Teenagers dig in at farmers market
At this farmers market, the produce looks familiar, but not the farmers.
Working among the organic fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, and condiments are teens who have found a meaningful way to spend summer and earn money.
They are involved in every step of growing, picking, and preparing these products, then selling them on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at the Dudley Town Common in Roxbury.
The market is run by the Food Project, which coordinates the growing of crops on its farms in Roxbury and Lincoln. About 60 percent of the teens come from the city, and the rest from communities around Lincoln, said Michael Iceland, outreach coordinator.
According to the project's website, teens make $150 a week for 37 1/2 hours work. The summer program runs from the end of June through mid-August, and the workers can apply to continue working through the project's Academic Year Program, which consists of working Saturdays and possibly after school, said Iceland.
"There's a natural affinity between youth and entrepreneurship," said Hannah Freedberg, community outreach director for the Federation of Massachusetts Farmers' Markets. "Young people are going, 'Hey, I'm kind of interested in farmers markets. I'll check that out.' "
Freedberg said the Food Project is unique in that teens help with so much of the production and selling of produce; other markets include teens in only some capacities.
At the program, teens help bring food to people who might not get fresh produce otherwise.
"Forty percent of what we grow goes to hunger relief," Iceland said. The teens help prepare and serve food for shelters, such as Rosie's Place. The group also hosts lunches for the community, as well as for politicians and donors. Teen interns at the project's kitchen in Roxbury prepare farm food under guidance of area chefs.
Late last month, Mayor Thomas Menino and his staff were guests at the Roxbury farm. Walking through the 1.4-acre lot, past sunflowers, lettuce, squash, and eggplants, Menino noticed rows of tomato plants heavy with fruit.
"I have tomato plants at my home in Hyde Park, and I want to know what you're doing here to keep the squirrels away," he said.
Even heavy rain couldn't dampen spirits that day. "It's good for the vegetables," Oleana sous chef Cassie Kyriakides said when caught in a downpour between the kitchen and the farm, where lunch was served under tents.
Kyriakides was one of the chefs overseeing teens as they made a lunch of braised duck sandwiches with a carrot herb dressing and tomato jam, squash stuffed with mushrooms and cheddar, and a mixed green salad.
She said her day on the farm "really makes my summer," adding that she gets a lot of satisfaction watching kids learn so much in one day.
Others share that sense.
Eva Uribe, the Food Project's chef and culinary educator, said she takes her mentoring role seriously. "It's hard not to. The youth and workers grow close and build trust working in the fields and the kitchen together."
She explained how the staff puts a mix of students on each team; different genders, races, and hometowns work together.
"Part of our vision is to create change by breaking down barriers," Uribe said. "We want people to see that we're all the same no matter where you live. High school is tough, and here we break down that clique mentality."
During an ice-breaker before lunch, differences among teens surfaced. A suburban boy said his greatest commitment was to his ultimate Frisbee team; the urban teen next to him explained how he takes care of his little brother when his mother works late.
But once they got to talking about the Food Project, they sounded a lot alike, even filling in each other's sentences. Asked their least-favorite job, three field workers answered: "Weeding!"
"Especially when they're really small," said Lennie Johnson, 14, from Roxbury.
"And hard to grab," added Paige Roosa, 14, from Sudbury.
Lennie said he has gotten a lot out of working on the farm, especially considering what he would be doing otherwise: "Most of [my friends] sleep all day and wait for me to get home to hang out. I'd probably be doing the same thing."
Instead, he's seeing the fruits of his labor -- literally. "Harvest is my favorite part because you're picking the same vegetables you thought wouldn't grow a few months ago," he said.
