Youth Farm visit!

We are delighted that Youth Farm folks came to visit R Farm.

 

Anjali had been a Youth Farmer in the Lyndale Neighborhood for several years and when we moved, one of our intentions was to invite Youth Farm up to visit, work, and eventually to sleepover.

A year later, our living room was full of teens talking farming.

Then we went outside and worked doing sheet mulching, creating a new garden bed by hauling manure and dirt by hand.

photo by Joel Koyama

Since they're curious about different kinds of farming styles, I talked about hugels and permaculture.

photo by Joel Koyama

Each person harvested their own salad for lunch- carrots, greens, salad, green beans.  We also had the famous Youth Farm Pesto Pasta and made smores.

When Anjali was thinking about going to camp, she asked me, "Mom, do you think you guys can make it without me for a week?  I'm the only one around here who knows what she's doing."  She learned how to weed, seed, compost, water, thin, mulch, and harvest with confidence at Youth Farm.  This spring, I bought seed potatoes and without a second thought, Anjali picked up a knife and taught me how to cut enough eyes and plant them.  She sends her best to all her Youth Farm friends.

photo by Joel Koyama, Phil the Lyndale Youth Farm leader on the right with wheelbarrow

Several of our neighbor teens in Minneapolis had a fight and when I intervened, I asked them if there was an adult I could call to help them work it out and they replied, "Phil, from Youth Farm."  I called Phil and he biked right over.  The fact that the kids had someone to call to help them restore peace speaks volumes about Phil, Youth Farm, and their incredible presence in the 'hood. 



Anjali and Mark got to spend a Friday in July at Youth Farm in our old Lyndale Neighborhood working, eating, and playing because "once a Youth Farmer, always a Youth Farmer!"    

 We are grateful to Youth Farm and very fond of them, too. 
Come back soon!