• By Todd Luck
• Posted Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Urban Farm School celebrates new graduates

N.C. Cooperative Extension, Forsyth County Center celebrated 11 more graduates of its Urban Farm School program on Monday, June 6.

Students in Urban Farm School met two days a week for 12 weeks, learning the ins and outs of urban and small scale farming. Students participated in classroom lessons and farm tours, along with hands-on farming that took place at Memorial Industrial CDC's Incubator Farm near Forsyth County's Horizons Park. Participants sold the produce they grew during the County’s Arts Council Campaign Finale held last week in downtown Bailey Park, where they managed to sell 65 percent of what they harvested and brought to market that week, bringing in $328.

“This class developed a whole crop,” said Horticulture Extension Agent Celine Richard, who led the program. “They went from seed to harvest to sale.”

Students learned things like soil structure and health, crop selection, seed spacing, irrigation, pest management, and harvesting and cleaning the crops to prepare them for market. During the event on Monday, graduates each expressed their gratitude for the program and how they planned to use their newfound skills in the future, which ranged from feeding their family to starting or enhancing their own business.

“Your skills will last you a lifetime,” said County Extension Director Kimberly Gressley. “I challenge you to experiment in your own gardens, in your own home and working on your business.”

Other speakers at the graduation included Urban Agriculture Program Assistant Jeffery Cates and County Commissioner Fleming El-Amin, who congratulated graduates and wished them well in their farming endeavors. Graduates were also thrilled to receive an EarthWay Precision Garden Seeder to help them with sowing their future gardens.

To see more pictures from the graduation, visit: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzTb7M

Learn more about the Urban Farm School.