Youth Farm is Hiring Summer Staff

The Youth Farm and Market Project is accepting applications for summer staff and summer chef positions.  Youth Farm is looking for energetic, organized, and punctual individuals who enjoy working with youth.  Detailed job descriptions and applications are available in the employment section of Youth Farm’s website.  Applications will be accepted until Friday, March 30 at 5pm.

Youth Farm's Frogtown Farm
Youth Farm's Frogtown Farm

Rotten Idea Theatre

Each Friday right before lunch a small group of LEAD staff perform a very special skit. The theme changes every week, but the basic idea stays the same: eating veggies is healthy for you and you can have fun while you do it!

Rotten Idea Theatre was first developed a few years ago by Youth Farm staffers Liz Schaterlee and Zoe Sommers-Haas. After taking a summer off, Lyndale LEAD decided to bring it back with the help of U of M Nutrition Intern Mollie O’Neil. Each week three of the LEAD staff take on acting roles like Weak Walter and Itchy Izzy.

Video would be so much better, but below are a few photos and the script from last Friday’s performance on potatoes.

Rahma, Nazeem, and Niani perform RIT: Potatoes with Mollie O'Neil looking on

Narrator: The Rotten Idea Theatre Proudly Presents…

Everyone: TA DAAhh (Everyone’s hands and arms go out)

Narrator: Rotten Idea Number 586 “Passing Up Potatoes”

                Starring.. Lethargic Larry.

(The first character steps forward and does a quick gesture related to his/her character and/or a greeting)

Narrator: and Tummy Ache Tabitha

(The second character steps forward and does a quick gesture related to his/her character and/or a greeting)

Narrator: Scene 1: “Potatoes give you easy energy!”

Lethargic Larry enters really tired and has barely the energy to even stand up. He yawns frequently and keeps closing his eyes. Lethargic Larry questions the audience “I wonder why I am so tired? What can I do to fix this?” He gets so tired he has to sit down and nearly falls asleep.
The narrator comes up to Lethargic Larry and says “Here! Eat this Potato! It has lots of carbohydrates that are easy to digest and give you quick energy!” Lethargic Larry says “I guess I have not eaten for quite a while. So potatoes.. In the form of French fries? I like those!” The narrator responds “No, that makes potatoes unhealthy, just eating in plain roasted, or baked. You will get healthy, fast energy that way!” Lethargic Larry responds “Gross. No way!” The narrator responds “Fine suit yourself!” Lethargic Larry exits and passes out sleeping on the way out.

Everyone: TA DAAhh (Everyone’s hands and arms go out)

Narrator: Scene 2 “Potatoes keep your intestines healthy”

Tummy Ache Tabitha enters groaning about her stomach. She yells “My stomach! It hurts so bad!” She goes to the audience and says “I think it’s my intestines, how can I make it feel better? I have such a bad tummy ache!” Tummy ache Tabitha sits down defeated and grabs her stomach and continues to moan. The narrator goes up to her and offers her a potato “Here, eat this potato! It has antioxidants to keep your intestines healthy and not hurting!” Tummy Ache Tabitha replies “OOOh like a baked potato with lots of butter and cheese and sour cream and bacon and chives, and more bacon and…” The narrator
replies, “No! All that stuff make the potato unhealthy, how about a baked potato with just a little butter and some salt and pepper” Tummy Ache Tabitha replies “Ick, I only like my baked potatoes super-loaded.” The narrator replies “Ok, have a really bad tummy ache then” Tummy Ache Tabitha exits and falls over in pain grabbing her stomach.

Tummy Ache Tabitha

Everyone: TA DAAhh (Everyone’s hands and arms go out)

Narrator: Scene 3 “Yay for Potatoes!”

Lethargic Larry enters yawning and cannot keep his eyes open yelling “I’m so tired! I just be awake and full of energy again!” Tummy Ache
Tabitha enters groaning and grabbing her stomach and yells “I just want my tummy ache to go away and feel good again!” They go up to the audience and say “What can we do to feel better?” The narrator comes up to them and says “For the last time, I told you to eat a potato! It will make you both feel better!” Lethargic Larry responds “I guess I will give it a try.” He takes a bite and instantly wakes up and runs around screaming “I have energy! I have energy!”
Tummy Ache Tabitha says “Well it worked for him, I guess I will try it to.” She takes a bite and feels better at once. She says “My tummy ache is gone! I feel so good!” They both thank the narrator. The narrator responds “I told you so!” and they all walk off stage happy.

Everyone: TA DAAhh (Everyone’s hands and arms go out)

Rolling in the Dirt

It was wet today! Lyndale ran program despite having to be inside for at least 2 extra hours today, hiding out while a wicked storm passed outside. There’s nothing like being cooped up for a couple hours to get those creative juices moving! Our CHT Farm spent their hour together coming up with some very special songs. Inspired by LEAD staff Niani and Nazeem’s deep song list, the CHT’ers performed their new single “Rolling in the Dirt” for a rapt audience right before lunch.
Rolling in the Dirt
From the right: Grace, Jakayla, Kabao, Lillian, Gina, Miski, Maddie, Ahmed, Sherhan, Mohmed, Ella, Niani, Ahmed, Nazeem, Elerson
Theres a garden
Not on the West Side
Its not Powderhorn
We got Lyndale Pride
Finally we weeded all the beds
Now we can seed the plants that we have left
We’re gonna teach you everything that we do
Turning the compost
Seed and we weed too
Rolling in the Dirt
Mulching all the beds
We had the weeds inside of our hands
And we threw them
And we threw them in the compost
We won last year
We got the most awards
When we win again I hope they’re not poor sports
Lyndale makes sure our compost is warm
Hopefully soon we will go to Philly Farm
Steppin in the gardens
Plants are the largest
Every week badge test
Wednesday’s Harvest
Rolling in the Dirt
Mulching all the beds
We had the weeds inside of our hands
And we threw them
We threw them in the compost
And if that wasn’t enough Nazeem hit everyone up with a solo rhyme:
I woke up slow hours before noon
Thinking that I had to be at Youth Farm soon
I had to get pumped before the day begins
It won’t be hard because I’ll see my friends
Chillin in the garden with my hoe
Raking the weeds pullin them slow.
Sad you missed the show? Mark your calendar down for Lyndale’s Harvest Fest on August 10th. Our Farms and Activity Groups will be sharing their work this summer and celebrating their accomplishments, all over a delicious Youth Farm meal. Maybe we’ll even get CHT and Naz to do a repeat performance!

Welcome to the new website!

We are ringing in the New Year with a new website that will make it easier for us to share news, events and programs of the Youth Farm and Market Project.

Check back often to see what we have been up to!