This led me to enroll at the MSU Institute of Agriculture Technology at Northwestern Community College in Traverse City in 2015, where I loved the entomology and plant identification courses. I had to take a few years off of school but came to East Lansing in 2019 to continue my education. And I’ve found a calling thanks to the many opportunities on campus: I enjoy working at the Bailey Greenhouse and Urban Farm and the Student Organic Farm.
I had experience in landscaping through my work with IAT, but working with food has been eye-opening. I once managed a greenhouse growing ornamentals, but at BGUF, I have learned about biodiversity, crop rotation, local food and more. And I feel like I am bringing something to the table, too.
I improved the irrigation system this summer — I am very passionate about taking care of crucial resources like water and soil. Plus, I helped advance our wash and pack station, which improves food safety and makes harvesting and delivery more efficient.
There is a team working at BGUF, and it has been a great learning experience to be a part of a group. I’ve learned how to be a good manager and leader, and I know how important it is to sustain good interpersonal relationships with my team — we all want to make the farm as successful as possible.
Each week, I also work at the SOF, where I am applying the things I learn in the classroom to a real farm. The larger scale farm was a new venture, but like the BGUF, it has been rewarding to work with a community of people who care about the same things I do.
I will graduate from the Fruit, Vegetable, and Organic Horticulture Management program next spring, and I cannot wait to take my skills out into the world. I would love to work with middle and high school students in urban areas. I want to give them opportunities to learn how to grow food and how to improve landscape and food systems — opportunities I did not have.
I did not have many connections to farms growing up, but I am glad I do now.