King Farm| Meet Our Youth Farmers|Farm Archive

ALTHEA BOURNE & SHANE THOMPSON

It is a pleasure to introduce you to Althea Bourne, who is about to start her junior year at the High School for Public Service and plans to apply for the Summer Youth Leaders Program again in 2014.  “My greatest success in the kitchen recently is having made a pizza from scratch – sauce and all!  I was on Cloud Nine,” says Althea.  “But I’ve also burnt rice badly if we’re going to be honest here.”

“I’ve burned an egg!” chimes in Shane Thompson, a 2^nd-year program participant who’s about to start his freshman year at SUNY Buffalo in the fall.  “It’s so embarrassing to admit that.  In general, I try to stay out of the kitchen as much as possible.  My mom is my favorite cook.  I’ve tried other people’s food, but I always come back to my mom’s.  She makes a great Jamaican-style curry chicken and white rice.”

“My favorite cook is my Great Aunt.  She has a variety of skills and she can prepare a full meal: meat, starches, and vegetables,” shares Althea.  “She actually encouraged my love of carrots and I thank her for that.  One of my favorite dishes is also curry chicken Guyanese-style, but I like it with roti instead of white rice.  Roti is a Caribbean-style tortilla dish; it’s delicious.”

Both Althea and Shane want everyone to know that our farm food is tasty and fresh.  "Heirloom tomatoes are so unusual and pretty!” exclaims Althea.

“You just can’t go wrong when you eat organic,” adds Shane.

When asked how working on the farm might affect what they eat for lunch in the fall, Shane shared that he avoids school lunches after experiencing food poisoning when he was 11 or 12 years old.  “It was so painful.  I now regularly pack Subway sandwiches.  I have been very moved by the Food Inc. videos we’ve watched this summer and I have loved our nutritional discussions.  I am uncomfortable with the way we treat chicken and meat in general in the USA.  I am strongly considering becoming a vegetarian.”

“I love to pack callilloo soup for lunch,” states Althea.  “I plan to add more vegetables this year.  And I’d like to pack more sandwiches, too, and add some raw veggies.  I am always watching my budget and I am grateful to receive school lunches at no cost to me.  It is very hard to study when you have to skip lunch.”

Shane plans to study Engineering in the fall and run track. “Nutrition is key and vital to my success at SUNY Buffalo.  The farm has taught me what I need to eat to succeed.  I plan to focus on more greens and less meat.  In general I tend to avoid beef and pork and I prefer good carbohydrates.  My current favorite vegetable is broccoli.”

Althea plans to be a social worker in the future.  “I really enjoy seeing other points of view and putting my pride aside.  I strive to be a good listener.  There are a lot of strong personalities among the youth on the farm and I have learned to carry myself better and get what I need without being too forceful.  I love working with Shane and I often pick him on Wednesday’s shout out.  He has a great work ethic and he finishes tasks quickly.  He is known as Compost King after all!”

“I also enjoy working with Althea, but I have loved working with Kumar,” states Shane, “because we work well together.  He is so funny and makes time move faster.  I’m really going to miss him.”

“If I am invited back to work on the farm next summer,” says Althea, “I want to do a variety of work and be encouraged to do tasks that I may not be good at yet, like irrigating.  And I will make sure that the radio works so I can listen to it while I’m weeding!”

SHANE THE COMPOST KING! Watch the video about Shane and Compost

King Farm| CONTACT US!|Farm Archive

The Youth Farm is positioned at Wingate Campus, 600 Kingston Ave. Brooklyn NY 11203.

For greater statistics about the farm:

1. Use the search form at the pinnacle right aspect of the internet site to search for your records. Also test out our FAQ phase!

2. If that fails, you may touch*:

General Information:                        Info (at) bkFarmyards (dot) com

Press Inquiries:                                Bee (at) bkFarmyards (dot) com

Farmers Market:Bee (at) bkFarmyards (dot) com

Field Trips: Patricia (at) bkFarmyards (dot) com

Volunteering:                                      Bee(at) bkFarmyards (dot) com

Purchasing produce: Bee(at) bkFarmyards (dot) com

Purchasing flowers:                           Molly (at) bkFarmyards (dot) come

Adult education: Molly (at) bkFarmyards (dot) com

Youth programming:                        Patricia (at) bkFarmyards (dot) com

*Please be aware that during the developing season we're normally at the farm growing vegetables, strolling workshops and getting ready for our marketplace. It may also soak up to 2 weeks for us to get lower back to you. You are always welcome to prevent by using the farm to talk with us and discuss opportunities.

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King Farm| Meet Two Youth Farmers!|Farm Archive

DAVINA PERSAUD & GAYENA ANDERSON

“I’ve really enjoyed working on the farm this summer because I learned so much.  Physical labor has been refreshing and something new for me.  I don’t really like getting dirty every day, but I got used to it.” Says Gayena of her love for outdoors and connection with nature.

“I have loved learning more about plants,” shares Davina.  “I hope I get the chance to return next summer and build on the knowledge I’ve acquired this summer.  I want to take this information to a deeper level and learn what’s really going on.”

“I have so much more respect for nature now,” Gayena exclaims.  “I have always loved getting away from the city, but because of the farm, I’ve been content staying local this summer.  Bee and team have really improved our neighborhood and I now respect how hard plants have to work to grow.”

“In the past, I didn’t enjoy being outside a lot, especially when it’s hot,” confides Davina.  “But after this summer, I’m not bothered by the weather so much and I no longer feel the need to complain.  I tend to focus on the beginning and end of a journey which is why I enjoy direct sowing. I like dirt!  And I like to feel it on my hands.  To see the start of a plant’s life is very exciting to me and then to witness how it grows is spectacular!”

Both Gayena and Davina feel organization is essential to run the farm well.  “Without a daily plan, we would not accomplish anything!  Scheduling time for everything is a challenge because there are so many tasks to do.  I am now more inspired to be calendar-oriented in class; I’ve grown to love daily planners,” states Gayena.  “On a farm, for example, you have to measure out a bed for planting, keep the tool shed in order, and know where your supplies are at all times.  Organization IS a farm,” adds Davina.

Gayena is considering becoming a pediatrician or a psychiatrist.  She recently took a class at Brooklyn College and feels highly motivated to attend college in a couple of years.

 “I believe working on a farm is good for your soul and truly builds character.  For example, when we harvested crops, I only chose the best and what I would prefer to buy myself.  I hope my experience here inspires others to apply next year!”

Davina is passionate about criminal justice and CSI investigations.  “I dream about possibly doing research in a lab; the surprise of the outcome is very exciting to me.  The farm has put me back in touch with all of my senses through cooking, reminded me to have more patience, and taught me to pay greater attention to small details.  Nature is magical!”

King Farm| Farmers Market & Volunteer Day|Farm Archive

TOMORROW! Come and celebrate the start of the faculty 12 months, and opportunity academic applications.

Collards, Kale, Sunflowers, Tomatoes, Husk Cherries, Herbs, and so so a lot greater.

WEDNESDAY 2:30-6:30

600 Kingston Ave btwn Rutland & Winthrop

plus come get your hands dirty and help us prepare for fall.

The Youth Farm is an educational production farm in East Flatbush that offers New Yorkers opportunities to increase their knowledge of the food system and build high level organic growing skills to share with their communities. The Youth Farm grows organic food and flowers on one acre for the community and beyond, and offers advanced farm training and leadership opportunities for youth and adults.

King Farm| Urban Farm Training Program|Farm Archive

Apply to the Youth Farm’s 2014 Urban Farming Apprenticeship!

Join us for an Info Session w/ Farm Manager Molly Culver

Thursday Dec 12th at61 Local , 6:30-8:30 pm 61 Bergen St. Brooklyn, 11201

Whether you are a teacher looking to increase your gardening skills or an urbanite looking to enter the field of agriculture and food justice, this training will bring your skills to the next level and connect you to further opportunities.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM:

Our program offers adults the chance to experience what it takes to farm and explore a career in organic agriculture through hands-on training on a 1 acre diversified farm. As an apprentice at the Youth Farm you will gain many valuable growing skills necessary for cultivating a wide variety of vegetables and flowers appropriate to our region. Through this intensive 20-hr per week commitment, you will gain the invaluable experience of nurturing crops and soil day to day and gain a sense for the physical and mental energy required to run a small farming operation that produces high quality vegetables, beautiful flowers, and a rich and harmonious community space. As in a rural farm apprenticeship, we view time spent doing hands-on farm work as the most important component of becoming skilled in organic agriculture. In order to farm, you have to farm!

WHO ARE THE INSTRUCTORS?

HOURS & TIME COMMITMENT

The Urban Farming Apprenticeship is a serious commitment: You will train with us for 30 weeks, 20 hours per week, from late April through mid November. The program meets for three days a week. Each apprentice will also commit to irrigating the farm two weekends out of the season.

COST

Our mission on the farm is to support our community by training you to be self-sufficient in growing healthy and rich local produce and flowers.  Our program breaks down to a $30/week commitment so that you can learn alongside experienced farmers, while also living an affordable and sustainable life yourself. We encourage our apprentices to harvest plenty of fresh veggies and flowers to nourish you throughout the season!

TRAINING PROGRAM COMPONENTS:

• Hands-on farm work on a 1 acre diversified farm
• Formal workshops in Botany, Soil Science, Crop Planning, Record Keeping, and more...
• Rotations in Propagation, Irrigation, Composting, Flower Production, CSA/Farmers Market management and Farm Management
• Field trips to other urban farms
• Weekly Farm Walks to develop observational skills
• Working with youth

What can you do with your Certificate?

Our past apprentices have gone on to do great things, such as:

•   Manage the 1 acre Youth Farm at the Chicago Botanical Garden

•   Co-Manage 2-acre Cut Flower operations

•   Accept jobs as gardening coordinators at NYC schools

•   Manage NYC Greenmarkets

•   Manage their own urban agriculture and landscaping businesses

•   Work in floral design, and more...

Where are our past apprentices now?

PAST PARTICIPANTS SAY:

"This training provided me with an opportunity to learn side by side with experienced farmers."

"There was so much opportunity for hands on work and the farmers were all very patient, kind and knowledgeable about the work."

“I thought the schedule was a really perfect balance of feeling like you were consistently on the farm, while also being able to work on the side to support myself.”

Applications coming soon: applications will be due February 1st, 2014!

 email molly@bkfarmyards.com for more information

King Farm| Sweet Potatoes!|Farm Archive

Apprentice Melissa LaFontaine harvests the candy potatoes growing on the farm!

Amazing to get such exquisite tubers from those plants after harvesting their veggies all summer time.

King Farm| Looking for Part-Time Youth Farm Director|Farm Archive

The Youth Farm is a unique partnership between the High School for Public Service and Green Guerillas. It is a one acre diversified production farm engaging the school community and surrounding neighborhood in farm-based experiential learning. Farm products are sold at a weekly farmers market increasing community access to fresh affordable food.

We are seeking applicants with experience in non-profit development, fundraising, leadership and familiarity with urban agriculture and the NYC and/or national food justice movement.

The Youth Farm operates as a collective, with all staff working together to make important decisions. The Director is responsible for meeting with Youth Farm staff and community to set goals and program plans for the Youth Farm, and most importantly, fundraising for these programs. This person is responsible for staff and farm sale invoicing, tracking accomplishments, staff reviews and organizing strategic planning sessions.

The applicant should be an enthusiastic self-starter with experience in collective work environments. The ideal candidate should be equally comfortable taking initiative and working collaboratively in a close-knit team environment. Experience with grant writing and grassroots fundraising is a must for this position, as is knowledge of the current funding environment. Gardening and horticulture knowledge and familiarity with the food justice movement a plus.

We are committed to creating a workplace that respects and values diversity – we strongly welcome candidates from all backgrounds as we are committed to hiring staff that reflect the cultural and ethnic diversity of our community.

Roles and responsibilities include:

• Fundraise to support Youth Farm programs through grant writing, crowd sourcing, special events and other dynamic methods
• Build and sustain relationships with foundations, cultivate private donors, manage grassroots fundraising campaigns
• Maintain partnerships with the Wingate Schools that support the goal of enhancing youth engagement and learning on the Farm
• Facilitate staff meetings and strategic planning sessions
• Track staff hours and accomplishment for accountability and reporting purposes
• Responsible for bookkeeping and accounting, including staff invoicing, spending, and accounting for farm sales
• Work with Green Guerillas on fundraising, events and organizational development
• Work with and hire interns to help with special events, outreach and office work
• Work with Wingate administration to evaluate how the school’s objectives are being met

Qualifications:

• Excellent writing and communication skills
• Grassroots fundraising and non-profit development experience required
• Detail-oriented and highly organized
• Commitment to expanding food justice and knowledge about urban farming
• Experience in leadership, meeting facilitation and collective decision making processes
• Farm/gardening experience or horticultural training a plus
• Manage work hours and duties efficiently
• Excellent computer and communication skills, including Microsoft Office (Excel and Word); knowledge and experience using accounting software such as Quickbooks a plus

Please send a cover letter and resume to Bee Ayer at Bee(at)bkfarmyards (dot)com. The letter should include details of your availability, as well as details about your relevant experience and training.

Applicants must be available on weekdays during the day, and occasional evenings and weekends. This position is a paid part-time position and also includes fresh harvested vegetables, flower and herbs. Applications due September 26^th, position starts November 11^th.