Project Overview
Information Products
Commodities
- Vegetables: beans, beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, celery, greens (leafy), greens (lettuces), onions, peppers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes
Practices
- Crop Production: conservation tillage, continuous cropping, drainage systems, no-till, organic fertilizers
- Education and Training: farmer to farmer, mentoring, networking, on-farm/ranch research, technical assistance, workshop, youth education
- Farm Business Management: agricultural finance, agritourism, apprentice/intern training, budgets/cost and returns, business planning, farm-to-institution, labor/employment, value added, whole farm planning
- Pest Management: compost extracts, cultivation
- Production Systems: hydroponics
- Soil Management: composting, earthworms, organic matter
- Sustainable Communities: community development, community planning, community services, food access and security, food sovereignty, leadership development, local and regional food systems, quality of life, social networks, sustainability measures, urban agriculture, urban/rural integration, values-based supply chains
Summary:
The project addressed the limited availability of vocational pathways and practical sustainable agriculture education for high school students in the Raytown C 2 School District. Many students had limited exposure to agriculture as a career field despite growing opportunities within agriculture, food systems, entrepreneurship, and related industries. At the same time, families within the surrounding community experienced economic challenges and limited supply of fresh, locally grown food. The project responded to these challenges by connecting agriculture education, workforce development, entrepreneurship, and community food supply through the development and use of a Model Farm.
The Model Farm served as the primary demonstration and applied learning site for the project. Students participated in classroom instruction, hands on demonstrations, workshops, farm activities, and practical experiences involving raised bed production, edible landscaping, hydroponics, composting, soil health, planting, harvesting, and sustainable production practices. Agricultural instruction was paired with business education in areas such as planning, financial management, marketing, risk reduction, and decision making. Volunteers and community members also supported the learning environment by helping students move through different areas of the Model Farm and taking ownership of activities that aligned with their experience, interests, and strengths. Produce grown through the project also supported the connection between agricultural education and community food supply through partnerships including the Raytown Emergency Assistance Program.
The project demonstrated that experiential agriculture education can provide students with a stronger understanding of both the production and business sides of farming while exposing them to agriculture as a viable career and entrepreneurial pathway. Participants increased their confidence in applying sustainable practices, making farm related decisions, and understanding the systems required to operate a farm as a business. Learning extended beyond individual activities as students and other participants practiced production planning, record keeping, resource management, marketing, and sustainable growing methods that could be applied in future agricultural work or farming operations. The Model Farm also provided a replicable example of how schools and community partners can connect agriculture education, workforce development, and local food supply. A Model Farm Youth Roadmap was also developed to help extend the educational model to other farmers, educators, and organizations.
As a result of the educational programming, participants applied sustainable practices directly through the Model Farm, including composting, soil building, raised bed production, hydroponic growing, crop maintenance, harvesting, and production planning. Participants also gained practical tools for evaluating production choices, tracking farm activities, planning for markets, and making stronger business decisions. These experiences reinforced that developing successful future farmers requires more than teaching students how to grow food. It also requires building their capacity to understand agriculture as a business, a career, and a tool for strengthening their communities.
Project objectives:
This project addresses workforce development and food availability through the establishment of a model farm that integrates sustainable agriculture practices with a comprehensive educational framework. The initiative will serve as a training hub, equipping high school students with practical skills and preparing them for entrepreneurial careers in agriculture. Importantly, this program seeks to mitigate the demographic challenge of the aging farming workforce. With the average age of U.S. farmers exceeding 57 years, this project aims to inspire and train the next generation of agricultural entrepreneurs, ensuring the continuity and advancement of sustainable farming practices.
Teaching Methods and Materials
Employing an interdisciplinary approach to education, the project utilizes experiential learning, workshops, and mentorship to prepare students for the complexities of modern agriculture:
- Hands-On Training: Students will engage in farm design, planting, and maintenance while learning sustainable practices such as hydroponics, raised-bed gardening, composting, crop rotation, and production forecasting. These activities will provide students with the technical skills necessary to align production strategies with market demands effectively.
- Workshops and Seminars: Educational modules, developed in collaboration with the Raytown C-2 School District, Herndon Career Center, University of Missouri Extension Office, and UPP , will cover topics including soil health, water conservation, pest management, and farm economics.
- Business Development Training: Students will acquire essential business acumen to establish and manage profitable agricultural enterprises. Training, facilitated by the University of Missouri-Kansas City Small Business Development Center, will include:
- Financial Literacy and Management: Instruction on budgeting, capital acquisition, cash flow, and credit utilization.
- Revenue Stability : Strategies for developing multiple income streams, such as CSA programs, direct-to-consumer sales, and institutional partnerships, alongside customer analytics and acquisition techniques to expand market reach.
- Strategic Planning: Emphasis on cultivating farms that are not only operational but inherently profitable, equipping students with the tools to design scalable and sustainable agricultural businesses.
- Strategic Planning: Exploration of agriculture’s integration into city planning frameworks, including land use, zoning, and infrastructure considerations.
- Population Health: Analysis of agriculture’s role in addressing food availability and promoting availability and opportunities to eat to nutrient-dense foods.
- Customer Engagement: The farm’s produce will be distributed through partnerships with the Raytown Emergency Assistance Program (REAP), UPP, and Raytown C-2 School District. This “grown in Raytown, for Raytown” model reinforces localized food systems, directly benefitting the area while highlighting impact.