SHEPHERDSVILLE, Ky. — Hidden down a windy road in Shepherdsville, you'll find a ten-acre farm belonging to Mike and Lina Laverty.
At Hilltop Organic Farm, they don't miss a chance to give back at every turn, starting with providing vegetables and meat through the Community-Supported Agriculture program that offers boxes of food at a reduced price or for free for residents.
"One in eight people in Kentucky doesn't have access to fresh produce and quality food. Actually, in Bullitt county in particular, it is 11% food insecurity and for the youth, in particular, it's 23%, so it's pretty high," Lina said.
They're also getting the youth involved, as she explained the process.
"We dedicated a plot of land for teens to come and grow their own crops. We are going to teach them how to grow their own crops. We see going to help them through the entire process," Lina said. "At the end of every week, each of those volunteers will take a box of food, just like a full shareholder. They will get to take home to feed themselves and their families, and this way, not only are we providing food for the whole year, we a providing the knowledge to have their own food."
For all the young farmers out there, Hilltop offers a unique summer camp that kids seem to embrace.
"The first week kids will set-up eggs, but they will get to watch chickens hatch by the end of the week, and when they leave the next week, they will have a batch that hatch," Lina said. "So they will get to learn the entire process because there is nothing better on a farm than life being born."
Hilltop is also looking for volunteers, and to find out more information, visit their website.