Hey all! My name is Ezra and I will be a field intern this summer and fall. I’m really excited to be a part of the Student Farm and grow food for the community! My favorite plants to grow are squash and other cucurbits.
I first became interested in agriculture in high school when I took a human geography course; shortly thereafter I enrolled in an international agriculture course at Penn State. It took me a couple more years to decide that I wanted to study Plant Sciences, but this seemed like the right choice given that I have loved plants and being outdoors from a young age. Furthermore, the way I see it, small scale, organic, community-based agriculture can be help address environmental concerns such as climate change, as well as human concerns such as health and wellness. These are issues I’m really passionate about. Agriculture for me is also a means of reconnecting with our environment and community and nurturing the natural connections between plants, people, and animals. I think it’s really important that we understand the environment around us and know where our food comes from. Unfortunately, today, people spend a lot of time indoors and never think about the food they eat. I hope community supported agriculture, gardens, and recreational spaces can change that.
So far at the farm, I have learned a lot about starting and running a market garden. It is definitely very complicated and requires a lot of planning – I’m really glad we have a large team that makes sure everything gets done! I’ve really enjoyed spending time in the greenhouse, where I’ve helped start seeds and transplant seedlings into larger containers. It makes me happy to see all the plants growing so fast and healthily. As it’s become warmer outside, we’ve spent much more time at the farm learning about soils, pest and disease management, bed preparation, transplanting, and harvesting. I’ve never paid so close attention to the weather here in State College, and it surprises me how cold it can be here even going into May.
I know that this experience will change how I view my world in other more meaningful ways, too. I’m really looking forward to tending to the plants and showing the farm to the community on tours. I want people to be interested in what we’re doing here, ask questions, and feel inspired to get involved with their community and spend more time outdoors.