Hello! My name is Nicholas Hohn, and I am one of the for-credit interns with the Student Farm for this fall semester. I am a Supply Chain and Information Systems major with a minor in Sustainability Leadership. I am originally from Allentown, Pennsylvania, and spent my first two years of college at the Penn State Altoona campus.
Throughout my life, I have always loved the outdoors and learning about different ecosystems. In my senior year of high school, I took an environmental science class that got me interested in sustainability and conservation. These are the main reasons why I pursued the Sustainability Leadership minor. In my first year at the Main Campus of Penn State, I took three separate class field trips to the Student Farm. I enjoyed each field trip and took this as a sign that I should get involved with the Student Farm for the internship requirement of my minor. Other than some gardening experience, I had little experience with managing vegetables and other general farm tasks. However, I did spend some time as a landscaper where I loved being outside and working with plants. One of the best things about the Student Farm is that you do not need prior farm experience in order to work there. They do a great job at teaching you everything you need to know and making you feel welcome.
I have various job responsibilities with the Student Farm at Penn State. I do hands-on work at the farm every Monday and Friday morning. During this time I mainly harvest, wash, and pack vegetables, cultivate fields, assist with deliveries, make flower bouquets, and perform any other necessary tasks. I help run the Feed the People market stand every Wednesday in the HUB. The FTP market stand is a collaboration with the Lion’s Pantry to help address food insecurity on campus by having a pay-what-you-can style vegetable stand. I also work at major events put on by the Student Farm, such as Harvest Fest and Plant Powered PSU. Lastly, I was tasked with developing two future farm projects. The first project is a business plan about adding blackberry and raspberry canes to our operation. The second project is a proposal for a seed-saving program and garden.
My time with the Student Farm has been very enjoyable. I’ve learned a lot about sustainable agriculture practices and how to effectively manage different crops and weeds. My favorite task by far is harvesting the different crops, and my favorite plants to harvest are basil and the various flowers, due to the lingering smell. I have also eaten more vegetables this semester than I ever have in my life. If you are thinking about getting involved with the Student Farm at Penn State, I highly recommend it.