Hello! My name is Lizzy Rush, I am a Student Farm intern for the coming 2024 growing season. This is my first year at Penn State and I knew after speaking with a few farm club members dressed up in big pea-pod costumes that I was meant to be part of this club. I am undecided, but I plan on majoring in Environmental Resources Management as of now.
Having friends and being a good friend means a lot to me. People are fascinating and I want to meet people from all walks of life. While I do value exploration and freedom, I believe in the power of facilitating and participating in a tight-knit community. One day, I hope to have a cozy, sustainable farm of my own and use it as a hub to gather with my community! I’d love to set up a CSA program at my theoretical market garden; it seems like this is one of the most direct ways I can serve my community without having to work somewhere that doesn’t align with my values. I think my classroom knowledge and hands-on experience on the farm here will be very helpful for that future endeavor.
I am deeply committed to serving my community, particularly through environmental recovery. My plan right out of college is to empower small-scale farmers to transition towards sustainable agricultural practices, with the greater goal of preserving our planet’s wellbeing. I intend on doing this through implementing more agroforestry practices with a focus on soil restoration.
I love connecting with people and I feel at home when I get to be outside. To tie the two together, helping to connect others more with nature is something I am passionate about. This is one reason the Student Farm internship seemed like a perfect fit; I get to work outside under the sun and get to help connect the community with our sustainable agriculture practices.
All in all, I am super excited to get my hands dirty on the farm and also to work with the rest of the team and meet all the new people who stop by the farm!