Hi! My name is Julia Crawford, and I am a Student Farm intern for the Fall 2021 semester. Currently, I’m in my junior year majoring in Agricultural Science with a minor in Food Systems. After transferring to Penn State in the fall of this year, I have already learned so much. But it was only until I got to Penn State that I started studying agriculture. I started my college career at University of Delaware where I studied athletic training to achieve my goal of working for the Philadelphia Eagles one day. Although this is very different from agriculture, I always knew I wanted to work outside whether that be on the sidelines or not. After transferring a second time while still on the path to the medical profession, it was when quarantine hit that my passion for agriculture took over.
My love for the environment started when I purchased my first tomato and pepper plants from the local Home Depot. After only having them for a few days, I wanted to spend every day outside watching them grow. I couldn’t put my love of food and nature to the side, so I started researching schools that had good agriculture programs. Sure enough, Penn State was on the top of the list.
Initially coming to a school where a lot of my classmates came from farming backgrounds and had much more experience than me, I was naturally a little intimidated. I immediately got involved in clubs outside of class because I was determined to learn as much as I could. I joined the Student Farm Club and Dairy Science Club where I got to experience my first up close and personal interaction with a cow. Although animals are not my main focus in ag, it was a great learning experience, and they are a great addition to any farm. The Student Farm Club had great events that opened my eyes to more opportunities in ag. Between beeswax workshops, cooking collabs, and sustainability film screenings, there was so much more I wanted to learn.
The time I have spent at Penn State has taught me so much already, and only over the past few weeks have I been able to practice using some of the everyday tools on the farm. It seems every task that needs to get accomplished on the farm has a machine or tool that goes with it (some I didn’t even know existed like the push precision seeder).
What has surprised me the most from my time studying agriculture is the lack of knowledge the average person has about where their food comes from and how it is produced. My biggest goal is to share as much knowledge I can with those around me so that they can understand the importance of agriculture. During my time as an intern, I aim to have a leadership position apart of the CSA. The harvest, wash, and package process is something that excites me but personally interacting with those who support local agriculture and being able to share my knowledge with them is truly incredible.
My time here at Penn State has not been long, but I have already been able to call this place my home. The community of similar-minded students who prioritize the Student Farm is inspirational to watch and something that I cannot wait to be a part of. I am so excited for my future in agriculture, I can only say I wish I found Penn State sooner.
