Hi, my name is Tess! I was born and raised in Erie, PA and I am 21 years old. I am currently a sophomore enrolled in the 2+2 program with Penn State Behrend and Penn State University. I am studying for a degree in Plant Science Horticulture and a Food Systems minor. If you had asked my younger self where do you think you will be in 10 years, I would have said in vet school! When I first graduated high school in 2017, I had no idea what I wanted to do for a career (I discovered earlier on vet school was not for me). With the help and guidance of close friends and family, I decided to explore the world of agriculture.
I first decided to intern at my aunt and uncle’s vegetable farm for several weeks. Over time, this sparked an unknown passion for vegetable farming. At the end of the year, I decided to apply for several apprenticeships at vegetable farms across Pennsylvania to further explore organic farming. In March of 2018, I was accepted to be a vegetable apprentice at a farm in Carversville, PA. For the next 7.5 months, I learned how to grow 20+ varieties of organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Around 80% of the produce and meat products was donated to local soup kitchens and green light pantries. Every week, a member of the farm team would make a delivery to each donation site. The team would pack a couple hundred pounds of vegetables, eggs, fruits, and meat products. When I would make the weekly delivery runs to the donation sites, I observed the struggles of food insecurity in the communities. Many of these communities rarely have access to fresh organic fruits, vegetables, and meat products. Thousands of adults and children are not able to receive the nutrients and proteins they need to live healthy lives.
Food insecurity can be found not only in small towns, but on college campuses as well. This reason is why I applied for the PSU Student Farm Internship. I want to further my knowledge in organic vegetable farming practices and learn how to help fellow students in need. I know that through this internship, I will be alongside passionate students and faculty like myself who want to see this farm expand and grow. I look forward to the 2021 growing season and all the challenges that will come with it! We are Penn State!