'Boys Grow' teaches boys the possibilities of entrepreneurship

KANSAS CITY, Missouri - Monday was the last day for a group of 13 and 14 year olds to weed, water, and plant in the summer heat.

Believe it or not, they'll actually miss doing it now that they have to go back to school.

John Gordon, two staff members, and 11 kids of "Boys Grow" are all from the city. But this summer they've all learned by doing.

"We built a chicken coop, we got chickens, tomatoes, corns and peppers,” explained 14-year-old John Allen.

Gordon got the boys getting all kinds of food out of his three acres of donated land.

"The kids have really taken a genuine interest in the farming component of it,” said Gordon of “Boys Grow”.

But the lessons of the land will be supplemented by the lessons of the marketplace. Much of this produce will go into making "Boys Grow" salsa.

"We don't have any ambition to knock off Paul Newman as far as sales and distribution, but you know for the first year we're definitely gonna have some stuff that the kids can actually go out there and get their hands dirty and get their hands dirty in the market,” said Gordon.

The salsa will be sold at a few local restaurants and stores, so the boys will have to plant and nurture business relationships. Gordon hopes the program can double in size next year.

"Boys Grow" is meant to be a two year program, and the boys have to go through an interview process to join. Gordon hopes graduates will return to mentor new members.