High School Farm Team
Each summer, Gaining Ground welcomes teenagers of high school age (14-18 years old) to join us in the fields as part of our volunteer High School Farm Team (HSFT). This is an opportunity for youth who are enthusiastic about agriculture, the food system, and/or being outdoors to gain experience with Gaining Ground’s sustainable farming practices, work on a team, connect with the land, and learn more about how our hunger relief work fits into a broader picture of food insecurity within our communities. Community service hours can be approved upon request. There are no agricultural experience prerequisites to participate in this program.
High School Farm Team Volunteer Schedule
The 2026 High School Farm Team program will run in two 3-week-long cohorts. Each cohort will include 15 students and meet 3 times per week for each of those three weeks. Students are encouraged to attend all 9 sessions during their cohort, and must commit to attending a minimum of 6 sessions total in order to participate. (Students are welcome to participate in both cohorts, with the understanding that there may be overlap in the educational content presented). Please see below for the specific 2026 schedule for each cohort:
Cohort A
Wednesday, June 24 – Saturday, July 11, 2026
| WEDNESDAY | 8:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. |
| FRIDAY | 1:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. |
| SATURDAY | 8:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. |
Cohort B
Wednesday, July 22 – Saturday, August 8, 2026
| WEDNESDAY | 8:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. |
| FRIDAY | 1:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. |
| SATURDAY | 8:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. |
*If you want to volunteer at Gaining Ground this summer but are unavailable during both cohorts, please sign up for your preferred dates through our general volunteer system.* You are welcome to sign up with friends — please reach out to team leader Maddie (maddie@gainingground.org) with any questions or requests.
High School Farm Team Program Guidelines
The HSFT Program is a multi-faceted volunteer and team-building experience that is geared toward high schoolers who are interested in engaging with their peers through physical farm work, being outdoors, learning about Gaining Ground’s hunger relief partners, and thinking critically about our food system. Throughout the summer, each cohort will:
- Learn about Gaining Ground’s no-till, sustainable farming practices
- Gain skills in farming tasks, including bed preparation, transplanting, harvesting, and cultivation
- Work closely with fellow HSFT cohort members, as well as with Gaining Ground farmers
- Learn about Gaining Ground’s hunger relief work and network of 17 partner organizations
- Wrestle with the complexities and injustices of our current food system through a series of facilitated lessons and reflection activities
- Cultivate a sense of joy and wonder in connection with the land and life around us!
High School Farm Team Sample Daily Schedule:
8:45 am Participants arrive, settle in
9 am Team-building Activity/Game
9:10 am Farm work
10:15 am Break
10:25 am Farm Work, continued
11 am Clean up
11:15 am Food System Lesson
11:55 am Wrap up
12pm See you next time!
Apply Here for High School Farm Team 2026!
Please contact Maddie (maddie@gainingground.org) with any questions.