BAARN: Bringing Accessible Agriculture Recreationally Now!

About the Program

Category: Parks and Recreation (Best in Category)

Year: 2018

BAARN (Bringing Accessible Agriculture Recreationally Now) is an agriculture entrepreneurship created to expose teens to the field of agriculture, specifically market vegetable production. BAARN was a collaboration between Mecklenburg County’s Park and Recreation Department, Health Department and Cooperative Extension. BAARN was created to addresses the rate of obesity among Mecklenburg County citizens and the number of citizens living in food deserts. BAARN gives teens the knowledge and skill to grow and harvest vegetables which is an integral part of increasing access to food and thus healthier eating. The teens in BAARN, in addition to creating a business plan, completed research on agriculture careers and the importance of agriculture in Mecklenburg County and North Carolina. Teens also toured urban and rural farms as well as farmer’s markets, where they had the opportunity to work and learn by giving back. Teens were required to present the project to a group of their peers as well as participate in programming for youth and adults. Two teens completed the 2017 BAARN program, but the benefits of the program far exceeded what they learned and experienced as through programs and presentations they were able to reach over 600 children, teens and adults.