What a blast. The first week of the first summer of Youth Farm in Hawthorne neighborhoods under our belt, and we’re already gearing up for our second week of harvest today (think peas, lettuce, basil, squash, cilantro, chard, kale, collards and more!)

We’re excited to have our youth working closely with older youth from the Cookie Cart this summer in a collaborative project in which we’ll be working together to develop a new veggie cookie recipe. Centered in a community nonprofit bakery, Cookie Cart builds better lives by providing lasting and meaningful work, life and leadership skills. Stay tuned for updates as this tasty project develops. Hawthorne youth from the All Things Food group were down at Cookie Cart yesterday, learning about the bakery and decorating cookies.

Last Friday we went to Wirth Lake for an afternoon of swimming and fun. The biking group was able to go on their first long bike ride of the summer. With ice cream, clear water, and a sunny afternoon, youth and staff alike had an absolute blast.