school grown.: Supa Fresh Youth Farm

On our road trip north from California in the winter I visited Supa Fresh Youth Farm to chat with their program staff. It was the off season so there wasn't much youth action going on but they sure have a mighty inspiring project!

Located in Tigard, Oregon, the Supa Fresh Youth Farm is entering its third growing season. Originally a work-learning program that connected youth with paid work placements at local businesses, the farm project started when a staff member found a long forgotten garden space tucked in the back corner of the local elementary school.

The program is funded through the Oregon Human Development Corporation (OHDC) to hire youth participants who are between the ages of 16-21, currently in a school program and who face systemic barriers to accessing employment. Youth participants farm the garden space, growing fresh produce that they sell at the local farmer’s market while working on their employability skills and gaining valuable work experience.

Farm gates.

Youth farmers designed and built the arch.

Participants have their own schedule for farm days, attending the program at a pace that suits them. They keep track of their hours and receive a stipend of $600 for every 100 hours of work they put in. Supa Fresh has an informal partnership with an alternative school that they share office space with. The school is able to refer students that are looking for work, and Supa Fresh is able to connect their youth interns with credit recovery programs offered through the alternative school. Currently, their high school graduation rate is higher than the district average.

Pavilion for learning and farmer lunches.

The program maintains a focus on entrepreneurship and employability skills development. Youth are responsible for growing and preparing the harvest for market, as well as actively selling their produce at the farmer’s market. Each season they design and sell t-shirts as a way of fundraising for their program and raising awareness for their food security initiative. Programming includes cooking classes, team building exercises, a camping trip and opportunities to work alongside local farmers and chefs.

Check out their website - lots of non-rainy winter photos!