Teens on Farms officially started on October 2008.

Jason Sturgis

This summer the program has 11 students working on seven different farms. The farms include Zephyros Farm and Garden, Mad Dog Ranch, Peace and Plenty Farm, Rivendell Farm, Fresh and Wyld, Ela Family Farms and Small Potatoes Farm.

"We would like to honor the students at the Mountain Harvest Festival," Shenk said. "If they are interested they can work with the Lambert Grange this Christmas and help us next spring in recruiting new people. Of course, we would love to have them back next year."

Jessica Sturgis

For the most part, those in Teens on Farms are not from farming families. "We wanted to give all kids equal opportunity to work on farms," Shenk added. The students came from Paonia Junior and Senior High Schools, Hotchkiss High School and the Vision School. By 2011, the Teens on Farms program will hopefully also include Delta and Cedaredge and will be countywide. "It depends on how interested the farmers and kids are. Ultimately, they are the ones who make it a success." By that time, Shenk would like the program duplicable by other communities.

Teens on Farms raises money for the program and to pay for the students worker compensation and employer taxes. This year the students made $7.50 an hour for the pilot program. Next year, Teens on Farms may be more flexible with pay to bring in more younger kids to apprentice and compensate the "really great" workers.

Most of the farmers working with the teens are members of the Valley Organic Growers Association (VOGA). "They have taken a selfless view of this by investing in the youth even though it takes their time. It's not directly adding to their farm's profitability."

Don Lareau heard about Teens on Farms through VOGA, whose members have been giving Shenk feedback since the beginning days of the program.

Lareau said the benefits of the Teens on Farms program for him have included having a labor crew that has their payroll taxes and worker's compensation paid. "Having those costs covered is helpful, especially since a lot of training is involved." It would be hard to hire untrained youth to work on the farms otherwise. "To have this much help is something new. We are trying to figure out what kind of mix of labor will work for us," Lareau said. Working at the Zephyros Farm and Garden are Jessica Sturgis who works with flowers, her brother Jason Sturgis and AJ Huey both of whom work with vegetables and Willow Woods takes care of the farm animals including sheep and goats.

AJ Huey learned about Teens on Farms at his school. "I thought it would be pretty cool to have a job when I was only 15 years old." He attended the Farm Camp over spring break going to a number of farms in Delta County. He's working this summer to get money for his student pilot's license. From the program he has learned about a lot of fruits and vegetables. "I didn't know broccoli was the flower of the plant."

Jason Sturgis said he first was interested in the program to make money this summer, but has enjoyed learning when different vegetables are ripe and ready to harvest.

Jessica Sturgis has liked working with flowers. She plans to plant a garden at her house. Jessica works one day a week from 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. She's earning money for college.

AJ Huey

For more information on Teens on Farms call Cassandra Shenk at 872-3559 361-0245. They have a website at www.deltacd.net/ teensonfarms.html.