Young Grow Getters

View the project final report

Commodities

Practices

• Crop Production: cover crops, crop improvement and selection, crop rotation, fertilizers, food processing, food product quality/safety, high tunnels or hoop houses, intercropping, irrigation, low tunnels, no-till, nutrient management, organic fertilizers, pollination, pollinator habitat, row covers (for season extension), season extension, seed saving, shade cloth
• Education and Training: demonstration, farmer to farmer, networking, on-farm/ranch research, workshop, youth education
• Farm Business Management: apprentice/intern training, community-supported agriculture, cooperatives, labor/employment
• Pest Management: cultivation, integrated pest management, mulches - general, prevention, weed ecology
• Production Systems: organic agriculture, permaculture
• Soil Management: composting, earthworms, soil quality/health
• Sustainable Communities: community development, community services, employment opportunities, ethnic differences/cultural and demographic change, leadership development, partnerships, quality of life, sustainability measures, urban agriculture

Young Grow Getters is a paid, six-week intensive hands-on youth agriculture program that is led by industry professionals in sustainable farming, culinary arts, food production, and technology. The program offers real-world experiences and career-readiness skills, along with a robust curriculum to teach students the vital aspects of urban agriculture. 

The selected students will be involved in all aspects of Growing Places Indy, which includes farm planning, planting, finance, maintenance, harvest, and distribution. They will fully engage in the Indianapolis food system as they will work on other urban farms and meet local leaders in the food and farming community.

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

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