Urban Farming with PPL's Leap Program
Planting, weeding, harvesting. It’s not just a weekend in the backyard - it’s an internship. Four LEAP students enjoyed an eight-week-long program last summer digging their hands in the dirt at the Four Sisters Urban Farm while also taking weekly visits to farms in both Wisconsin and Minnesota.
The Learn and Earn to Achieve Potential (LEAP) program at Project for Pride in Living (PPL) focuses on opportunity youth who are 14-24 years-old and who have experienced public systems such as juvenile justice and foster care, homelessness/high mobility, young parenthood, and/or falling behind in or being disengaged at school. At PPL, LEAP has created a community-oriented supportive network that works together on behalf of youth to remove barriers and maximize opportunities.
In 2024, LEAP created a partnership with Native American Community Development Institute (NACDI) with the intention of exposing participants to farming, food systems, and land stewardship. The Four Sisters Urban Farm, located in the East Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis, is part of NACDI’s Food Sovereignty program. Together, LEAP and NACDI created the Four Sisters Urban Farm Internship to support youth while working on the Urban Farm, participating in local community, and gaining knowledge from other farmers.
LEAP has been launching pilot Youth Apprenticeships within the New America’s Partnership to Advance Youth Apprenticeship (PAYA) network in Green Jobs. A leader in the importance of green space, The Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul Minnesota leads in its understanding of the importance of green space, with allocations of the dollars to back it up, along with strong advocacy at county and state levels for innovative strategies to bring green careers to historically marginalized populations. There is an opportunity to train and co-develop talent to meet the needs of employers, engage an untapped talent pool into our economy, build wealth in low-income communities, and build up the workforce in the green industry which will need increasing talent to meet the project and initiative need on a local, state and federal level as the climate crisis continues.
The four interns worked on these farms in exchange for knowledge on the different focuses, practices, and systems on each farm. At Dream of Wild Health Farm, the interns met Jason, who focuses on recovering and teaching native skills and tools. Weeding various beds, harvesting beans, and planting seeds were some of the hands-on activities at this specific farm. Being exposed to different types of farms allowed interns to become familiar with different types of farming and the niche ways farms can operate. These farm field trips also became a great networking opportunity for interns seeking general information and career connections.
When at the local neighborhood farm, the interns experienced the full cycle of a harvest and worked hard to maintain a flourishing garden. In the beginning, weeding and becoming familiar with each other were two of the top priorities. Because the intern cohort was small, friendships formed quickly and made the days even more enjoyable. Two of the interns, Mateo Pena Jones and Elijah Awonuga, expressed that spending time in the sunshine and working with their hands in the dirt was amazing for their mental health.
Throughout each week, the interns implemented new strategies on the farm that allowed them to work independently or as a team. While learning innovative ways to grow various vegetables, community remained a top priority. Residents from Collaborative Village Initiative, a PPL property, would often visit the farm. One week, the children were invited to the garden for a scavenger hunt!
The LEAP program's partnership with NACDI through the Four Sisters Urban Farm Internship has proven to be a transformative experience for its participants. By exposing Opportunity Youth to farming, food systems, and land stewardship, the program not only provided valuable hands-on knowledge but also fostered a sense of community, personal growth, and mental well-being. The internships helped these young individuals gain diverse skills, form meaningful connections, and build a network of resources for their future careers. Ultimately, the collaboration between LEAP and NACDI has empowered these youth, giving them the tools and confidence to overcome challenges and pursue opportunities in both agriculture and their broader lives.