Youth Wholesale Market Experience with Herbs and Spice Blends

Commodities

Practices

This project will focus on the processes involved in local sustainable agriculture via wholesale market participation. Youths aged 15 to 18 will grow, process, and distribute their own dried herb and spice blends while learning about the experiences of other local farmers, the resources available to develop agricultural products, and the communities that they serve. Each session will denote how a portion of the local agricultural market operates, from the farm spaces to the endpoint distribution.

1. Provide youth with vocational practice in sustainable agriculture sectors, as well as local networking connections with farmers and distributors.
2. Educate youth on sustainability within local food systems in a locally relevant and economically applicable manner by collaborating with a wide ranging group of local farmers.
3. Prepare young community members for favorable prospective career paths in sustainable agriculture through wholesale marketplace participation with herbs and spice blends.
4. Grow local, shelf stable food products that are lacking in current distribution yet in high demand.
5. Report on the project for the benefit of community members and other educators.