Teens Going Green: Growing Their Own Produce for Sale

Commercial farming uses a lot of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides that could endanger our health. People are advocating strongly for more organic foods that are free from synthetic chemicals and are not genetically modified.

 

Thankfully, farming can be done on very small scales without machines and teens are engaging in small-scale farming. This article highlights the strides of teen farmers and how teenagers make a difference by growing produce.

Popular teenagers in the farming industry

Farming is a topic teens are paying attention to today. According to a LEAF survey, 35% of teenagers are interested in pursuing careers in food and farming. Below are some people who have made their mark in the agricultural industry as teenagers.

Liadh Dalton

From County Offaly, Ireland, fifteen-year-old Liadh Dalton is a farmer and climate activist. The young farmer lives on her family’s farm and says adequate cover for wildlife is one of her favorite things about the farm. She advocates for climate positive actions such as collecting rainwater, using solar energy and planting trees.

 

Miss Dalton won the 2021 UNICEF Ireland #KidsTakeOver competition. Her prize was a one-to-one meeting with the prime minister of Ireland, the Taoiseach.

On 10 November 2021, she sat down with the Taoiseach to discuss how agencies addressing climate issues can work with farming communities. She used this opportunity to present her views both as a farmer and a climate activist.

 

José Nolla Marrero

José Nolla Marrero is a Puerto Rican high school student. He was just 15 years old when he founded his E-Farm. Although he is no longer a teenager, his efforts are noteworthy. Nolla Marrero’s farm is a digital platform that allows Puerto Rican farmers to connect with consumers.

 

He markets organic and sustainable produce on his website and coordinates sales and delivery. The young entrepreneur is helping farmers sell directly to consumers and make more profit. The consumers also get their food at its freshest.

 

Ella O’Donoghue Concannon

Ella is a passionate teenage farmer fondly called the agriqueen. Her family’s farm where she practices has cows, chickens, goats and ducks. For her, one of the biggest challenges is gender inequality putting women farmers at a disadvantage.

 

In 2021, Ella spoke at the Child Talks program organized by the Ombudsman for Children’s Office. There she encouraged other teenage girls interested in farming to do so boldly.

 

 

Why teens should consider growing their own produce

 

Reduce environmental pollution

Most of the food we buy at the store travels long distances to get to us. And transportation consumes fossil fuels that pollute the environment. When you grow your own food and even sell it to neighbors, you eliminate the need for long-distance produce transportation.

 

Eat safer food

If you grow your produce organically, you wouldn’t rely on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Those can harm you and other organisms in the environment.

 

Eat healthier

Fresh foods taste better and are more nutritious. Most times your store-bought produce has spent a long time in transit and storage. When fruits and vegetables are stored for too long or processed, they lose nutritional value.

 

Save money

As a teenager, you can contribute to the finances of your household by planting a few seeds. With little or no money you can grow vegetables, herbs and fruits. The money your parents would have spent on vegetables can be diverted to other important things.

 

Stay Active

Farming or gardening can be quite fun and therapeutic. Physical activity stretches your muscles and improves your physical health overall. Emotionally, seeing things you planted with your hands can make you feel better on a bad day.

 

 

How to grow your own produce for sale

Growing your own herbs and vegetables takes some work but it’s not so difficult. All you need is some dedication to seeing your plants grow healthily. It’s not expensive either, forget all the fancy tools at the hardware store.

Here is a quick how-to for growing your own produce for sale.

 

Get space

As a teenager, you may not have access to a large patch of land so it’s important to improvise. Pots with at least 30cm diameter are great but make sure they have drainage holes in them. Poles can also help you manage space if you are planting viney plants. You can even plant herbs like parsley, basil and cilantro in teacups with drainage holes.

 

Prepare your land or fill your container with soil and compost. There are many choices available, you can get a soil mix from a store or use homemade compost. The verandah, around the windows and balcony are places you can set your pots down.

 

Get seeds

The size of your pot and the space available must be considered when choosing what to plant. Vegetables like peas, kale and zucchini are easy to grow. Some plants have special seeds and you will need to find a local seed supplier to get them. Other plants have their seeds in the fruit you buy or can be propagated by their stalk.

 

Care for your plant

Some plants require a lot of sunlight but not much water, others need a lot of water and sunlight. To take proper care of your plants, you need to know what your plant needs. Reading a few articles or watching some YouTube videos can fortify you with the needed knowledge.

Conclusion

The world will always need food so agriculture won’t ever stop. But current commercial agricultural practices do not bode well for our environment. Teen entrepreneurs can make a big difference in their lives and the world by going green. Whether they have a window garden or multiple plots, they can increase food security and promote sustainable farming.