High School for Public Service 600 Kingston Ave, BK NY 11216

Youth Farm

HSPS YOUTH FARM: 2012 Apprenticeship

The Youth Farm is a one acre in-ground farm at the High School for Public Service in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. The Youth Farm was conceived in November 2009 to enhance the educational experiences of HSPS students. Viewed and used as an outdoor classroom by school staff, the Youth Farm exists to support teachers and students by providing a venue for hands-on learning opportunities that relate to class curricula from all learning disciplines. Beyond this, the Youth Farm serves as a source of locally-grown fresh food for the community and a learning center around nutrition, food justice and sustainable horticulture. The Youth Farm aims to provide educational and training opportunities for its surrounding community and NYC as a whole. Instrumental to the planning of farm operations is an after school Farm Club for HSPS teens as well as a Teacher Farm Advisory Board (T-FAB). Both groups help steer the mission as well as perform onsite activities. The community in which the farm is located is home to many West Indian immigrants as well as a large Orthodox Jewish population. The community faces a high poverty rate and a significant lack of access to fresh food, along with the diet-related diseases that lack of access causes. The Youth Farm is run by four principal farm staff (2 Farm Managers, 1 Youth Coordinator, and 1 Assistant Farm Manager.) Entering the third year in a five-year plan to expand farm production to the full site, the Youth Farm currently grows 1/2 acre of mixed vegetables and specialty cut flowers. The Youth Farm currently runs seven programs: a farmers market and CSA, a flower CSA, in classroom curriculum for HSPS students, a summer youth employment program, an adult apprenticeship program, a field trip and workshop program for visiting students and organizations, and volunteer days.

HSPS Youth Farm Apprenticeship Overview

The Youth Farm Adult Apprenticeship exists not only to help achieve the goals of food and flower production (and therefore the goal of existing as an outdoor classroom for HSPS), but to provide the opportunity to experience urban farming in New York City. Apprentices will be hired not based on their interest in becoming a farmer down the road (although this will be taken into consideration), but on their ability to commit to the program, their desire to learn, their enthusiasm, and work ethic.

Why you should be interested in a Youth Farm apprenticeship?

"This apprenticeship 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." "Since I am much better at learning through working with my hands, it was a perfect setting for what I was looking for."

Through a season on the Youth Farm, you will become intimately familiar with the tasks, challenges, and rewards of growing many varieties of vegetables and flowers. Through this 20-hour per week commitment, you will gain a good sense and feel for the physical, mental and spiritual energy required to produce nutritious and delicious food, beautiful flowers, and a rich and harmonious community space. You will learn all the intricate steps food and flowers take from seed to plate or vase, and you will journey with the plants along these many steps. You will meet like-minded individuals who you may not ordinarily cross paths with and make friends and important connections with some. You will begin to network with many others working and volunteering in green sectors of NYCs economy. You will witness and participate in sharing learning experiences with youth. You will experience the monotony and boredom of certain tasks, as well as the joy of the diversity of tasks to be done. You will engage in weekly workshops on various farming and food justice- related topics, and you www.HSPSFarm.BlogSpot.com

High School for Public Service 600 Kingston Ave, BK NY 11216

Youth Farm

will attend field trips to other urban agriculture sites around the city. You can expect to walk away having a clearer sense for where food comes from, and whether or not you would like to pursue this line of work farther as a career or hobby. Hours & Time Commitment We will be offering two types of adult apprenticeship for the 2012 Season, a full season and summer season. The Youth Farm adult apprenticeship is a serious educational experience, and requires a serious dedication to the work and time on the farm. Both types of apprenticeships will meet 20 hours a week: Mondays 9am-3pm, Wednesdays 9am-5pm and Fridays 9am- 3pm. The full season apprenticeship will be 30 weeks starting April 23 rd and finishing November 24th. The summer season apprenticeship will be 21 weeks beginning June 4 th and finishing October 31st. Additionally, each apprentice will take on two weekends where they will be responsible for the Youth Farms irrigation. Apprenticeship Components The Apprenticeship is designed to be a holistic educational experience for those interested in agriculture, food justice, and nutrition. (That said, people interested in physical education, sociology, education, or myriad other topics could benefit from this apprenticeship). The Youth Farm adult apprenticeship provides a unique opportunity to work with youth while still working on a production farm. At the Youth Farm, we view the time spent doing hands-on farm work as the most important component of learning about horticulture/urban agriculture. The adult apprenticeships nine components are: Hands-on farm work Informal workshops (taught by Youth Farm staff and guests) Farm walks Weekly farm meetings Rotations (irrigation, propagation, vegetable and flower field work, market and CSA) Direct marketing Working with youth NYC CRAFT (Visits to other urban agriculture projects) Discussions on food justice Hands on Farm Work A significant portion of a Youth Farm apprentices time will be spent doing field work with our vegetable and flower crops. Field work includes, but is not limited to: soil fertility management (bed preparation, spreading of compost and/or other amendments), direct seeding, transplanting, weeding, watering, trellising, pest and disease identification and control, harvesting, post-harvest handling, and composting. Field work can be labor intensive, repetitive, and therefore physically challenging, especially in hot weather. It is vital that apprentices come to work dressed properly (close-toed shoes are mandatory at all times), with sunscreen, a water bottle, and a nourishing lunch. While hands on farm work should always be performed with attention and efficiency, it should also be enjoyable. Workshops Once a week all Youth Farm apprentices and interns will sit down to have a workshops on a specific topic, led by either a Youth Farm staff or a guest lecturer. These workshops will give us a chance to focus more in depth on a single topic, such as soil biology, integrated pest management, and food justice. Farm Walks

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High School for Public Service 600 Kingston Ave, BK NY 11216

Youth Farm

Every Monday we will take a Farm Walk to observe with a thoughtful eye what is happening on the farm, primarily in our crops. We will observe and discuss crop maturity, any signs of stress such as disease or insects, and take note of what tasks need to be done for the week. The farm walk is also a chance for the apprentices to ask questions. Weekly Farm Meetings Every Friday, Farm Staff and apprentices will circle up to discuss the week. The farm meeting is a time for processing the events of the week (such as market and CSA); it also is a space for Farm staff to get feedback from apprentices. Well discuss how the group is working together, how the different components of the apprenticeship can be improved, and what apprentices learned that week. Working with Youth The consistent and meaningful involvement of HSPS students in farm work and events is a priority at the Youth Farm. During different parts of the apprenticeship, apprentices will be able to work with youth. Harvesting, event planning, and general field work are common opportunities to work alongside youth. Youth will be on the farm during regular school hours through the Go Green! class, and after school hours through the Farm Club and the summer youth program. Mentoring the youth is not a mandatory component of the Youth Farm apprenticeship, however encouragement and positive interaction with the youth is a must. There will be formal introductions and get-to-know-you activities planned to help create more synthesis between the adult apprentices and youth farmers. Rotations During the program, Youth Farm apprentices will rotate through specializations on different aspects of our farm. These rotations will allow apprentices to gain a deeper understanding of these subjects through taking on more responsibilities and time devoted to the subject. Each rotation will last for four weeks, with the first week being a training week, followed by 2 weeks of basic rotation, and then finally passing on that knowledge through a week of training the next crew. Most rotations will have two apprentices per rotation. Rotations include irrigation, propagation, flowers, market & CSA. There will be scheduled times when apprentices on certain rotations will be away from the larger group, as well as times where we will all be together. Direct Marketing All Youth Farm apprentices will get to experience direct marketing or selling directly from the farm to the consumer in the form of a farmers market and CSA, which take place at the Farm. Through a four week rotation in Market and CSA, each apprentice will gain experience working with the market manager: setting up the market equipment and display, practicing sales and customer service, restocking, handling money (including an EBT/food stamps electronic machine), and learning about bookkeeping for market and CSA. Apprentices will also learn about CSA harvest and distribution, and member coordination. CRAFT Once a month, Youth Farm apprentices will go on a field trip to another urban agriculture site (farm, garden, or organization) in NYC. These trips will be an opportunity to learn from other farm managers and players in the Urban Ag community, network with these people and see the variety of growing spaces and food justice work happening in NYC. Discussions on Food Justice The first apprentice workshop will be on Food Justice. Exploring, discussing, defining and working towards food justice as a community is a central component of the mission of the Youth Farm. We will continue to engage with this important topic through monthly discussions at lunch. Each apprentice will have the opportunity to www.HSPSFarm.BlogSpot.com

High School for Public Service 600 Kingston Ave, BK NY 11216

Youth Farm

lead the discussion (solely or with a partner), optionally using a current event, newspaper/magazine clipping or book to spark an informal discussion. Winter Crew In the fall the Youth Farm will accept two additional apprentices to work at the Farm through the winter, December February. We welcome any current apprentices to apply for this position. This apprenticeship will focus on preparing a farm for winter, season extension (of winter crops in the hoop house and out), and propagation in our hoop house.

Youth Farm Values & Expectations

High Standards & Expectations for labor: all Youth Farm apprentices should have the ability to lift 40 pounds, and be prepared to perform repetitive, physically demanding work. (There will be periodic breaks for water and a one hour lunch break each day). Commitment: we expect our apprentices to commit to either the entire Full or Summer season. Apprentices will be excused from work on account of illness or unforeseen circumstances. Repeated lateness and absence will result in a conversation about whether to continue the apprenticeship. Punctuality: The Youth Farm values education and the training of new urban farmers. In order for our program to run smoothly, and for our farm operation to be viable, we depend on the punctuality and commitment of our apprentices. Having to wait even an extra 10 minutes to start the days work is valuable time lost. Arriving on time means honoring fellow apprentices and farm staffs time, and helps create good work ethic for the farm as a whole. We urge our apprentices to factor in extra time to their commute to ensure timely arrival to work. Self Care: While the commitment and work on the farm is rigorous, Youth Farm staff strive to foster an environment of self-respect, respect of others and of farm property. We put emphasis on protecting your body as you work, and we demonstrate proper tool use at the start of the apprenticeship. We encourage all apprentices to set an example of proper tool use, healthy eating, hydration, etc. for their peers as well as for HSPS youth. If you are experiencing pain, light-headedness or hunger, by all means, let farm staff know and take the necessary steps to return to work rejuvenated. A nourishing meal (and snacks) are vital for happy farming, as are full water bottles, the right clothing, sturdy close-toed shoes, and sunscreen. Friendly Environment: Hate speech of any kind is not tolerated at the Farm under any circumstances. If anyone is heard saying things that are racist, homophobic or hateful they will immediately be asked to leave. Our farm is based on the values of social justice and dismantling racism, sexism, homophobia and all forms of structural oppression.

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