By: Sydney Downham, junior, Animal Science and Business Management
I started as an intern with the Student Farm in the spring. Since then, I have learned a lot about crop production and how small vegetable farms are run. I spend time working in the fields each day and have loved the opportunity to get my hands dirty and be a part of the production from start to finish. There is nothing more rewarding than harvesting vegetables that I planted weeks ago after watching them grow, and working each day to ensure their production. Most of my time is spent preparing beds, planting, cultivating, and harvesting on the farm.
Newly planted beds at the Student Farm. Photo: Sydney Downham
I also work on a few projects for the farm. I spent some time putting together a handbook for future interns to help them learn how the Student Farm operates. I am organizing workshops where community members with home gardens can learn more about gardening practices and tools in order to better their own gardens. With our coordinator, Leslie Pillen and the other interns, I have been able to help teach many students and faculty more about what we do on the Student Farm as well as more about agriculture in general during scheduled tours, workdays, and volunteer days. I have also began using our record keeping system to enter all of our plantings, harvests, and field work to help keep the farm organized and to use as a reference in future growing seasons.
A volunteer group working to help interns prepare beds for tomato plants. Photo: Sydney Downham
So far, my favorite part of this internship has been gaining exposure to the different aspects of the farm. I spend a lot of time working in the fields, but working on these other projects in addition to working on the farm allows me to learn about different aspects of the farm. That big-picture perspective helps me to better understand the farm as a hole. Having experience with different parts of the production will help me to apply what I am learning to future careers and projects. My internship continues into the next semester all the way through the end of the growing season. I am excited to experience the rest of the season and continue to see all of our work pay off in produce, community education, and our own education.
The one-acre Student Farm site. Photo: Sydney Downham