South Lawn Farm

The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County Horticulture Program has maintained South Lawn Farm since summer of 2022! 

This educational farm provides a plethora of learning opportunities for members of the Rochester community. We offer a variety of agriculture and horticulture experiences, ranging from community workshops, volunteer opportunities, to hands-on urban farming work 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 bird's eye view of South Lawn Farm from it's pilot year, 2022.

The South Lawn Farm space is utilized by our spring and summer Gaining Relevant and Outstanding Work Skills (GROWS) participants. South Lawn Farm is a worksite for RochesterWorks Youth Employment Services and local Navigators from participating Rochester organizations match young adults looking to learn work skills and build up their professional resume to the GROWS program. Throughout the summer, participants break down barriers to employment, develop transferrable skills, and receive horticulture/agriculture education. 

     

Photo on Left: 2025 GROWS participant, Miyana C., gives Monroe County Legislator Dave Long a tour of South Lawn Farm. Here she is explaining why we plant our hot crops in black ground cloth, aka fabric mulch. Photo on Right: South Lawn Farm is home to our Kon-Tiki Biochar kiln! We utilize biochar in our garden beds and compost pile.

The GROWS program utilizes a transitional jobs format, where participants are paid for their work through TES Staffing, but get daily mentoring working side-by-side with CCE Monroe staff. They learn how growing vegetables can help communities grow and address food inequities. All of the produce grown on South Lawn Farm is donated to local food pantries. GROWS participants build structure into their daily life, develop the soft-skills needed to be successful employees, add experience to their resume and find a sense of purpose and connection over a necessary human common denominator, fresh healthy food.

South Lawn Farm also serves as a host site for groups from local Employee Training Programs. South Lawn Farm works with groups from Rochester School for the Deaf, Lifetime Assistance Inc. and Arc of Monroe, providing mentorship, training, and guidance on urban agricultural tasks. Work training groups also have the opportunity to build off their new agrarian skills by receiving nutrition workshops and kitchen demonstrations from our Nutrition Educators, providing a full farm to table work experience. Do you work with a group interested in getting outside and learning some gardening work skills? Get in touch with our Garden Outreach Educator, Rachel DeVona (contact information below).

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

Last updated February 18, 2026