THUNDER BAY — More locally grown food will be available via a student-run farm and market that runs twice a week.
A handful of students are selected from various Lakehead District high schools to work at the two urban farms run by Roots to Harvest through the Urban Youth Farming Program.
Mack DeCaire is a youth program facilitator at the urban farm.
The supportive employment program employs 12 youth to work at the farm and market every summer and are starting their fifth week of work.
"[During] a typical day, they're doing lots of weeding, which they don't love, but they're getting used to it," DeCaire said.
"Basically caring for the gardens, doing the watering, and just learning about the needs of all the different crops that we grow here."
Students also work the market table, where they are responsible for its aesthetic, engaging with customers, and handling transactions.
"They're learning employable skills — essentially, that's what we're trying to do here. They're learning to count the cash and do the cashout, customer service, talking to folks, bringing them in, and explaining what we have for sale."
Students rotate job duties so everyone gets a chance to learn each position.
Janna Van Blyderveen, farm manager, said the students are adapting well to urban farm life.
"[We] get a lot of potato beetles, but we hand pick those out of the crops twice a week. The kids aren't a huge fan of that, but it's work that has to be done. So, instead of using chemicals and pesticides, we will use organic methods, which is hand-picking."
Ashlee Kakegamic, in Grade 12 at Hammarskjold High School, and Asher Van Gorp, in Grade 10 at Superior CVI, are both enjoying their work at the urban farm.
The students said they enjoy harvesting the most, and both had visible disdain for having to hand-pick potato beetles.
"You can get more opportunities to put more stuff on your resume, and it's just nice," said Van Gorp.
Both students said they would recommend the program and the opportunities it brings.
The Lily Street Market is open Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the market at Volunteer Pool is open Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Katie Nicholls is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with Newswatch
