YEP! YEP stands for Youth Empowerment Program, a new educational activity at City Farm established by Alejandra Mahoney and staffed by Gissel Neri Corcoles and Adriana Arias. The Program serves 16 students ages 12-18 from a wide variety of backgrounds and is conducted bilingually in English and Spanish. The first pilot session lasts from April through June and meets Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The curriculum includes life-skills such as goal setting, financial responsibility and team building. Ninety minutes of each class is devoted to farming activity and instruction supported by veteran farmer and ternant, Jerry Mahoney. The curriculum is designed and taught by Gissel a Cal Poly Ag Science Senior (pictured above), who was raised on her family's organic farm in Greenfield. She's assisted by Adriana, who manages the program's marketing and publicity elements. [photo credit: Adriana Arias] |
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We are pleased to recognize Kayla Rutland as City Farm's new Associate Director. A four-year volunteer, she has coordinated our social media and volunteer programs, successfully written grants, and served as Vice-President of our Board. Kayla majored in Nutritional Science and minored in Biology and Sustainable Crop Production at the University of Connecticut and studied Ag Business at Cuesta College. For the last three years she's worked in a leadership position at the SLO County Health Department. |
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Welcome to Anne-Marie Bergen, a new member of City Farm's Board of Directors. Recently retired from her post as ScienceTeaching Specialist in the Department of Liberal Studies at Cal Poly, she's the recipient of many awards including California Teacher of the Year and the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Mathematics. Anne-Marie has been working in the Educational Garden for several months and has already gotten involved with students in the PREPARE Program. |
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Join us from 9-12 on April 24 for our bimonthly Saturday work party. Above, March 27th volunteers under the direction of Farm Manager Shane Lovell set up no-till beds for tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and other warm weather crops in the newly refurbished high tunnel hoop house. RSVP to our next work party by emailing info@cityfarmslo.org |
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MORE EDUCATION ACTIVITIES |
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Youth Learning continues despite the ongoing recess of our Pacific Beach Continuation High School FARM class and ON THE FARM Field Trips due to COVID-19. Above left, a student in the SLO School District's PREPARE program serving differently-abled young people, helps pick, wash and pack beets to deliver to the District's Food Service. At right, a former Olympiad guest-coaches students in Mariposa Education on throwing the javelin as part of their pentathalon preparation. |
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Last Fall, in an effort to substitute for live visits, City Farm produced a Virtual Farm Field Trip packet of video and print materials free for Grade 1 and Kindergarten. So far, more than 40 teachers throughout SLO County have used these online materials to bring the farm to their classrooms. If you would like access to our free Virtual Field Trips, email programs@cityfarmslo.orgAdd your text here. Edit to add dynamic values like name, email and more. |
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Frank Martinon has expanded his farm to five acres and he grows more crops on the adjoining parcel, with the help of family members. Above left, a donated toolshed he disassembled and rebuilt flanks one of his fields at sunset. At right he shows the first tomatoes of the season growing in one of several hoop houses. Frank's fabulous farmproducts are available through SLO VEG. |
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Construction of the Produce Cooler that started back in Fall 2020 was slowed by supply chain delays. It's now nearing completion by Cal Poly Senior, Connor Morinini. City Farm is deeply grateful to Bill Thoma and Bill Barlogio of Thoma Electric for contributing parts, labor and expertise required to hook up the electrical connection and to Jan Appel and Bob Kinson of California Electric Supply, Santa Maria for donating the transformer. This CoolBot Cooler will allow all our farmers to preserve harvests long enough to get them to market. |
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For the whole story in pictures, check out our Flickr site and/or our Instagram feed. City Farm News monthly newsletter is archived here. |
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