Reflections on the Teen Farm Fellowship’s 1st Year

At the beginning of the summer, five young adults—the inaugural cohort of Teen Farm Fellows at Cedar Circle—arrived on the farm for the experience of a lifetime. They were eager to roll up their sleeves, get their hands dirty, and learn about agriculture and food systems through this unique paid work and learning program.

Mornings were usually spent in the fields alongside the Vegetable Production Team, either harvesting, weeding, or supporting other projects. In the afternoons, the Fellows had opportunities to learn, either in the classroom or through service learning projects at local farms and community gardens. On-farm classes, debates, individual “food citizen action projects”—where they identified a problem in agriculture, researched and provided solutions— and even journaling contributed to incredible growth in their agricultural literacy.

Despite the fact that farming is so ingrained in Vermont culture, the reality is that farming is so peripheral to many individuals unless they have the experience of living on a farm. Cedar Circle’s new Teen Farm Fellowship program offered Fellows the chance to experience farming firsthand, including exploring different types of agriculture like apiculture—the practice of raising and caring for bees and their hives.

Beyond farming-specific knowledge, our Fellows developed real life skills that will follow them into the world. Some had never purchased or processed food for themselves before, or had to consider the quality of the produce in front of them. As farmers, and farm-based educators, it can be easy to take this “skill” for granted. What should a bunch of kale look like at a grocery store? What is the ideal ripeness of a tomato that’s harvested to be sold at a market?

The impact of the 10-week program was truly inspiring. One Fellow, who started out quiet and disengaged, transformed into one of the most impactful team members and a natural leader among the Fellows. So much so, they returned after the program ended to help at our annual Pumpkin Festival. Another Fellow, a high school graduate, chose to stay on and continue working with our Vegetable Team through the fall.

The Teen Farm Fellowship program at Cedar Circle aligned with our educational goals in a new and impactful way by directly integrating education into every aspect of the farm’s work. Nearly every department—Vegetable Production, Annual & Perennial Flowers, Research & Development, and others—contributed to the Fellows’ learning experience. After just one season, it’s clear that this program will be a catalyst for expanding our educational initiatives across the entire organization, helping us build a stronger, more cohesive Education Center and nonprofit working farm.