Before being hired as Powderhorn Program Director, Hashep was the Community Engagement Specialist at the Cultural Wellness Center through the Twin Cities AmeriCorps LISC program. She is a Powderhorn community resident and works with many community partners including the Backyard Initiative, a partnership of the Cultural Wellness Center and Allina, to find ways to increase food access for her south Minneapolis community. A Minneapolis native, Hashep is a graduate of Loring Nicollet Alternative High School and currently pursuing a degree in Community Development at MCTC.

Hashep is very excited to start working at YFMP as she has a long history with many of the youth and a strong emphasis on family involvement. If you are a Powderhorn parent, youth or community partner, we are sure you will hear from Hashep soon, but feel free to contact her at hashep@youthfarm.net or 612.990.0074.

Lead staff Alon sharing his farming story, © Brian Peterson, Star Tribune

This weekend our Farm Stewards attended the Minnesota Food Association’s Immigrant and Minority Farmers Conference. The Farm Stewards attended workshops ranging from the history of farming in Minnesota, sustainable agriculture, and even how to get started with chickens. Teng Lee was even written up in the Star Tribune’s coverage of the event! Check out the article.

The Hawthorne LEAD attended a recent Project LEAD retreat with other Youth Farm Project LEAD from across the Twin Cities in Osceola, WI. At this retreat, Project LEAD from across the city came up with concrete steps towards addressing food justice in their neighborhoods. In addition to planning and helping plan the farms in Hawthorne, this spring, the Hawthorne Project LEAD will be working to develop a food distribution plan for the fruit and vegetables grown at Youth Farm.

Last Thursday, Hawthorne Project LEAD and All-Stars also helped prepare a community meal for families at Nellie Stone Johnson Community School. In all, Project LEAD and All-Stars helped cook and serve meals to over 150 parents and children as part of the Meals for Minds food distribution!

We have a busy spring ahead of us as we prepare for our first full summer of Youth Farm programming, but we are excited about the possibilities for our youth as we transition into this next phase of Youth Farm programming in Hawthorne neighborhood.

With that, YFMP is currently hiring for the full time Program Director position in the Powderhorn Neighborhood. Please see our Employment/Volunteering page for the job posting and how to apply. If you know of any great youth workers, especially with past experience in the Powderhorn Neighborhood, please pass along this job announcement. Please note that this position closes at 5 p.m. on Friday, January 20th.

La Posada is a cultural celebration in the Latino community based on Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to stay, ending in the manger. During the event everyone stood up and sang the traditional song, Villancicos para pedir posadas. We were also entertained by Mexico Lindo, a group of young dancers in traditional Mexican styles.

The night before the party, a group of Lead and a few Youth Farmers partnered with the Latinas de Lyndale en Liderazgo program to make ponce and tinga for tostadas. By the end of the night we had over 40 pounds of shredded chicken soaking with onions in a  special sauce and had enough toppings for 300 tostadas. There was also a huge vat simmering with apples, cinnamon sticks, sugar cane and more for our ponce.

During the event our Lead staff seemed to be everywhere at once.  Nazeem and Niani gathered up Youth Farmers and other children to play games of musical chairs, statue garden, and oboe-she-noten-totten. Anisa went back into face painting mode and spent several hours in the chair. She has fully developed painting butterflies as a marketable skill after so many events.

Farm Steward Jesus and Project Lead Madi taught kids how to grow their own salad. Youth could decorate their own seed pot, fill it with soil, and plant their own lettuce seeds. The idea of growing a salad to feed their family put a big smile on the face of each child and parent.

Elsewhere, Yanelli put into practice her translating skills she has been honing. As one of Santa’s elfs, she had the responsibility to ensure families would recieve the photos of their children on Santa’s lap. In the kitchen, new staff Jade and August went to work plating those hundreds of tostadas. I’ll admit I went back for seconds!

It was an amazing successful and fun celebration. Major thanks to the Lyndale Neighborhood Organization and the Latinas de Lyndale en Liderazgo for allowing us to support the event.

Note: the following interview and write up was done at the event by Lead staff Niani and will be published in the Lyndale Neighborhood News…

December 10, 2011 marks the day part of the Lyndale community gathered inside Painter Park to celebrate La Posada. An annual Mexican holiday. The event was organized by LNA (Lyndale Neighborhood Association) and Youth Farm. Amongst the joyful crowd was Adriana Lara – a youthful appearing Mexican woman with long wavy hair and sparkling brown eyes. After the event I had the pleasure of interviewing her about La Posada. Through a translator I learned about her life in Mexico and America along with her thoughts on health/food in Mexico compared to The U.S.

What does La Posada mean to you?

It is a day to remember baby Jesus. When Mary was about to give birth to Jesus she went from door to door asking people if she could deliver her baby in their homes. Posada is the action of knocking on doors asking to be let in.

How do you think it went this year?

“Bien, Bien, Bien” (Good)

What is your favorite part of La posada? What are some similarities and differences in Mexico?

The food is my favorite part. Some differences include the food. Specifically the drinks. In Mexico there is Atole (a sort of fruit flavored water). In the U.S. there is soda: “Coca y Fanta”.

Why did you move to America?

To study cosmetology. When I got here the tuition was $900 and I couldn’t afford it. I want to go back to Mexico but my kids want to study here. I am frustrated that I didn’t meet my goal.

What do you like about The U.S.?

Everything! The cold, the snow, and the fashion. There are more opportunities here. In Mexico the older you are the harder it becomes to find a job.

What don’t you like?

I don’t like all of the frozen food. In Mexico, food is always fresh. Mexico has less fatty food that’s why everyone in America is obese. I also have a lot of stress from paying bills and I’m getting fatter [she says with a smile]. 

She also expressed that she doesn’t feel comfortable leaving her kid’s home alone but at the same time she has to pay the bills. Most of all she expressed sadness for not being able to go to cosmetology school. With all the bills and stress she’s facing, she doesn’t see a future for herself.“No hay futuro”.

Support your Community by Supporting Youth Farm 

At Youth Farm and Market Project (YFMP), we respect our roots and our history.Without ongoing support, we would not be where we are today. We would love to have your support.

Click Here to support Transformative Youth Work

Your contribution today can support YFMP Youth-Led Food Movement that is impacting the communities you live in.

Over the past year, we have seen the following significant growth:

• SECURED MULTIYEAR NATIONAL FUNDING
• INCREASED NEIGHBORHOOD REACH: Two new neighborhood programs 
• INCREASED LOCAL EMPLOYEMENT: 60% increase in full-time staff positions
• EXPANDED PROGRAMING:  Introduction of our Farm Stewards Program

YFMP is only as strong as our community and that community includes supporters like you. Your strong contribution will allow YFMP to continue to be a leader in the Youth-Led Food Movement in the Twin Cities. In order to continue with our aggressive expansion and reinvestment into the local community, we have set a goal of $25,000 for our winter fundraising efforts.

Giving to YFMP could not be easier. In addition to the traditional mail in check or credit card gift, online giving through GiveMN.org is the most secure and easy way to make a one time or recurring donation (a $10/month donation goes much further than a one time $50 donation).

The coming year promises to be an exciting one of new growth, new neighborhoods, and many new youth. Contributions from community members like you, assure our continued success and growth. Contribute today and help us continue to have a positive impact on the youth and communities that we serve.

Sincerely,

Gunnar Liden
Executive Director

Michelle Horowitz from Urban Baby finishes mixing a batch of spinach balls with the Hawthorne All-Stars.

Last Tuesday, Urban Baby’s Michelle Horowitz came to cook with the Hawthorne All-Stars class at Farview Park. A previous public defender and chef, Michelle brings a lot of passion, knowledge, and healthy & delicious food to North Minneapolis. A resident of North, Michelle founded Urban Baby to “address health disparities in nutritionally at-risk communities, strengthen communities around food, and help create an equitable and sustainable food system.”

Despite the organization’s focus on working with parents and young children, Michelle offered up her time to come out and guest chef with the Hawthorne All-Stars. What was on the menu? Spinach Balls and Sweet Potato/Zucchini Pancakes with homemade ranch dressing.

One rule we have at Youth Farm is that you can’t call food yucky, nasty, icky, or disgusting. We tell youth it’s ok not to like a food, but they have to be able to explain why. As you might expect from most youth, there was a lot of initial skepticism about the menu. Michelle addressed this by introducing the term neophobia – the fear of trying new foods, and begged the question of how youth learned to try ice cream or pizza for the first time.

After cooking for nearly an hour, the veggie pancakes and spinach balls were finished, and the general consensus among the All-Stars was that despite their names, these two snacks were delicious and not all that hard to make.

Many thanks to Michelle Horowitz and Urban Baby their work in North Minneapolis and support of Youth Farm programming.

By now, our guess is that you have been overwhelmed by “Give to the Max” emails and requests. The culture of giving in Minnesota is wonderful, and the choices are vast, and we hope that you understand the impact your gift will make at YFMP.

Click HERE to fill up your Give to the Max Grocery Cart with Reliable Transportation, hundreds of strong youth leaders, and over 11,000 lbs. of local produce by supporting YFMP (Don’t miss the new VIDEO on the GiveMN Page).

Thank you in advance for supporting our efforts in Building a Youth Led Food Movement in the Twin Cities.

Sincerely,

Gunnar Liden, Executive Director