Hello everyone! My name is Garrison Wehrle and I am a For-Credit Intern on the farm for the Spring 2024 semester. Currently, I am a junior majoring in Environmental Resource Management (Environmental Science Option), along with certificates in Landscape Ecology and Agricultural Stewardship and Conservation. I became an intern this semester through a chance encounter in the HUB with Leslie, Associate Director of the Student Farm, after I expressed my interest in becoming more involved with The Student Farm. Through my internship, I got to experience many different facets of the farm and make new connections with many of its members.
I grew up in the rural outskirts of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania across the street from an alpaca farm. Alpacas are not the most common animal to encounter on a farm, so being able to observe and be a part of their care for many years sparked my interest in agriculture. My family then decided to start our own mini farm on our two acres with miniature species of goats, sheep, ponies, donkeys, and even a zebu! Many years later, we eventually moved onto a horse farm nearby, where we board quarter horses for western racing and leisure. Living on the farm, I quickly realized the amount of time, work, and care it takes to have a happy and healthy facility.
Having these experiences with the livestock aspect of agriculture, I was interested in exploring crop production. Working on the Student Farm, I have gained experience from the tending of spinach seedlings in the greenhouse all the way to the harvesting of edible flowers in the high tunnels on the farm. I enjoy the quiet and peaceful time spent with the plants. Most of the time I forget I am actually working. Being up close and personal with the production of the farm’s crops, I have realized the amount of care and planning it takes to ensure a fruitful harvest. I also really enjoy the opportunity to taste some farm fresh snacks such as pea shoots and edible flowers.
Sustainable agriculture is very important to me as I am passionate about conservation efforts and their effect on both the planet and our relationship to it. After reading Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Kimmerer in a book club as part of my internship, I realized the connection we have to plants and our responsibilities for gratitude and reciprocity. By farming sustainably, we reduce the negative impacts of the industries that support our lives, thus reciprocating the gifts they give us. On the Student Farm, the host of sustainable practices implemented in production showcase how easy it can be to make a shift toward a more sustainable and gratuitous future. The student interactions with the farm also show how communities can be built and enhanced through the use of community gardening and local farms. I hope to take the experiences I have had on the farm forward with me as I continue to entwine conservation efforts with agricultural practices.
