HIM partnered with local landowners to create a youth-led agricultural development on previously unused land.
In Sacramento County, thousands of acres of privately owned land sit unused — untilled, unmaintained, and disconnected from the communities around them. HIM saw an opportunity to change that.
Through the HIM Land Pathways program, the organization partnered with three local landowners to activate 50 acres of previously idle farmland for youth-led agricultural development.
The project began with a simple conversation: What if youth could learn land stewardship by actually stewarding land? The landowners agreed to a partnership that gave HIM participants hands-on access to real property.
Over six months, participants learned soil management, crop planning, irrigation basics, and the economics of land use. They planted community gardens, set up small-scale farming operations, and studied property taxes, deeds, and legal responsibilities.
“This isn’t just farming,” explains program director Angela Torres. “This is teaching young people that land is an asset — and that they can own, manage, and build wealth from it.”
The 50-acre project has become a model for future HIM land activation efforts across the region, with plans to expand to 200 acres by 2027.
For the youth involved, the impact goes beyond agriculture. They’re learning what it means to be responsible for something bigger than themselves — and discovering that land ownership is not just a dream, but a pathway they can walk.
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