The Community Food Bank’s Youth Farm Project announces two upcoming programs.  They are the Youth Farm Project’s Summer Youth Street Team and the 2010 Fall Youth Apprentice Program.

Learn about the Youth Farm Project

Youth Farm Project’s Summer Street Team: This program is a three-week intensive exploration of our community’s food systems.  Street Team participants will navigate issues of hunger, nutritional poverty and food security in our community, while also investigating sustainable agriculture and local food resources as a way to build healthy communities. Participants will take field trips to visit local farms, backyard gardens, grocery stores, soup kitchens and other organizations, as well as participate in a community-wide event at the end of the program

Program dates are June 28th though July 16th, Monday –Friday.  Street Team members will receive a $200 stipend.  The program is seeking youth15 to 20 years of age.  We are still accepting applications, apply today! For more information, contact the Youth Farm Project staff at (520) 873-7401 or e-mail at youthfarmproject@communityfoodbank.org.

Download the application materials for our Summer Youth Street Team program (June 28-July 16, 2010):

View Youth Summer Street Team Fact Sheet

View Youth Summer Street Team Application

2010 Fall Youth Apprentice Program: This program will take place from September 11th through December 18th.  The Youth Apprentice program is a farm–based learning opportunity for youth who express interest in learning where their food comes from.  Youth will participate in Saturday work days and will learn the many aspects of sustainable food production including planting, harvesting, greenhouse propagation, irrigation, water harvesting, vermiculture, garden design and poultry care.  Apprentices will also explore our food system through hands-on learning and field trips.

Download the application materials for our Fall Youth Apprentice Program (Sept 11-Dec 19, 2010):

Youth Apprentice Fact Sheet 2010

Youth Apprentice Application 2010

The program takes place at the Community Food Bank’s 10-acre Marana Heritage Farm located off Tangerine Road in Marana, Arizona.  The program is seeking youth 15 to 20 years of age.  The application deadline is September 1st.  For more information, contact the Youth Farm Project staff at (520) 873-7401 or e-mail at youthfarmproject@communityfoodbank.org.

View Marana Heritage Farm in a larger map

For the 18^th consecutive year the National Association of Letter Carriers and the Community Food Bank will team up to collect donations on Saturday, May 8, 2010 for the “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive

The Community Food Bank will join the letter carriers’ efforts to provide food to depleted supplies. “The NALC” Food Drive is especially important to us this year,” said Bill Carnegie, Community Food Bank President/CEO.  “More families are seeking assistance than ever before and we really need our community to support the Letter Carriers efforts.  It is important to note that all food collected will go to help local families in need.”

To help “Stamp Out Hunger” in Southern Arizona, residents may leave a bag of non-perishable food, such as canned meats, canned vegetables, canned soups, cereal, peanut butter, canned fruit or canned tomato products next to their mail box before the time of their mail delivery on Saturday, May 8^th.   Food should be in non-breakable containers.  Letter carriers will collect the food donations and deliver them to the Community Food Bank.

Last year the National Association of Letter Carriers “Stamp Out Hunger” food drive collected almost 300,000 pounds of food for hungry families in Southern Arizona.  Nationally, the NALC hopes to reach the 1 billion pound mark for food donations since the inception of the food drive.

For further information, contact the NALC Branch #704 at (520) 323-2117 or Jack Parris at (520) 622-0525 x 215.

How you can help

• Donate non-perishable food! Needed items are canned meats, canned vegetables, canned soups, cereal, peanut butter, canned fruit or canned tomato products. Please do not donate items in breakable containers such as glass, as these can be hazardous to our postal carriers, volunteers and staff.
• This year the letter carriers urgently need help sorting the food and loading it into the tractor-trailers that will transport it to the Community Food Bank. Volunteer assignments are available at several local post offices. To volunteer, call Volunteer Manager Kristen Hershberger by Friday, April 30, at 622-0525 Ext. 204.

The Marana Heritage Farm has applied to the USDA Rural Development for funding assistance for the development of a Composting Project.  A public meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 14, 2010  at 5:00 PM to discuss the specific elements of the application and to give the residents in the local area an opportunity to become acquainted with the proposed project.  The residents may provide comments on such items as economic and environmental issues that may impact the area or discuss any alternatives to the proposed project.  The meeting will be held at the Marana Heritage Farm located at 12375 N. Park Drive, Marana, Arizona.  Additional information about this meeting can be obtained by contacting Cie’na Schaefli at (520) 449-3154.

Who: Everyone welcome!

What: Tours of a 10-acre production and education farm

When: Monday, April 12, 2010
Farm Stand Hours:  3:00 to 6:00 PM
Farm Tours: 3:00 to 5:00 PM

Where: Community Food Bank’s Marana Heritage Farm at
12375 N. Heritage Park Drive (Tangerine Exit off I-10)

Admission: Free and open to the public

The Marana Heritage Farm Stand’s tours will cover the 10 acres of food producing fields, an “edible forest,” a passive water catchment system, composting, a chicken coop, a cob oven, and the Children’s Garden.  Community members will learn about the local food system by seeing the connection between the Marana Heritage Farm and the fresh fruits and vegetables they can purchase at the Farm Stand.

The Marana Heritage Farm is a partnership between the Community Food Bank, the Town of Marana Parks and Recreation Department and many community members.  Produce grown at the Marana Heritage Farm is sold at the Marana Farm Stand, the Community Food Bank Farmers’ Market, and the Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market.

Local produce selections at the Farm Stand include citrus, salad and cooking greens, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, radishes, cabbage, potatoes, green onions, apples, fresh eggs and much more.

All the Markets including the Farm Stand accept credit and debit cards, SNAP (food stamps), cash, and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Cash Value Vouchers for fruits and vegetables.

For more information, contact Sara Rickard at (520) 622-0525 x 242.

The Geasa-Marana Library at 13370 North Lon Adams Road in Marana will host a showing of the movie “Food, Inc.” on Thursday, April 8, 2010 from 5:30 to 7:00 PM.

The Marana Heritage Farm will hold a “Farm Stand” in conjunction with the showing of the movie and sell fresh vegetables from the farm.  Local produce selections at the “Farm Stand” will include citrus, salad and cooking greens, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, radishes, cabbage, potatoes, green onions, apples, fresh eggs and much more.

The movie “Food, Inc.” describes America’s industrial food system and its effect on our environment, health, economy and workers’ rights.  A community discussion will follow the movie.

For more information, contact Nancy Lindeman at (520) 594-5259.

Who: Everyone welcome!

What: Tours of a 10-acre production and education farm

When: Monday, February 22, 2010
Farm Stand Hours: 3:00 to 6:00 PM
Farm Tours: 3:00 to 5:00 PM

Where: Community Food Bank’s Marana Heritage Farm at
12375 N. Heritage Park Drive (Tangerine Exit off I-10)

Admission: Free and open to the public

The Marana Heritage Farm Stand’s tours will cover the 10 acres of food producing fields, an “edible forest,” a passive water catchment system, composting, a chicken coop, a cob oven, and the Children’s Garden. Community members will learn about the local food system by seeing the connection between the Marana Heritage Farm and the fresh fruits and vegetables they can purchase at the Farm Stand.

The Marana Heritage Farm is a partnership between the Community Food Bank, the Town of Marana Parks and Recreation Department and many community members. Produce grown at the Marana Heritage Farm is sold at the Marana Farm Stand, the Community Food Bank Farmers’ Market, and the Santa Cruz River Farmers’ Market.

Local produce selections at the Farm Stand include citrus, salad and cooking greens, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, radishes, cabbage, potatoes, green onions, apples, fresh eggs and much more.

All the Markets including the Farm Stand accept credit and debit cards, SNAP (food stamps), cash, and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Cash Value Vouchers for fruits and vegetables.

For more information, contact Sara Rickard at (520) 622-0525 x 242.

Many people are allergic to wheat and are looking for alternative baking options.  The Marana Heritage Farm will schedule a Mesquite Cookie Baking Workshop on Saturday, January 9, 2010 from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM to learn about mesquite flour as an alternative.

If you are allergic to wheat, or curious about the taste of mesquite flour, sign up for this workshop and learn about gluten free grains that are great for baking and how they may be healthy for you.

The Marana Heritage Farm is located at 12375 Heritage Park Drive (Exit 240 off I-10, West on Tangerine Road).

For more information and to register contact Maggie Barnes at (520) 468-1416. Hurry; space is limited.

Contact people:
Debbie Weingarten: Marana Heritage Farm Youth Education Coordinator
Shanti Sellz: Marana Heritage Farm Youth Garden Coordinator
Phone: (520) 873-7401

The 10 acre Marana Heritage Farm includes a 1/3 acre Youth Farm. This space houses the Youth Farm Project, a program where young people are given the opportunity to develop a relationship with the food they eat and to consider how what they eat affects their health, community, and the planet. The Youth Farm Project hires Apprentices and Crew Leaders ages 15-20 and Interns ages 17-24 to work at the Marana Heritage Farm, learn techniques in sustainable agriculture, begin to explore their role in our current food system, and to help grow food for our community. The Youth Farm Project also hosts school groups, youth groups, families, and individuals, who want to learn and participate in farm activities. We offer volunteer days, Farm to Table focused curriculum based on state standards, and farm tours. Volunteer activities may include planting, watering, harvesting, weeding, poultry care, greenhouse production, structure maintenance, and natural building.

For more information and applications:

Youth Apprentice Fact Sheet and Application

Crew Leader Fact Sheet and Application

Farm Intern Fact Sheet and Application