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URBAN AGRICULTURE YOUTH CORPS

 

YOUTH CORP IN TRAINING.  SEE OUR WORK IN THE GALLERY!

 

APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2017 SEASON ARE NOW CLOSED. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE YOUTHS THAT SUBMITTED THEIR APPLICATIONS.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Herbalism for Youths?

 

Youths who work with herbs develop an appreciation for healthy foods and to develop a deeper sense of place. The lives of herbal plants are inextricably intertwined with ours: blooming uninvited outside the front door and at the wild edges of asphalt parking lots, growing from the terra cotta pots on our kitchen windowsills and rooting in well-tended community gardens. Hattie Carthan 2nd year youth interns will learn about these sources of healing closest to home and study the hardy and plentiful plants in energetic relationship with the land that houses, feeds, affects and influences us.  Youths learn about herb species that can help urban dwellers most in our quest to create healthy bodies and environments, often growing in close proximity without our having realized its potential. 

 

Once we have identified and built a relationship with our fellow locals/natives, we will come to understand the plants’ needs as well as our own, recognize when their kind is doing well and when they are being overharvested or otherwise suffering decline.  Youths gain familiarity with herbs that thrive in the city , learn to utilize herbs in cooking and other applications, learn about conscious harvesting, basic medicine making, develop reciprocal relationship  with the wondrous “weeds” that coinhabit our cities and receive tools for exploring and deepening sense of place, the essential sense of belonging that literally grounds us and our work in the real, living, present world. 

 

 

Herbalism helps youths with

  • Asthma

  • Broken Bones

  • Cancer

  • Colds & Flu’s

  • Emotional issues and more

  • Eczema

  • Obesity

 

Herbalism works in the following areas:

 

Body: Herbs are good for all kinds of illnesses; chronic asthma, allergies, acute-colds, and ear infections. Works well with measles, mumps and other childhood illnesses against which some parents may choose not to immunize.

Mind: Herbs work very well for children with brain dysfunction and similar problems.

Emotions: Herbs work well for depression, anxiety, releasing trauma etc.

Social: Herbs can create social cohesion and is used for grounding in home and social environments

Spirit: Children live much closer to their spiritual selves. Even very low doses of the correct herb can be very effective.

Soil enhancement: Herbs can provide recycled minerals and nutrients to depleted soil, restore environmental traumas and remediate trace minerals while bringing health to the living soil

 

Youth Herbalism Training

 

As a part of the Hattie Carthan Garden Youth Corps participants can develop job skills in gardening, seasonal nutrition, food education, livestock management, composting, environmental stewardship and healthy living. Over the course of a season on the Farm, youths will have the opportunity to gain a strong foundation of agricultural skills and to investigate critical issues affecting their community. Youths will learn to educate, through participation in special events in the market and build community organizing and advocacy skills. We encourage our youths to return for additional seasons to receive leadership training and guide first year participants through the basics.  

 

After a learning intensive training series, the farm stands provide a hands-on experience to youth in the mechanics of owning and operating a community venture, based on the premise that experience really is the best teacher.  All youth interns work in the Hattie Carthan Community Farmers Market upon completing Garden to Market training and will assist in garden maintenance, livestock care, planting, harvesting and packaging of vegetables from the Hattie Carthan Community Garden (adjacent to the Market).   Throughout the season, youth help support market programs and continue to participate in supplemental hands-on trainings and activities on the farm and in the Market.

 

Youth Market Training

 

The Hattie Carthan After Church market is conducting a 2-day youth food educator intensive training for youths.  Our youth training teaches community youths how to facilitate workshops about local and seasonal eating and cooking; basic nutrition; fruit and vegetable identification, food origins, recipe creation, knife skills, food storage and preparation.

 

Upon completion of the two day intensive training and several mandatory food preparation workshops in the market youth food educators conduct cooking demonstration workshops at the Hattie Carthan community market on Saturdays and at the Hattie Carthan After Church market on Sundays from September to November. The youths will inspire and empower other youths and their families to create delicious healthy meals and will occasionally provide cooking demonstrations at youth clubs, in their schools, churches and at community events.

 

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