South Lawn Project

The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County Horticulture Program has kicked off the Summer '22 season with our South Lawn Project! 

This educational farm will provide a plethora of learning opportunities for members of our community. We plan to offer a variety of agriculture and horticulture experiences, ranging from pollinator gardens to hands-on urban farming experience. Our long-term vision for this project is to build healthy communities by offering a four-season urban farm where individuals from all walks of life can learn more about farming and food systems.

Photo: A birdseye view of our long-term vision for the South Lawn Project. Most recently we have implemented the garden beds shown above, and we hope to move onto implementing a greenhouse by the end of 2022.

Additionally, the South Lawn Project space will be utilized by our summer 'Growing Relevant and Outstanding Work Skills' (GROWS) participants. This workforce development program is targeted towards at-risk young adults and aims to assist them with overcoming barriers to employment, develop transferrable skills, and provide horticulture/agriculture education. 

Photo: Some of the garden beds in the South Lawn Project, most notably our ‘Three Sisters’ style garden can be seen on the far left. This Indigenous method of companion planting dates back thousands of years in North America, and allows plants to grow symbiotically, while enriching the soil and deterring pests and weeds.

The GROWS program utilizes a transitional jobs format, where participants are paid for their work, but get daily mentoring working side-by-side with CCE Monroe staff. They learn how growing vegetables can help their community, as all of the produce they grow is donated to local food pantries. Through the GROWS program, participants build structure into their daily life, develop the soft-skills needed to be successful employees and create a resume.

Learn about the South Lawn Project and our GROWS Program from 2022 Cornell Summer Intern, Nika Colley.

Last updated September 8, 2023