We all remember our first job. Whether we babysat, mowed lawns or scooped ice cream, that formidable foray into adult responsibility tends to leave a lasting impression. At the LEAF Project in south central PA, local youth are immersed in meaningful farm and food system work as their summer job. This gig opens doors into agriculture, culinary arts and public outreach, while sowing leadership skills and lasting bonds for the participating teens.
We spoke with Emma Stone, the LEAF Project Community Engagement Coordinator and alumni of the program. She walked us through the facets of this incredible organization, which serves Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry counties.
The primary program of the LEAF Project is its Youth Summer Program for teens ages 14 – 18. It’s typically the first touch-point with LEAF, and participants can go on to apply for leadership roles after its completion. The application process is quite competitive, with up to 100+ teens seeking about 16 new open spots. LEAF employs teens from diverse backgrounds and gets the word out through recruitment events at local high schools. “We might get applicants who come from a farming background or who never worked outside in their life,” says Stone. “It’s a mixed bag of reasons why someone might apply here.”
Teens farm about 40 different crops from June through August. They also learn culinary skills in the onsite kitchen and develop a variety of competencies, like leadership, public speaking and outreach, through workshops and breakout sessions. Stone says, “When a young person works here, they walk away with learning so much more about themselves and who they are as an individual and leader.”
Food grown and prepared at LEAF goes to local restaurants, markets, farm share boxes and hunger relief agencies, putting the youth squarely within an essential food system. Workshops encourage deeper exploration, with the teens diving into questions about food pricing and purchasing power.
After that first summer, teens have the opportunity to continue on through the school year, which about 75% do. They earn more per hour and lean into their area of interest, whether culinary, outreach or peer leadership. The extra work positions them for a mentorship role in following summers and further growth and fellowship opportunities in the future. “There is a lot of competency tracking,” says Stone, including leveled tasks and proficiencies as the youth advance in the program. She adds, “The more that a young person invests in LEAF, the more we invest in them.”
The youth report improved communications with people of different backgrounds and show marked improvement in workforce readiness skills like organization and time management. This valuable know-how translates across industries. “We’ve been around about 12 years now,” says Stone, “so we’re just starting to see where our youth are ending up and it’s pretty exciting.”
LEAF’s also invites elementary classes to explore farm through its Farm to School Program. Stone says, “Classes of 20 to 35 students come to the farm and rotate in three groups for workshops about the seed cycle, a farm task and then a kitchen task. They make their own all-local pizzas. It’s super-fun — who doesn’t love a field trip?”
For those nearby, there are a few ways to support and savor the work of the the LEAF Project. You can find members selling at local farmers markets like Farmers on the Square in Carlisle and the Newport Farmers Market in Newport. LEAF’s seasonal Farm Share boxes offer fantastic shares of fresh produce and other goods. “In the spring, it might look like tender greens and early spring peas,” says Stone. “In the winter, it’s lots of lettuce from our greenhouses but also root veggies, squash and other hardy vegetables.” The summer bounty includes peppers, tomatoes and eggplants and beans. There’s also local bread, eggs and the “farmer’s choice” from a local or grower included, which could be honey, fruit or tea.
There’s also a new soup share, which Stone is excited about. “Our kitchen program has gotten really good at making soups,” she says. Those are available in the fall and winter and include many vegan and gluten free options.
There are two annual opportunities for the community to visit the farm. Open Farm Day, held in July, is a free event with all-local pizzas, farm tours, pie tasting contest and plenty of family fun. LEAF’s signature (and ticketed) event, Savor, is a special strolling supper held on the grounds the third weekend in September. Stone says, “It connects the food, land and the people, and our youth crew is at the heart of it.” Regional chefs are paired with local farmers and producers to create scrumptious small plates paired with locally made beverages, and PA Preferred sponsors the event. VIP upgrade tickets allows early access and give you the opportunity to interact with the youth crew before the main event gets underway.
Stone says, “The concept is for guests to come to the farm and have a strolling supper, stopping at all of the chef stations, learning about the food they’re eating and connecting with everyone else in attendance. The late summer timing is intentional. The nights feel impossibly long and the fruits and vegetables are so abundant and delicious. It’s truly a celebration of all that it takes to eat, and the luxury it is to eat delicious food and look face-to-face with the farmer and the chef who created each dish.”
Going forward, the LEAF Project will continue to tend to what it’s sowed. Stone says, “Every year, we are growing, evolving and leaning into different ventures. There are big things, as always, behind the scenes. But, for now, we’re just believing in the power of young people.”
Visit the LEAF Project website and Facebook and Instagram pages to learn more and stay in the loop! 554 Warm Springs Rd., Landisburg; (717) 559-5323.
- Photos: The Leaf Project
