This 1.25-acre sustainable farm is located within Greenbelt Forest Preserve in North Chicago. In addition to work experience, high school students employed at the Green Youth Farm in Lake County gain entrepreneurial and job skills training, guidance by adult mentors, and exposure to healthy foods and cooking. They also provide affordable produce to Lake County's food-insecure residents, and nutrition demonstrations at Women and Infant Children (WIC) centers.
Each summer, students are hired to plan, sow, tend and harvest the farm. Participants learn to enjoy and prepare new foods, and they market their produce at area farmers markets. Fresh produce is also available for purchase weekly at a farm stand that operates July through October across the street from the farm at the Greenbelt Cultural Center. Herbs, flowers, and fresh vegetables and fruit are available at discount prices. The teenagers in the program operate the farm stand.
