Hey ya’ll! My name is Matthew Ringhoffer, and I am an intern with the Student Farm for the 2024 growing season! I am a third year at Penn State, and I am majoring in Horticultural Science!
I am originally from Downingtown, PA, which is around an hour outside of Philadelphia and about 15 minutes east of Lancaster, a county full of farms and agricultural efforts. However, I did not grow up with an agriculture background and have only recently fallen in love with this field. Coming into Penn State, I was undecided in my major and had no real direction with my career, but I had some wonderful experiences in nature that year, and as my perspective shifted I came to realize that the beauty I beheld in my eye towards our world was something I wanted to give to others.
In my time away from school and work, I enjoy hiking, camping, photography and watching live music. Being outside, within the heart of nature, is the place that I call home, and my goals for the future are to bring the wilderness to the forefront of people’s lives. Since becoming a Plant Science major, the harsh realities of climate change on our agricultural systems have become ever present in my mind. I have taken up an interest in sustainable and regenerative agriculture and would one day like to be a part of a system in which agricultural practices are the catalyst for giving back to nature and the land that we use. I am currently very interested in the prospect of permaculture and the development of food forests as the potential next step in our agricultural systems. The creation and replication of a natural forest ecosystem repurposed to produce food crops may just very well be the necessary switch that we as people need to take to ensure the health and wealth of ourselves and the planet we call home. However, I am first interested in getting actual experience with a more traditional style farm to better understand the implications and processes of this type of agriculture.
While I have never farmed before in my life or really had much experience gardening, I am hopeful that my time with the Student Farm will be fulfilling and that I can gain important knowledge and skills to aid me in the future. As an intern, I am ecstatic to have the opportunity to develop connections with a community around sustainable agriculture. I am hoping that I will expand my knowledge pool and experience working in the greenhouses and high tunnels, and that as a leader I can aid in the improvement of the farming systems already in place. Overall, I am more than excited to become a functioning cog in the farm machine this year and am looking forward to giving back to the community around us.