Hey Hey! I’m Kyle, an intern on The Student Farm this fall. I’ve been involved with the farm for about a year and I’ve loved every bit of it. From potlucks with great foods, to sunrises with great hues, the farm has been a big part of my life.
One of the many sunrises I get to enjoy each morning. (Kyle Williams)
When I became an intern on the farm I was looking forward to learning farming practices used on a site larger than a traditional family garden. I’ve helped with harvest on a pumpkin farm in my hometown and have grown a garden for the past five years, but I knew this would be an entirely different experience. During the fall, I bee-came interested in ways to naturally prevent harmful insects, one through use of row covers, as well as planting an adjacent pollinator garden to introduce beneficial insects to the area. Learning about cover cropping was one of my personal favorite things, and I’ve seen first-hand the difference it makes stopping soil erosion after a heavy rainfall.
Me, Ben, and Mary talking about the club during Ag Day
My roommate Nick introduced me to the student farm by showing me the awesome, KALE-aborate t-shirts supporting the club. When I saw the shirts I knew these people couldn’t be beet (I love puns, can you find them all?). I’ve bean involved with growing produce in the greenhouse last fall, and now I’m one of the connections between our customers and the farm itself. Talking directly to the chefs at places like The Village or The Penn Stater is a great experience; they always comment on the excellent quality which reflects olive the hard work our interns put into the acre.
At this point in thyme, production on the Student Farm is starting to wind down, but we still have plenty of “behind the scenes” work to get done before winter.
One of the first frosts seen on our turnips. (Kyle Williams)
Photo of farm, above: Kyle Williams