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August 1, 2025 | Education

Summer Stories: Youth Development Program, Week 5

From early farm mornings to agroecology presentations and rainy-day dance parties, our students embraced every moment of learning, teamwork, and joy this week.

youth

The Youth Development Program is a paid opportunity for high-school-age students to develop and hone various skills in preparation for life beyond the classroom. The summer session is called the Seed Crew, and is 8 weeks of working, learning, and connecting as a team.

Another hot week meant early mornings at the farm to beat the heat. Afternoons were spent kicking off our agroecology unit, where students paired up to research topics like composting, intercropping, and seed saving.

Tuesday began groggily after a 2 a.m. wake-up from severe weather sirens. Students continued prepping for their presentations, while one group headed to Groundswell to help with cafe prep. The others harvested potatoes, tomatoes, and squash. We wrapped the day with their agroecology presentations—well-researched, engaging, and great practice ahead of their upcoming visit from Transamerica staff.

Wednesday brought rain and kept us mostly indoors. One crew returned to Groundswell, while the rest trimmed our cured garlic, sorted and weighed potatoes, and tackled some cleaning tasks. A break in the rain let us harvest greens and turnips for the CSA members. The dreary weather didn’t dampen spirits—students spent lunch dancing, singing, and playing music under the pavilion. In the afternoon, they participated in a self-care workshop focused on strategies for physical, mental, and emotional well-being, then wrapped the day with raucous games of Musical Chairs and Mafia. Everyone agreed it was a perfect example of self-care: laughter, music, and quality time outdoors with friends.

On Thursday, one group baked at Groundswell, another led garden lessons at Trailside Elementary, and the remaining crews weeded and harvested for the Mega Market. After lunch, they set up for Mega Market and did a quick trash pick-up. All in all, another full and fulfilling week!