Hope was perched on a broadfork to my left, lifting and loosening the soil. A broadfork is simple, useful, and brutal. As soon as my fellow interns and I saw Darin Ripp, Farm Education & Operations Manager, seesawing on one, we couldn’t wait to get a turn. Imagine a 2-foot-wide steel balance beam with handles and several large knives welded to the bottom. Is it a beard-trimmer attachment for a giant? An amusement park ride gone wrong? Nope, it’s a broadfork, and it’s great for waking up a field row without inverting the soil and upsetting our worm friends, also known as our “biological engineers.”
So, Hope’s leaning back-and-forth, back-and-forth on the broadfork, and I’m tossing shovel-fulls of soil from the path beside her, and I slipped! My sneakers had no grip on the muddy ground. Thankfully, I caught myself before eating dirt and all was well, but I knew I had to go shoe-shopping ASAP.
Gear’s a big deal at my other job, too. I work in a restaurant, and anyone who’s ever gone back-of-house in regular sneakers can attest to the importance of non-skid shoes. My co-workers and I often debate about the best brand, style, and gel insoles. We wear matching work hoodies when we do charity events off-site, and last year I worked with the To Go Team to make commemorative tie-dye shirts for Mother’s Day, our busiest day of the year.
And don’t even get servers started talking about pens… Julia only uses multi-colored glitter gel pens, Jordan prefers one from his dad’s HVAC company, and Tara has a gold one with a huge fake diamond on top that she swears always gets her a ten-dollar tip. When I work as a shift supervisor/key, I’m often pen-less because I dress up and don’t wear an apron, so I borrow one from my nearest co-worker, but I always return it—pens are priceless in a restaurant!
With that in mind, I’m excited to try out my new boots and see how my fellow interns and I end up breaking in, wearing out, and adding flair to our gear this summer!
Jessica Zabinsky is majoring in Plant Science (Horticulture) and minoring in Food Systems. She’s a returning adult student. Previously, she got a degree in English and worked as a tutor, research assistant, and librarian.