Teen Summer Program 2021: This year The Youth Farm Project’s Teen Summer Program will provide meaningful employment to 10 youth ages 14 - 19. We are hiring five crew leaders and five crew members. This is a smaller group than we have had in past years in order to keep up with Covid - 19 safety guidelines.

Applications are now open!
This is a 6-week employment that runs from July 2021 - August 2021
Participants get paid for a total of 25hrs a week
Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 1:30 pm
Location: Youth Farm,  24 Nelson Road, Ithaca, NY 14850
Program Overview:
​Our Teen Summer Program is where local youth, ages 14 - 19, join together to grow food for oneself and the community.  Youth are involved in all aspects of farm work – from planting seeds to harvesting produce, to selling produce to increase access to fresh food where it is limited. Teens learn a variety of land-based skills and topics surrounding food, land and body justice.  ​We also work with local chefs to prepare meals together, sharing delicious ways to eat what we grow!​
WE WORK TO:
  • INVOLVE YOUTH IN GROWING, HARVESTING, DONATING, SELLING, EATING AND PRESERVING FOOD.
  • CONNECT YOUTH TO LOCAL AND GLOBAL ISSUES CONCERNING FOOD JUSTICE AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF OUR CURRENT FOOD SYSTEM.
  • SHARE INSPIRING RESPONSES TO FOOD JUSTICE ISSUES WHICH INVOLVE YOUTH FROM OUR COMMUNITIES AND AROUND THE WORLD.
  • TEACH ORGANIC GROWING METHODS AND THEIR ROLE IN SUSTAINABLE FARMING.
  • PROVIDE A PLACE WHERE YOUTH HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND LEARN ABOUT EACH OTHER WHILE WORKING AS A GROUP TOWARD A COMMON GOAL.
  • HELP YOUTH UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FOODS WE EAT AND OUR PERSONAL HEALTH.
  • OFFER YOUTH AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE SOMETHING FOR THEMSELVES, THEIR FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITY.
What will I be doing specifically? 
  • Field work—Preparing the soil; Weeding; Planting; Mulching; Securing row fabric and row cover over beds; Watering; Harvest; Record-keeping.
  • Infrastructure Maintenance and/or Repair of—Fence, Drip irrigation system, Cold-frame greenhouse, Sheds
  • Participating in land-based workshops such as mushroom cultivation and plant dying.
  • Meeting with our local community and participating in conversations and workshops regarding social and food justice
  • Education/Outreach—Assist with mentoring, training, and working with other on-site volunteer groups of different ages; Representing the organization in the community; Contributing to blog posts, signs, educational materials, program development, other ideas welcome
  • Cooking healthy meals 
What will I learn….
  1. A wide range of horticulture skills and other land based skills – landscaping, farming, gardening, nursery/greenhouse, etc.
  2. Healthy work ethic : being on time, managing time wisely, considering other people’s and one's own emotional & physical health and safety, etc.
  3. Transformative communication: how to effectively speak to those we are working with
  4. Reverence for the Earth and gratitude in all, intergenerational responsibility and honor
  5. Increased awareness of food sovereignty and social justice 
What are the most challenging aspects of this job? What attitudes/skills will teens need to be successful here?

The most challenging aspects of growing food are dealing with factors outside your control such as weather and plant disease. Taking care of plants also means things have to get done with specific time tables. Lots of carrying heavy boxes of produce and long, physically exhausting hours of weeding will be part of the job—but there are positives to these, of course, and all farmers must be good at the hard parts of the job.  It will be HOT in the field! Repetitive work and the ability to work in many different weather conditions are needed.

Engaging in conversation/discussions about food and social justice can be uncomfortable sometimes but very rewarding in the long run. Teens will need perseverance, and good humor to be successful here. 
This work matters because….
Everyone has to eat to survive and having power over what we eat and how that food is grown is a super important part of food justice. Becoming familiar with our community and the happenings in the society of which we are a part of and contribute to is essential in giving us a feeling of place, belonging and purpose.  ​
This is an in-person program that takes place on a farm. Most of our time is spent outdoors or in a greenhouse. We follow COVID-19 protocol to maintain safe distances and keep our participants safe.

Teens learn a variety of land-based skills including basic beekeeping.

Local plants & fibers artist teaches an indigo dying workshop with the indigo grown by teens that same season.

Participants learn about
​medicinal plants from local herbalists.

Workshops include learning the basics of edible mushroom cultivation from local mushroom grower.

THIS SUMMER, WORK WITH US!

If you are a teen interested in working with us during the summer, contact us at apply@youthfarmproject.org​. Applications open in March. You can also contact the YES program or Tompkins County Work Force NY and ask to apply for a summer job and tell them you want to work at the Youth Farm! ​