From the ground up

Shawndel Pleasant, 20, carries the Kentucky River Field School canoes on their farm campus after finishing up canoeing for the evening. He says this is a regular activity that he and his friends do after a day at work in the farm-to-table restaurant, Cafe 627.

Kentucky River Field School is a home away from home for young adults searching for a place to work, learn and adjust to life beyond the classroom.

The school is a residential gap-year program where students live and work on a four-and-a-half-acre historic homestead. The property includes the farm-to-table Cafe 627, two residential homes, the 1790s Old Rock Barn and several agricultural spaces. At Cafe 627, participants gain hands-on experience with daily operations while taking on responsibilities that extend beyond the kitchen.

Trip Sweeney, founder and director of the Kentucky River Field School, created the program to offer young people a nontraditional educational experience. After working as a teacher, Trip wanted to give participants the time, resources and mentorship to explore their interests and take ownership of their work.

For D.J. Garrett, 20, the program has offered opportunities to develop skills in carpentry, construction and leadership. “I’ve learned how to make a picnic table,” D.J. said, adding that he has also developed more leadership skills.

Shawndel Pleasant, 20, said the program has given him experience in running a business while helping him determine what he wants to pursue after high school. For Shawndel, joining the program was especially meaningful as he navigated a major change in his family life and considered his next steps. “It’s been good for figuring out, you know, what I actually want to do,” he said.

As one of the program’s first participants, Shawndel also helped develop the property. Early projects included maintenance work and improvements to the grounds.

“None of this stuff was here,” he said, gesturing at the cafe, as he recalled how participants helped establish the property, including laying sod after working on the septic system.

Despite the demanding work, Shawndel said the rural setting offered a welcome change of pace from his childhood in Detroit. “Living in the country, just away from the city, it was peaceful,” he said.

Through Cafe 627, participants contribute to the place they call home while learning alongside one another. The experience offers more than a job; it gives young adults room to grow, take on new responsibilities and prepare for life beyond the school.