Vincent High School student Cliffron Cunningham feeds grain to the goats. Cunningham has the animals on a feeding schedule and knows which grain to feed to which animal. (UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey)
Cliffron Cunningham spreads feed around the coop to feed the chickens, making sure the ground is evenly covered. (UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey)
Cunningham holds out just a few of the many the eggs laid by the 30 hens being cared for. (UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey)
UWM student Shelby Sanderson works on the microfarm with Vincent High School student Shamar Simpson. There, the students grew peppers, two types of potatoes, three types of tomatoes and squash. (UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey)
MATC student Keosha Nelson, UWM student Shelby Sanderson and Vincent High School student Joshua Boyd-Davis talk with Bonnie Halvorsen. (UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey)
The group finds squash beetles near the crops and luckily detected it early on before any severe damage. Squash beetles are an emerging problem in Wisconsin. In recent years, these insects have become more prevalent, causing damage to vine crops of squash, pumpkins, and melons. (UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey)
To fight the squash beetles and halt any further damage, Bonnie Halvorsen teaches Vincent High School student Rayshawn Keeler and the group to mix together vinegar and other ingredients and lay the mixture near the crops to lure the bugs away and eliminate them. (UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey)
Vincent High School students Rayshawn Keeler (from left), Joe Bray, and Marquell Jenkins have a laugh with Halvorsen and MATC student Keosha Nelson about what the concoction would taste like. (UWM Photo/ Elora Hennessey)
The group begins to lay the homemade pest control near the squash plants to deter the squash beetles so that the crops will thrive. (UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey)
A good crop of tomatoes emerges and begins to ripen. (UWM Photo/Elora Hennessey)
Learn-Earn-Grow MKE teaches MPS students how to farm, but its other lessons are just as valuable. The program, which also includes UWM and MATC, teaches about work and finances, college life and leadership, providing tools for the students’ success.
The students work in teams, led by students from UWM and MATC, on microfarms at Vincent High School, UWM and the Mary Ryan Boys & Girls Club in Sherman Park.
They learn how to farm, but they also learn how to be entrepreneurs. They learn what it takes to succeed as students and people.
The Vincent High School microfarm includes two long, sloped rows of lush plants. There, the students grew peppers, two types of potatoes, three types of tomatoes and squash. There is also a large shed built for animals a little distance from the plants, which included goats, cows and sheep. Outside of the shed, there is another smaller enclosure for 30 egg-laying hens.
