About Us

The Green Teen Community Gardening Program works year-round with Beacon and Poughkeepsie youth, ages 7-21. They learn about food, farming, entrepreneurship, and health through hands-on experiences. Participants grow plants and vegetables in their classrooms, on farms, and in community gardens. During the school year, Green Teen holds local programs both during and after school. See our 'Programs' link to learn more about specific offerings in Beacon and Poughkeepsie.

During a six-week Summer Program, Green Teen hires eight teens in Beacon and eight in Poughkeepsie to work 30 hours each week. Participants grow vegetables, learn culinary skills, and maintain booths at the Beacon and Poughkeepsie Farmers' Markets. At the end of the summer, the Green Teens work hard to produce a salsa from their own recipe, using local ingredients - many of which they grow themselves. In the summers of 2005, 2006, and 2007 Green Teen youth bottled 1300 jars of salsa! Look for Green Teen Super Slammin' Summer Salsa in a store near you.

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Green Teen has partnered with the Poughkeepsie Farm Project to launch a project called City Seeds.

City Seeds aims to increase awareness of, participation in, and capacity for a healthy and just food system in the Mid-Hudson Valley. We work toward this goal through involving young people from the cities of Beacon and Poughkeepsie in learning about and engaging in urban farming and gardening, food policy, farm marketing, community education, and seed saving.

City Seeds has five main initiatives:

• Engaging Youth in Urban Agriculture
• Youth Leadership and Empowerment
• Creating a Locally-Adapted Seed Bank
• Improving Food Security
• Building Community Strength

Check out our new website at www.cityseeds.org for more information, contacts, and photos!

Green Teen is supported by the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services, the City of Poughkeepsie's Weed and Seed Program, the Dyson Foundation, United Way of Dutchess County, the Dutchess County Workforce Investment Board, Heifer International, and the County of Dutchess.