Inner-city boys sell homegrown goods

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A group of Kansas City boys learned firsthand what it was like to be a farmer Saturday trying to see homegrown products at market today.

The 24 member class of the group Boys Grow, a non-profit organization for inner-city kids aged 12 to 15, sold their own specialty agave ketchup at Hen House Market, 8120 Parallel Pkwy, in KCK.

The Farming and business program provides mentoring, entrepreneurship and positive male role models for the youth. This year, the boys sold all-natural hotdogs and hamburgers, donated by Good Natured Family Farms, to raise money for their organization.

150 small, family farms within a 200 mile radius of comprise Good Natured Family Farms. The group promotes local food in Kansas City through their Farm to School, Workplace Wellness and Faith-based Farm to Market programs.

Last year’s Boys Grow group grew, made and sold their own salsa which is available in six area restaurants and a local restaurant. Jesus Macias was part a member of the group.

“It feels awesome, really, like you can walk into a store and say, 'Oh look I made that,' and not a lot of people get to say that. It feels pretty good,” Macias said.

That feeling is something John Gordon, founder of Boys Grow, hopes all of the inner-city youth can attain through the entrepreneurship program.

“The philosophy behind the program is that our youth are more capable than we give them credit for," Gordon said. "We wanted to create a program where the kids could navigate it, steer it, make decisions on the program and decide where they want to sell the produce."