Liberty Prairie Foundation annually hires 16 youths to work on organic farms in Grayslake.
The workers have already been chosen for this season and, in other years, they would already have been meeting on Tuesday nights for instruction on sustainable farming.
But the program has been put on hold due to the coronavirus crisis, and the foundation is unsure if the youngsters can start working any time soon.
In addition, the foundation’s annual organic plant sale, which typically hosts 500 to 600 people, has been canceled. The sale is one of the youth program’s major fundraisers, said Nathan Aaberg, co-director of the foundation.
“We’re working on ways to get plants to people while still keeping social distancing,” he said.
The foundation is planning an online sale in May, but one of the features people will miss is talking to volunteers who offer advice on growing vegetables at home, he said. Online videos will be posted online to help home gardeners.
The Lake County Farm Bureau has had to cancel its Agriculture in Classroom program this year. Annually, in spring, farm bureau representatives visit Lake County classrooms to teach students how the food they eat is made.
In lieu of the in-person programs, the bureau has created online lessons and activities on agriculture. Visit https://beyondthebarndoor.wordpress.com/ or the Lake County Farm Bureau’s Facebook page for more information.