Junior Gardener Program

Application Deadline: September 5th, 2024

Notifications of acceptance/wait list placement: September 8th, 2024

Queens County Farm Museum’s Certified Junior Gardener volunteer program is open to middle and high school students between the ages of 12-18. This popular volunteer program is a 9 month, bi-weekly program, where participants will learn new skills, work on various projects primarily outdoors (weather permitting), spend time in nature, and make new friends.

Participants will learn about gardening, hydroponics, colonial and regenerative farming, livestock, forestry, companion planting, pollination, botany, composting, and environmental conservation. Projects include: seeding, planting, transplanting, harvesting, composting, participating in and preparing for Education department workshops, clearing to create and expand our green spaces, creating rock borders and flower beds, and lots of weeding.

The Junior Gardener program is led by QCFM’s Education Department and takes place primarily in our 6 teaching gardens. If you are between the ages of 12 and 18, and wish to be considered for this program, please fill out the application and submit as soon as possible, as we typically have waiting lists for this volunteer program. Those who are selected to participate in this program must attend a minimum of 16 of the 21 sessions in order to be considered for QCFM certification. (Excessive absences or behavioral issues may result in being dropped from the program.) Participants who successfully complete the requirements will receive a Certificate of Completion at the conclusion of the program.

Sessions are held on the following Saturdays from 10-11:30am:

9/14/24, 9/28/24, 10/12/24, 10/26/24, 11/9/24, 11/23/24, 12/7/24, 12/21/24, 1/4/25, 1/18/25, 2/1/25, 2/15/25, 3/1/25, 3/15/25, 3/29/25, 4/12/25, 4/26/25, 5/10/25, 5/24/25, 6/7/25, 6/21/25