GROWING CITIZENS BY
TRAINING FARMERS
Citizen Farmers is built around lessons that serve communities far beyond the garden.
WE FOCUS ON FOUR
PRIMARY PILLARS
Four Pillars of the
Citizen Farmers Academy
VALUES TAUGHT IN THE GARDEN
The Citizen Farmers Academy learning program is based on the lifecycle of the garden and built around nine lessons that each showcase a unique value, educating and empowering students.
LESSON #1
COMPOSTING IS STEWARDSHIP
Composting is a daily practice of being conscious consumers, reducing and recycling our waste as responsible stewards of a healthy planet.
LESSON #2
PLANNING
IS VISION
Farming teaches us the importance of short-term planning and long-term visioning in order to have an abundant harvest and achieve our goals in the garden and in life.
LESSON #3
TILLING IS INITIATIVE
Learning to till and prepare the soil teaches us to take the initiate and get our hands dirty to activate and support our goals and intentions.
LESSON #4
SOWING IS FAITH
Sowing seeds and tending baby seedlings teaches us how to be gentle, tender and caring stewards of plants, people and the planet. The power of planting a seed and bringing it to harvest is an inspiring process that cultivates faith and hope in young people that empowers them to plant metaphoric seeds in other aspects of their lives.
LESSON #5
GROWING IS PATIENCE
Learning to tend a crop through its life cycle from seed to harvest is a great lesson in what can be achieved when practicing patience and responsibility. Cultivating patience is a virtue that is much needed in today’s fast passed technological world and the garden is the ideal place for youth to develop an appreciation for the time it takes to bring a seed to harvest literally and figuratively.
LESSON #6
HEALING IS COMPASSION
Gardens heal in ways that enable people to feel connected, and assuage feelings of disconnect from society and each other – helping everyone from seniors to youth not only feel useful but necessary, showcasing hidden skills and teaching new ones, engendering a sense of responsibility while forging healthy relationships and connections.
LESSON #7
REAPING IS GRATITUDE
When you tend a seed all the way to harvest and eat the fruit of your labour, a new sense of true gratitude is experienced. The virtuous cycle of growing plants inspires youth to be grateful of food and other things in life that are often taken from granted.
LESSON #8
SHARING IS GENEROSITY
When children share food they grow with those who need it most they develop a deep sense of appreciation for what goes into growing and distributing healthy food and how lucky they are to have access to it. Being able to share it with others teaches them the importance of helping others who do not have access to fresh healthy food.
LESSON #9
SUSTAINING IS PERSEVERANCE
Children learn that all crops will not be successful every time and the garden is a place of constant learning, experimentation and perseverance. This lesson in life teaches us that we get new planting cycles and new seasons to continually improve and try new things in the hopes we will get a better harvest the next time.
START YOUR CITIZEN FARMER
JOURNEY
Talk to our experts today to learn about Citizen Farmers Academy can help you develop your own learning program.