Hello everyone! My name is Emily Shiels, I’m a fall 2021 Student Farm intern. I’m currently a freshman in the Schreyer Honors College and College of Earth and Mineral Sciences at Penn State University. My only official major as of right now is Geography, however, I plan to add Global & International Studies as a second major, as well as minors in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Spanish.
Growing up thirty minutes from the university has equipped me with so much knowledge about what Penn State has to offer! Since my mom worked at Penn State, I was on campus a lot when I was younger. I remember one day we walked from her office in the Hintz Family Alumni Center to the Berkey Creamery and we passed all the headhouses and greenhouses on Curtain Road. I distinctly remember a little outdoor garden area with the most perfect-looking tomatoes and a sign that said “Student Farm at Penn State.” I told myself that day that when I got to Penn State, I would try to be a part of the Student Farm. That worked out well because I am, in fact, part of the Student Farm now!
In our last agroecology class of the spring 2021 semester, we discussed how to alter tour information depending on who the audience is. In reflecting with two fellow interns about things we should add on tours, I came up with an idea that would connect my love for geography and international studies to the Student Farm… a “map” of crops! For example, some of the crops we grow on the Student Farm, like tomatoes, green beans and potatoes, originated in South America and it would be really cool to offer a tour option that describes the cultural implications of different crops. I believe so much can be learned simply from the crop someone eats, so I think it would be very beneficial to investigate these relationships and relay the findings to others.
Sustainable agriculture is something I’ve always wanted to learn about and be a part of. At the Student Farm, there is a great emphasis on sustainable farming practices. We use cover crops to keep the soil rich with necessary nutrients, tarps to kill crops and reduce weeds instead of chemicals, and peanut meal as a soil additive instead of synthetic amendments.
Every practice I’ve come across in my time at the farm so far has inspired me to improve sustainability in my small garden at home. I grow tomatoes, peppers, and herbs while my dad grows peas, beans, corn, and sunflowers. Growing your own food is a great way to increase sustainability and I’ll be sure to apply all the tips and practices I’ve learned to my home garden to maximize crop output. Thanks for reading my blog post and I’m so excited to continue my work on the rad(ish) Student Farm!
