As luck would have it, Couchman met Amber Baker of Sauvie Island Organics, a vegetable farm fifteen miles from downtown Portland. Baker relayed that the farm had an acre of land that she could offer the student group, along with the loan of farm equipment, materials, and willingness to mentor. And so began the Food Works farm.

Since that time, Food Works has solidified more every year, with Baker now working as the full-time supervisor and maintaining the land when the students are in school. The ten crew members participate in all aspects of planning and running the farm. There is a waiting list for participation, and the program draws young farmers from high schools around the city: Roosevelt, Jefferson, De La Salle, Grant, and others. For many, this is their first paying job, and they are held to high standards of attendance and timeliness.

For Boru Guyota, the early mornings are part of a life he’s long known: Before arriving here with his family two years ago from Ethiopia, he helped grow corn and wheat on the family farm. The program has attracted a number of students who have recently immigrated with their families from East Africa. These students find that urban farming helps ground them in this new place and serves as an excellent bridge to the American workforce. As a result, many of the crew have tremendous expertise and familiarity with agriculture.

At the Food Works farm, the more knowledgeable members help teach the beginners. In the field on this sunny morning, one of the three crew leaders encourages a new member to try a pea she is picking. The younger girl has never tasted one fresh. She spits it out, making a face and exclaiming that she doesn’t like the texture. They both laugh.

Further down the plot, another shows a new member which peas to pick, and which aren’t ready and should be left on the vine. Ahoefa Ananouko, who helped her mother work on a farm in her native Togo when she was a young child, has become one of the crew leaders. She admits that there are challenges to taking a leadership role: “It’s being willing to step up and do things when no one else will… to know when it’s time to be serious and when it’s okay to joke around,” which can be hard when working with good friends. But the positive returns are worth the responsibility. “One of my favorite things is when we have great energy as a group,” she asserts, popping a pea into her mouth.