August 15, 2025 | Education
Summer Stories: Youth Development Program, Week 7
Wrapping Up the Season with Full Steam Ahead
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.
We’ve officially entered the final two weeks of the Youth Development Program season—but you wouldn’t know it by the pace of our students! They’re still giving it their all, from early-morning weeding to big harvests, creative cooking, and preparing their end-of-season presentations.
The week kicked off with a morning of farm work, followed by an interactive workshop on farm economics. Students became “farm owners,” planning their 1,000-acre crops, creating budgets, and rolling dice to simulate the unpredictable realities of farming—weather, pests, and market changes included. They wrapped it up by comparing their projected profits to their actual results, gaining a real-world understanding of how quickly conditions can change in agriculture.
On Tuesday, one crew headed to Groundswell Cafe to make minestrone soup, while the rest stayed on the farm to tidy plot edges and fences. Together, they refreshed the education garden for fall field trips by installing a new trellis and mulching the pathway. The harvest list was full—greens, tomatoes, pears, zucchini, and peppers for our CSA. After lunch, they focused on refining outlines for their final presentations.
Midweek, we split into three groups. One crew worked at Cedar River Academy, weeding and mulching to ready the school garden for students’ return. Another team went to Groundswell to cook veggie lasagna and shepherd’s pie for our Good Meals to Go program. The final group stayed back to harvest potatoes and mustard greens. In the afternoon, everyone came together for a career workshop covering résumé building, interview skills, and long-term planning.
By Thursday, most of the CSA and Farm Stand harvest was ready, leaving just a few herbs and tomatoes to gather. The extra time allowed for more weeding and special projects—transplanting strawberry runners into our hydroponic system and baking treats for the Cafe.
With the final week ahead, the students are ready to finish the season strong—bringing the same energy and dedication they’ve shown since day one.