A small farm in Carlsbad Springs is teaming up with the Parkdale Food Centre to not only grow delicious produce but to be a learning ground for youth. Students Max D’Amato and Aster Cuddihy are gaining experience – from the ground up, “We’re learning how to plant foods and, plants and stuff and harvest them,” Cuddihy said Both are co-op students working with the Parkdale Food Centre, taking part in the youth initiative that aims to develop their skills for the future. “The program offers building employment skills but also the opportunity for our youths to kind of connect with the community,” explains Emilie Waters, the Parkdale Food Centre’s youth coordinator. Every week, the students head out to “Thunder Gardens” in Carlsbad Springs to help with various farm tasks. “We wanted that kind of component where the youth got to learn more about their local food systems, like where does the come from? And just being able to kind of see that growing process and the appreciation that comes with growing something from start to finish,” said Waters. The students are gaining not only knowledge but helping to reap the rewards too. “We donated probably around 1,200 pounds to the Parkdale Food Center,” said Jay Smith, the farm’s co-owner. Smith, a former Algonquin College teacher re-rooted his life, opening the farm to several youth groups in the region. “That’s been the biggest gift is what we’ve seen through the emotion and joy that the people who come to our farm experience, like when a student sees an eggplant, they didn’t know what it was like. They ask so many questions, but they’re always full of wonder and curiosity,” he said. Some of the produce grown on the farm will be used by various programs at the Parkdale Food Centre. “We get a lot of farm fresh, really amazing produce, which is obviously a very great benefit to Parkdale. It’s really great,” said Waters. The students say it’s win-win-win – skills, experience and food for the community, “I get to go to sleep at night knowing that I helped, people other than myself. And I build skills that I wouldn’t gained in the classroom,” said Max.
