Urban Farm Internship Program

City College youth intern engaged in food prep.

Like many urban areas in recent years, the Baltimore area has some urban farms. REAL FOOD FARM (RFF), a Civic Works enterprise, is a working urban agricultural enterprise which grows fresh produce on eight acres of land in and around Clifton Park in northeast Baltimore. It is committed to be environmentally sustainable, while providing access to healthy foods for surrounding neighborhoods.

Among the many activities. in which RFF is involved, is a great opportunity for local youths in 11th and 12th grades from the Lake Clifton area of the city. It's an opportunity to become an intern for the entire year. Each year RFF chooses ten students to fill the internship slots. Students must be attending one of the partner schools: REACH! Partnership, Heritage, City Neighbors, City College, or Independence.



The work involves helping at the Farm; participating in workshops on nutrition, leadership, and food justice. Students also get to show off their cooking skills by making the produce grown at the farm into delicious dishes. Then, in the spring, the interns engage in planning a youth event, where they can share what they've learned during the year and how fresh foods make an impact on Baltimore's food system.

There is money involved in this internship program, too. Interns receive up to $200 dollars for each semester, ($150 for completion and a $25 or $50 bonus for perfect attendance). The number of hours of participation in this program count for service learning hours.

The deadline for applications is September 28. The program is a good fit for students interested in growing their own food, learning about health, and want to make a difference. After applications are in, students are contacted to set up an interview with farm staff. Once accepted as an intern, students work attend on Wednesdays and Saturdays from October through May.

Trying pawpaw vinegar.

Some past interns have commented upon the program. A 2013 intern said, "I liked getting to lead tours on the farm, and its helped me to be more confident and less shy when talking to people." Another intern from 2013 reported, "Even my mom couldn't get me to eat sweet potatoes, but I tried the ones we cooked at Real Food Farm and now I like them!" As I've thought, there's nothing like growing it yourself, then cooking and seasoning to bring out the flavor in produce. An intern from 2014 to 2015 said, "My diet was terrible! I used to drink a lot of soda and eat a lot of fast food! Now I limit myself. Most of the time I eat home cooked meals now."

There is also bee-keeping at Real Food Farm.

It's good to know that this wonderful learning experience is bringing a greater degree of health to our high school students. It's also creating leaders, who are more aware of environmental issues, know what sustainability is all about, and realize the importance of providing fresh foods to their community.

Thanks for information from this article on the Civic Works Real Food Farm site: http://realfoodfarm.civicworks.com/get-educated/youth-crew/; and the above link.

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