European countries. It is worked out which terms and images are used and which aspects of agricultural activity and / or rural surroundings are in focussed when proclaiming social services on farms. These analyzes are compared with statements from interviews that were carried with famers and seniors on farms with social services. It is critically questioned to what extent the images generated by the content analysis can be found in the descriptions of those involved. At the same time it will be discussed what contribution idealized images can make to engagement and thus to innovative developments.
