Hello! My name is Sloan Householder, and I’m completing a for-credit internship experience during the fall 2024 semester! I’m currently a second-year student majoring in Environmental Resource Management, and I’m concentrating in soil science. I’m also completing an undergraduate certificate program for Agricultural Stewardship and Conservation.
I grew up with my grandparents about twenty minutes outside of Richmond, Virginia. My county is considered part of the Richmond metropolitan area. Because of this, I’d never truly had any connection with agriculture growing up other than passing by small farm fields in neighboring counties. As I got older and learned about industrial agriculture, I became interested in having a connection to my food and where it’s coming from. I also care about what I’m putting into my body when choosing my foods, and I want the same for my future family.
When I visited the Student Farm on a class visit, I knew I wanted to get involved because its values align so perfectly with my own, using organic practices and being sustainability focused. I had no experience farming other than the occasional gardening, and I knew this would be the perfect way to gain practical knowledge in my field of study as a soil scientist wanting to work with farmers to build healthy soils that can feed and sustain our population.
This internship has been eye opening in so many ways. First, I love the community we share at the Student Farm. Though we all have different backgrounds, we can connect our shared love for the world around us to a sustainable, on-campus food system. I also feel like I’ve gained a lot of knowledge about the importance of crop management practices for cover crops, like including a variety of different species that each provide different services to our soil while building its health. This allows us to regenerate nutrients and build structure, while also adding organic matter for the next crops to be planted. Though this is a small farm, these principles could be applied everywhere to rejuvenate our farmland soils.
One thing that’s surprised me in my internship experience so far was just how productive a single bed in a field could be – especially our tomato plants! I harvested 60 pounds of cherry tomatoes from just two beds on my first workday. Even the melon fields seemed to be full even though it wasn’t a super high yield this year. I was also fascinated by how many different types of peppers we are able to grow on our four acres. I’ve already harvested three different varieties, both spicy and sweet, in my fifth week!
As for my own community, whether it be back at home or wherever I settle after graduation, I hope I can make a difference in food systems. I’m very interested in supporting local agriculture through CSA and volunteer work. I also want to support markets and stands that provide fresh and organic produce to their community members. This internship has definitely inspired me to do better for our shared future!
