When we first introduced the topic of climate change to our youth crew last fall, we didn’t start with data or diagrams. We started with a question:
“What happens in your body when you hear the words climate change?”
The answers came quickly and honestly. Fear. Shutdown. Avoidance. A sense of being overwhelmed before the conversation even began.
Our youth are oftentimes in spaces where they hear over and over that they are stuck on a burning planet with no hope for the future … and somehow, it’s their responsibility to fix it.
Instead of overwhelm and fear, we wanted our crew to be able to look at the topic from a new lens and to feel capable of addressing the real problem without catastrophizing. We wanted to find a middle ground.
Finding a Different Way In
Much like leadership development, farming also exists in that middle ground.
Farmers don’t have the luxury of tuning out reality or catastrophizing it. They work with what is, adapting day by day in partnership with the land. That mindset became our entry point into climate resilience.
From there, we built a shared foundation. Together, we explored the basics of climate science. This included things like the greenhouse effect, shifting weather patterns, and the systems actually driving change. All the while, making space for the emotional weight behind it all.
And something shifted.
What started as a heavy, distant topic became something our crew could engage with, bringing curiosity, thoughtfulness, and collaboration.
Connecting Climate to Everyday Life
One of the most memorable moments came through an unexpected lens: candy!
It was nearing Halloween, so we decided to analyze the climate impacts on some of our favorite October treats. As we broke down the ingredients in a typical chocolate bar, a bigger picture emerged. Cocoa, dairy, nuts, oils - each one tied to regions and systems already being impacted by climate change.
It became clear that climate isn’t an abstract issue. It’s deeply connected to the foods we eat every day - and to the farmers growing it.
From there, our conversations expanded to the global food system. Together, we explored what it might mean to face disruptions in food availability and affordability in the years ahead and what it looks and feels like to be part of a generation navigating those realities.
Learning from Farmers on the Front Lines
To ground our learning in real-world experience, we turned to farmers across the Mid-Atlantic who are already adapting to a changing climate.
Through this research and direct conversations, our crew began to see what climate resilience looks like in practice.
Farmers spoke about working through heat waves. These conditions are not just uncomfortable, but increasingly becoming dangerous. They shared how growing seasons are shifting, with crops struggling to survive peak summer temperatures and new patterns like “summer dormancy” emerging, where it becomes too hot for plants to produce a bountiful crop.
They talked about heavier rainstorms, longer dry spells, and the constant need to adapt. But alongside those challenges was something else: innovation. They were experimenting with new crop varieties, investing in irrigation, and rethinking long-held practices.
Again and again, we saw that the farmers most equipped to navigate these changes are the ones willing to adapt, experiment, and lead.
Turning Knowledge into Action
With this foundation in place, our youth crew took on a new challenge: What can we do at the LEAF farm to combat climate change? LEAF has been given an incredible opportunity through the Pennsylvania DEP to take a deeper look at climate-smart farming and to make implementations on our own farm.
Using what they had learned, our youth crew conducted a full SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the LEAF farm through a climate lens. Their insights were thoughtful, specific, and deeply grounded in reality.
They recognized strengths in our existing soil health practices, crop diversity, and efficient irrigation systems. At the same time, they identified real vulnerabilities like bare soil exposure, heat stress on crops, and the risk of flooding in lower fields.
From there, they began to imagine solutions. Working within a real budget, they evaluated potential climate-smart investments and made decisions about what changes to implement on the LEAF farm.
Their recommendations were bold and clear:
Reduce or eliminate bare soil to protect long-term soil health
Transition vulnerable flooding areas into perennial plantings
Improve water management through catchment systems
Build resilience into critical systems with backup infrastructure like generators
These weren’t theoretical ideas or overwhelmingly complicated - they were practical, actionable steps toward building a more climate-resilient farm.
What Comes Next
This is just the beginning!
In the coming months, we’ll be putting these plans into action to strengthen our farm for the future.
We’ll also be sharing that process along the way: what we’re implementing, what we’re learning, and how our youth crew continues to lead the way! We’d love for you to be a part of our next step. Mark your calendars for Sunday, April 26th from 2-5 to help prep our farm for our youth-recommended, climate-smart implementations! This is an Earth Day Party you won’t want to miss, boasting meaningful work, a seedling pop-up sale, and all-local treats to snack on.
Because climate resilience isn’t just about adapting.
It’s about building the knowledge, confidence, and leadership needed to face an uncertain future. And shaping it, together!