Growing Places Indy "Grow Getters" Program

View the project final report

Commodities

• Vegetables: greens (leafy), okra, peppers, tomatoes

Practices

• Animal Production: implants, watering systems
• Crop Production: cover crops, crop rotation, greenhouses, high tunnels or hoop houses, intercropping, irrigation, no-till, pollinator health
• Education and Training: demonstration, mentoring, networking, on-farm/ranch research, workshop, youth education
• Farm Business Management: business planning, financial management, grant making, labor/employment, marketing management
• Pest Management: cultivation, mulching - plastic, row covers (for pests)
• Production Systems: hydroponics, organic agriculture
• Soil Management: composting, earthworms
• Sustainable Communities: community development, employment opportunities, new business opportunities, partnerships, urban agriculture

For the last ten years, Growing Places Indy (GPI) has run a summer urban farming apprenticeship for individuals 18 years and older. The proposed program, “Grow Getters,” is modeled off the success of past programs, but is designed specifically as a six-week supervised agricultural program for high school students. Selected students will be involved in all aspects of the organization including farm planning, planting, financial, maintenance, harvest, and distribution. They will also work on other urban farms, meet local leaders in the food and farming community, and have the opportunity to fully engage in the Indianapolis food system.

The program idea was developed by understanding effective programs for accomplishing our mission and collecting feedback from past participants and key partners. This program objectives include:

• Break the poverty cycle of young people and expose them to new career opportunities within agriculture through hands-on learning from experienced farmers, chefs, and industry professionals. 
• Build long-term economic self-reliance and food security among participants and their communities by increasing high school students' farming skills and job readiness skills.
• Develop a pipeline of trained farmers by training high school students through hands-on experience and in-class curriculum taught by skilled farmers.