History – The Lyndale Neighborhood Program is the original YFMP neighborhood program. Started in 1995 as a summer program of the Lyndale Neighborhood Association, YFMP quickly became a stronghold in the Lyndale Neighborhood. YFMP’s original farmsite at 3112 Pillsbury Ave. was a result of a strong collaboration between the Neighborhood Association, the City of Minneapolis, and neighborhood residents to transform a troubled spot in the neighborhood into a space of hope and action by youth and residents. 17 years later, the Lyndale YFMP has 3 farm sites including this original site, space at the Charles Horn Terrace Housing complex, and the Lyndale Community School.
Farm locations
View Youth Farm and Market Project Farmsites in a larger map
Current Programming - Lyndale YFMP is busy! We have four to five programs every week through the school year. Each Wednesday we have after school classes through Minneapolis Community Ed at Lyndale Community School and at Whittier Elementary School. We have been working with Lyndale School for over ten years and are excited at upcoming projects to build a new fence and hoop house at our Lyndale Farm with their students. At Whittier School we collaborate with parents and the PPL Seed Program to maintain a garden. Classes at these schools learn basic farming and cooking skills. Thursday afternoons we have a program at Zion Lutheran Church for neighborhood youth to cook up dinner and work on farm and craft projects. Every other Friday we provide programming at Painter Park Rec Center to the youth of LNA’s Latinas de Lyndale en Liderazgo group. These youth make a snack for their mothers every night of program, in addition to all the fun youth farm games we play. Our Whittier and Zion classes are taught by interns from Macalester’s Off Campus Student Engagement Program. Lyndale Youth Farm has also collaborated with the Blaisdell YMCA on nutrition activities for their PhD program.
Once a month we gather our All Stars together for Summits where we plan menus for the Thursday class, work on our role modeling skills, plan service learning projects, and have a blast together. Last spring the All Stars build a brand new Youth Farm garden on the side of Zion Lutheran Church. Once a week our Lead staff come together for their school year internship. Part of this internship is working closely with LNA on community events, including La Posada, Lyndale Open House, Dia del Nino/Summer Sampler, and Fish Fest. The Lead and All Stars partly or fully cater several community events including the Lyndale Open House and the World of Whittier Fair.
Neighborhood Food Distribution - Weekly Family Produce Shares – In the Lyndale Neighborhood, as a result of our community food assessment surveys, the Project LEAD determined that the most effective way to distribute their produce would be to have “Family Shares”, modeled after the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) process. This past summer, the Lyndale YFMP has 26 Family Share members who receive a weekly box of produce that they pick up every Friday from our farm. These boxes include: onions, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, raspberries, and lettuce. In addition to these family shares, Lyndale youth also sell tomatoes and potatoes to the Common Roots Café in South Minneapolis.
For more information about the Lyndale Neighborhood YFMP or if you are a youth that lives or goes to school in the Lyndale Neighborhood and are interested in learning more about programming during the school year or summer, contact Lyndale Program Director Phil Rooney on our staff contact page.
LATEST NEWS FROM THE LYNDALE NEIGHBORHOOD
Support YFMP with a year end contribution
Gunnar Liden : December 20, 2011 11:54 AM : Events, Frogtown, Hawthorne, Lyndale, Powderhorn, West Side, Youth LeadershipSupport 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
Last Friday Lyndale had its second session of programming with LNA’s Latinas de Lyndale en Liderazgo (LLL) program. Through the LLL program Latina women in the Lyndale neighborhood learn community organizing skills through taking action on a community issue. Since its inception last year, Youth Farm has provided quality programming to the women’s children during program sessions.
The group of us had a blast together on Friday night. We played tag at Painter Park, picked up trash around the neighborhood while flyering for a new ESL program, and celebrated Dia de Los Muertos with a potluck and frosting our own colorful sugar cookies.
The program is a great partnership between LNA and Youth Farm and is another example of how we’re building relationships across our hood. At the end of the three and a half hour program all the kids were talking about wanting to come back the next day!
Lyndale LEAD Kick Off School Year Internship
Phil Rooney : October 19, 2011 11:58 AM : Lyndale, Project LEADThis last Monday the Lyndale LEAD kicked off their school year internship. Over the school year our LEAD will meet together over twenty times to do lots of planning and skill development. The Lyndale LEAD staff plan farms and food distribution, community events, and programming. Over the year the LEAD develop leadership, organizing, and youth work skills.
Our meeting this Monday was devoted to trainings on Youth Farm’s goals and program strategies and the roles of LEAD. The rest of the fall will be devoted to reflecting on food justice, planning our farms and distribution, and developing a new role as lisasons to Lyndale community partners. This year we have eleven amazing LEAD staff in Lyndale with 46 combined years of experience in Youth Farm!
Give it up for Anisa, Hamdi, Niani, Nazeem, Yanelli, Rahma, Liban, Deqa, Jade, Maddie and August!
Out of the classroom and into the Farms
Phil Rooney : September 12, 2011 12:20 PM : Frogtown, Hawthorne, Lyndale, partners, West SideLast week four Youth Farm neighborhoods hosted over 90 first-year Macalester students for “Into the Streets,” a day of community service for new students. It was the most volunteers to ever descend on Youth Farm in one day! Across our Minneapolis and St. Paul farm sites students were building farms, harvest produce, and putting beds to rest for the winter. Our sincerest gratitude to Macalester College’s Civic Engagement Center for organizing the event and being great supporters of YFMP. Below are a few photos of a group farming in Hawthorne.
Here are a few images from a great Lyndale Harvest Festival Wednesday night. What a HUGE crowd. The food was excellent, music was great, and we couldn’t be more proud of the Lyndale Youth Farm.
