Farmers Market
Wednesdays 2:30-6:30
October 17th, 24th & 31st
600 Kingston Ave between Rutland and Winthrop
We will turn your leaves into rich compost and seedling mix to keep our farm growing and our communities bellies full. Leaves work as a great carbon source for our compost bins: Mixed with some weeds and veggie scraps, water and a little compost we can make black gold. Leaves broken down themselves makes a great alternative to peat for seedling mix. WE LOVE THEM!
Take a look at out the Youth Farm in the Recent New York Times article
Excerpt:Green roofs and gardens aren't for simplest elementary faculties, but. In Crown Heights, Brooklyn, the High School for Public Service has a one-acre farm, that is now in its 1/3 season. The farm takes middle level in a route about the country?S food machine. Students also oversee a farmers? Market and offer cooking demonstrations.
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Since early September the Youth Farm has been unable to distribute, sell, or consume the nutritious produce we grow on our one-acre site. The Department of Education (DOE) decided to work closely with our team to set soil safety standards for NYC school farms & gardens. Together with Cornell Extensions, Cornell Soil Department of Crop & Soil Science, the NY Department of Health, the Department of Agriculture & Markets, Grow to Learn (Grow NYC & Green Thumb) and ATC Lab, we have set the standards! Though our soil has been deemed safe, we continue to eagerly await the finalized standards to go into effect for us to re-open our farmers market and distribute our amazing produce to our committed CSA members.
While this is an amazing moment in school garden history as we are piloting standards for all of NYC, we rely on the income from our farmers market to run our educational programs. So, we are asking for your support in this historic moment that will pave the way for all future NYC school farms and gardens. Our Farm Club is currently frustrated that their cooking programs have ended; our Go Green class has not been allowed to taste anything from the farm during the peak season for tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and more; and our community is frustrated when they see so much fresh food going to waste when there is so little fresh, organic, affordable food available in the neighborhood.
Currently we are the only school farm or garden that the DOE has requested to stop sales of produce, and we're hoping that our work will ensure others do not have to stop their work as well. WHEN YOU SUPPORT US TODAY, YOU ARE SUPPORTING ALL EXISTING AND FUTURE SCHOOL FARMS AND GARDENS WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THESE NEW STANDARDS.
Let's get more Brooklyn kids hands in the dirt! DONATE NOW!
The Youth farm is designed for experiential educational programs and career training in sustainable agriculture: we have a range of youth programs for students at the High School for Public Service, and also host classes from around the city for hands-on tours and specialized workshops to help teachers teach various units. We provide a space for our community members to get their hands in the dirt and bring their rich agricultural knowledge. Our Adult Farm Training program is an intensive part-time program for individuals who are looking to immerse themselves in farming.
Wintership participants will learn about sustainable horticulture, urban farm management and youth education though helping farm staff with on farm fall and winter tasks, some data entry and outreach. Interns will assist with daily farm work which can include, composting, seed sowing and transplanting, season extension, hoop house maintenance, sign painting, carpentry, harvesting, irrigation, data entry & assessment, community outreach and more!
Minimum Qualifications
Willingness to work in all weather conditions
Self-motivated, independent and able to work within a fluid environment
Bring positive energy to the work
Highly dependable and punctual
Basic computer skills
Experience with horticulture, youth education, community organizing a plus
To apply, or to find out more information please email Tanzania (at) bkfarmyards (dot) com
However due to Sandy, tomorrow's farmers market is cancelled. You can still support the farm this Saturday from 12-3pm as we clean up and repair storm damage.We definitely have some damage, but not to bad if we have a few hands to help out!
Also we were featured in the New York Observer,
New York’s Urban Farms Weather Hurricane Sandy’s Winds But Not Her Waters. By Kim Velsey
?Food security is a genuinely large issue everyday for many New Yorkers who don?T have access to clean end result and greens,? Said Ms. Ayer, who supports developing extra nearby, organic foods to supplement the deliveries from principal agricultural operations Upstate and on Long Island. ?And now the climate is converting and it?S causing larger challenges.?
Join us for our annual FARMIVAL! WEDNESDAY 3-6PM
Our Go Green students are placing on a party now not to miss, along with farm tours, our farmers marketplace, face painting, games, pumpkin portray, farm fresh meals and more! Farmival is the yearly harvest competition on the Youth Farm, an urban farm at public excessive college in significant Brooklyn.
DID WE MENTION FREE VEGETABLES?
Our FREE community workshops cover everything from common sustainable gardening and farming techniques to food justice. Every workshop takes place on a volunteer day - come work on the farm in the morning, then stick around for the free workshop!
Saturday May 3:
· VOLUNTEER DAY, 10-2pm
· WORKSHOP, 2-3:30pm:STARTING YOUR OWN SEEDS with Assistant Manager Liz Dowd. In this hands-on workshop at the beautiful 1-acre Youth farm, learn how to start your own vegetables or flowers at home using basic supplies. Assistant Manager Liz will walk you through the basics of seed propagation and what's required for healthy seedlings: soil mediums, planting depth, watering, and environment/protection. Rain or shine - we have a giant hoophouse ideal for sowing seeds in spring!
Saturday June 7:
· VOLUNTEER DAY, 10-2pm
· WORKSHOP, 2-3:30pm:BED PREPARATION AND IRRIGATION FOR HEALTHY SOIL with Farm Manager Molly Culver. Growing healthy plants starts with growing healthy soil. In this workshop we'll discuss the basic components of soil and how we can nurture the soil community to work to our garden's advantage. Ever wonder whether your watering techniques have an effect on your soil health? We'll also discuss and practice best watering practices for maintaining healthy soil and happy crops.
Saturday June 21: VOLUNTEER DAY, 10-2pm
Saturday July 5: NO VOLUNTEER DAY / NO WORKSHOP
Saturday August 2:
· VOLUNTEER DAY, 10-2pm
· WORKSHOP, 2-3:30pm:WHAT IS FOOD JUSTICE? with our Farm to School Liaison Patricia Noto and Youth Farm Summer Youth. Description TBD.
Saturday September 6:
· VOLUNTEER DAY, 10-2pm
· WORKSHOP, 2-3:30pm:COMPOSTING BASICS with Liz Dowd. Turn your waste into black gold! Learn about the different composting techniques and compost systems to suite your lifestyle and boost the fertility of your garden. We'll also review basic concepts for healthy and sustainable soil management in urban environments, to ensure happy and productive crops!
Saturday October 4:
· VOLUNTEER DAY, 10-2pm
· WORKSHOP, 2-3:30pm:FALL SOIL AMENDING WITH COVER CROPS with Molly Culver. Growing tons of tasty veggies relies on using sustainable soil fertility practices, and one of the keys to soil healthy in an organic system is cover cropping. In this interactive workshop, we'll discuss the different varieties, optimal sowing times, and practice sowing cover crop seed. This workshop is great for a garden any size - from a 4'x8' bed to a small farm!
Saturday November 1:
· VOLUNTEER DAY, 10-2pm
· WORKSHOP, 2-3:30pm:PLANTING GARLI C. Add some spice and fire to your garden palette! In this hands-on workshop you will learn everything-garlic, including how and when to plant garlic for a successful spring harvest, how to dry garlic for year-round enjoyment, and all the medicinal properties of garlic.
Saturday November 8:
· FINAL VOLUNTEER DAY, 10-2pm
