Non-profit Just Food encompasses all that is farm fresh in New York City. Since 1995, the organization has been connecting sustainable food farms, markets, pantry programs and gardens to one another through an ever-growing network. Their Farm School NYC program is a two year course that provides professional training in urban agriculture, and enables New Yorkers to further inspire local action toward sustainable living.
Students can either commit to a full two-year certificate program, or partake in many individual courses. Training with Farm School NYC isn’t just a crash course on urban farming, but instead designed to create a class of grassroots leaders who will help push the food justice movement forward. By training community members to become leaders, they can incite community organization and employ advocacy techniques to other community members who wish to be a part of the movement.
A network of urban farmers, community gardens and anti-hunger advocates make up the leaders of the program, and they pass on their expertise to each student, educating them on all fronts of food justice and practicality. Because the Farm School NYC seeks to create leaders in all neighborhoods and walks of life, the program’s tuition is on a sliding scale, based on income and household size.
With classes around New York City, the Farm School NYC is helping a new generation of food-forward leaders perfect their skills on urban growing, business and marketing, community organization and nutrition education.
This is fantastic! It is absolutely what we – and other cities – need to put resources into. What an incredible opportunity not only to get educated, but to learn how to really make a difference.