The Organization of Youth Education in Agriculture hosted the Chamber of Commerce Community Coffee this morning at the Nevada County Library. OYEA, a nonprofit organization helps to support an educational environment outside of a conventional classroom in various aspects of agriculture, at the Prescott High School Farm.
Tons of local citizens, students, city and school officials came out to show their support of the program. While visiting amongst the crowd, attendees feasted on farm to table freshness. Sausage biscuits, sausage balls, summer sausage and egg casserole, all grown by the youth of OYEA was a tasty delight. The students not only had their product there to sample but also packaged ready meats for sale.
Board President of OYEA, Fred Harris said, "We started about five years ago when the Superintendent came to us because the school had a ten acre farm that had not been used in over twenty-five years. He asked us to evaluate to see of we could get something going out there, maybe have a cow or two. So we organized the 501 c3 non profit organization, put together a board of directors, started raising money and we were really successful in raising that money. Our whole reason for existence is to give the kids a chance to learn compassion, responsibility in interaction with animals. There are a lot of children who do not have access to this type of environment unless their parents live on a farm. We started off with about 10 students, now we are up to 50 students, so it has really grown."
The students in the program show the animals at local fairs and 4H events as well, where they can earn money. "Anything we can do to help the kids, we are always in the business of helping kids so anything we can do that will add interest for them, that's what we want to do. This is a win win program that has gotten a lot of interest of many students and we are so pleased with how much it has grown. The kids are able to show the animals and that gives them money to invest in their future," Superintendent Robert Poole said.
For more information on OYEA or to purchase some of their farm to table foods, check out their website HERE
