Workforce Development

Cornell Cooperative Extension Monroe County's horticulture program is committed to providing a quality workforce development program in partnership with community gardens, local organizations and businesses, and our own South Lawn Farm. 

The Gaining Relevant and Outstanding Work Skills (GROWS) Program is geared towards young adults, 18-24, who face barriers to employment. GROWS participants utilize South Lawn Farm (SLF), Cornell Cooperative Extension Monroe County's quarter acre urban farm on the office grounds, as an educational and hands-on worksite. Thanks to RochesterWorks Youth Employment Services, GROWS participants receive payment from TES Staffing and support from a Navigator. Navigators are career service specialists from various local organizations (including RochesterWorks, Community Place of Greater Rochester, Greentopia, Starbridge, and The Center for Youth Services) and match young adults looking to learn work skills and build up their professional resume to the GROWS program. To learn more about the Navigator Program, visit Home - Youth Navigator Program - RochesterWorks.

The GROWS program is active April through October. In that time, participants learn how to prep, sow and seed and transplant, cultivate, irrigate, harvest, record, package and distribute food from our quarter acre urban farm. Along the way there are Tools 101 workshops, the opportunity to earn OSHA-10 certification, nutrition and kitchen classes, community garden volunteer projects, teen mentorship opportunities (farm skills teach backs), and so much more. 

Working side-by-side with CCE Monroe staff, GROWS participants receive daily mentoring in an attentive and educational work environment. GROWS participants may enter the program at any time during the spring and summer. They are encouraged to stay as long as they want, and receive support and encouragement as they pursue their next step, be it obtaining a job elsewhere or entering an educational program. If a GROWS participant leaves the GROWS program in order to start that next step, they receive a congratulatory incentive package with monetary value.

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).

Fun Facts from the 2025 GROWS season:

• A record breaking 1,562.75 pounds of fresh produce was grown, harvested, and distributed to local food pantries! 
• September was the highest yielding month with 674.25 pounds harvested.
• Our highest yielding veggie by weight was tomatoes, with 418.25 pounds harvested!
• 72 different varieties of veggies and herbs were grown.
• There was 286.5 hours of GROWS participation. 
• There were 47 individuals involved with SLF harvests, including GROWS participants, volunteers, work experience groups, school groups, and CCE staff.

Help us break these records in 2026 and reach out to the Garden Outreach Educator, Rachel DeVona today!

Rooted in Community - Morning Ag Clips - December 2025 article highlighting the 2025 GROWS season.

Impacting Lives Through The South Lawn Project - Spectrum News highlighting the South Lawn Project and Workforce Development.

2022 Cornell Intern, Nika Colley, shares her experience with our Workforce Development Program.

Last updated March 3, 2026