Small Farms Throughout Southwest Indiana
Summer '21 Internship with DePauw University Sustainability
Introduction
My experience at the DePauw University Ullem Center & Campus Farm took place during Summer 2021 with a majority of my internship taking place from June to August. Prior to my internship, I had worked at the Ullem Campus Farm as a volunteer and intern to the Farm Manager. During this time, I winterized the farm, completed the last of the fall harvest, and began preparing for spring planting. These experiences throughout the winter and spring influenced my decision to accept the summer internship at the Campus Farm!
The summer internship was offered through DePauw's Sustainability Leadership Program (SLP). Developing multi-faceted leaders, SLP works to establish and promote sustainability on DePauw's campus. The club is comprised of smaller working groups and each focuses on different interests in sustainability. My area of focus has been in the Campus Farm working group so I was extremely excited to dive into farm work. Through SLP, the focus had always been "bigger picture" farm projects, but my internship dove into the everyday work on the Campus Farm.
A Day At The Farm
Small Farms We Visited
IU Campus Farm
Visiting the IU Campus Farm gave us an opportunity to discuss and brainstorm solutions to drainage problems we experienced on the DePauw Farm. Not only did we discuss the challenges we faced, we also fostered a community with IU students while touring their farm.
Bloomington Community Orchard
The Bloomington Community Orchard was a prime example of cooperative community involvement. I enjoyed seeing the variety of fruit trees they planted because I didn't know so many varieties could be grown in Indiana!
IU Campus Poetry Garden
Bridging the gap between environmentalism and literature, the IU Campus Poetry Garden embodied the nature in everyday life. An important part of our internship was identifying aspects of sustainability outside of the traditional scope of the field.
Greencastle Community Garden
The Greencastle Community Garden was the smallest garden/farm we visited. This garden, while small, used vast trellises for squash, as well as high frequency whistles to keep birds away. The garden was a great example of ingenuity and problem solving.
Hobbit Gardens
It's odd seeing a piece of Middle Earth in small-town Indiana, but Hobbit Gardens was as close as it comes! We went on a guided herbalism tour by Constance. She offered us invaluable lessons on the objectivity of nature. A quote she left us with was, "A weed is a weed because we say it is."
Wolf Beach Family Farm
Right in our backyard, Wolf Beach is an expansive produce and livestock farm just north of campus. The Farm was started by two geneticist at Eli Lilly. During our visit, we learned of the darker side of "Big AG" and the loopholes smaller farmers must use to stay afloat.
West Boggs Park
While not a farm, our trip to West Boggs Park was a chance to grow closer as a group and enjoy each other's company outside of work. We spent the evening swimming in the lake, cooking by the campfire, and playing Yahtzee. Yahtzee!
Graber Family Farm
Following our night at West Boggs Park, we visited the Graber Family Farm and Orchard. The Grabers are an Amish family and we spent the morning harvesting peaches. We walked the rows, placing the peaches in the bins, loading the horse-drawn trailer, and I ate enough peaches to give me a stomach ache. The Grabers served us lunch and we finished our visit by singing group hymns around their dinner table.
KayLeo Urban Farm
KayLeo Urban Farm gave us insights into urban farming and food deserts. Pike Township is a food desert and the folks at KayLeo do their best to provide fresh produce to families and educate children and young adults about farming. Their operation utilizes cost-effective practices which would vastly improve DePauw setup.
Indiana State Fair
Capping off our Summer, our group visited the Indiana State Fair. We explored displays on the power of Soy, woodworking, quilting, water mitigation, and livestock. The Fair served as a meeting group between "Big AG" practices and small-farm practices.
IU Campus Farm
Visiting the IU Campus Farm gave us an opportunity to discuss and brainstorm solutions to drainage problems we experienced on the DePauw Farm. Not only did we discuss the challenges we faced, we also fostered a community with IU students while touring their farm.
Bloomington Community Orchard
The Bloomington Community Orchard was a prime example of cooperative community involvement. I enjoyed seeing the variety of fruit trees they planted because I didn't know so many varieties could be grown in Indiana!
IU Campus Poetry Garden
Bridging the gap between environmentalism and literature, the IU Campus Poetry Garden embodied the nature in everyday life. An important part of our internship was identifying aspects of sustainability outside of the traditional scope of the field.
Greencastle Community Garden
The Greencastle Community Garden was the smallest garden/farm we visited. This garden, while small, used vast trellises for squash, as well as high frequency whistles to keep birds away. The garden was a great example of ingenuity and problem solving.
Hobbit Gardens
It's odd seeing a piece of Middle Earth in small-town Indiana, but Hobbit Gardens was as close as it comes! We went on a guided herbalism tour by Constance. She offered us invaluable lessons on the objectivity of nature. A quote she left us with was, "A weed is a weed because we say it is."
Wolf Beach Family Farm
Right in our backyard, Wolf Beach is an expansive produce and livestock farm just north of campus. The Farm was started by two geneticist at Eli Lilly. During our visit, we learned of the darker side of "Big AG" and the loopholes smaller farmers must use to stay afloat.
West Boggs Park
While not a farm, our trip to West Boggs Park was a chance to grow closer as a group and enjoy each other's company outside of work. We spent the evening swimming in the lake, cooking by the campfire, and playing Yahtzee. Yahtzee!
Graber Family Farm
Following our night at West Boggs Park, we visited the Graber Family Farm and Orchard. The Grabers are an Amish family and we spent the morning harvesting peaches. We walked the rows, placing the peaches in the bins, loading the horse-drawn trailer, and I ate enough peaches to give me a stomach ache. The Grabers served us lunch and we finished our visit by singing group hymns around their dinner table.
KayLeo Urban Farm
KayLeo Urban Farm gave us insights into urban farming and food deserts. Pike Township is a food desert and the folks at KayLeo do their best to provide fresh produce to families and educate children and young adults about farming. Their operation utilizes cost-effective practices which would vastly improve DePauw setup.
Indiana State Fair
Capping off our Summer, our group visited the Indiana State Fair. We explored displays on the power of Soy, woodworking, quilting, water mitigation, and livestock. The Fair served as a meeting group between "Big AG" practices and small-farm practices.
Photo Gallery
From L to R and top to bottom: Farm family lunch, Mr. Graber's horse, peaches from Graber Farm, harvested kale from the farm, my hands dyed by tomatoes, Constance giving us wisdom, Constance's flower drying operation, Constance's Hobbit Garden sign, Dairy Barn at the State Fair, Farm Family picture from the State Fair.
From L to R and top to bottom: squash and zucchini from the Ullem Campus Farm, my fellow interns in our veggie costumes, the Farm Family swimming at West Boggs Park, lantern setup to play Yahtzee, sunset from West Boggs Park, reusable fences from Wolf Beach Farm, chickens from Wolf Beach Farm, loophole talk from Wolf Beach Farms.
Conclusions
- Through my internship, I...
- Gained a greater appreciation for small farms. The daily, strenuous labor of composting rows and pulling weeds was how we spent a majority of each day. This work was challenging and because our farm is committed to organic practices, all of this work was done by hand.
- Learned of restrictions placed on small farms by big farm corporations and government agencies that create hardships for these small farms. Visiting Wolf Beach Farm, we heard first-hand of the problems their family faced. They spent hours searching for loopholes in raising livestock and selling produce because as a collective whole, small farms pose a threat to big corporations.
- Involved myself in conversations about the relationships between humans and our environment. Specifically, these conversations happened during our field trips and our trip to Hobbit Gardens had a lasting impact on me. Constance, the owner of the farm, reasoned that, "A weed is a weed because we say it is," and we define plants as weeds because they do not look good in our manicured lawns or are prickly and hurt our fingers. Many "weeds" are medicinally active or useful to other species in the environment so it was valuable to reflect on our role and prejudices towards the environment and our effect on these species.
- Realized the value in a good pair of boots. Starting work at 7:00am, I found that there was still dew on the grass and my work boots became my best friends. They kept my feet dry and allowed for a more enjoyable day!
- Noticed the beautiful simplicity of my work. Throughout my summer, I had the opportunity to see some amazing sunrises and started to appreciate the quiet solitude of the Campus Farm. Even on the days when the rain would pour down on us or the sun would blaze across our backs, all of these experiences were necessary in creating produce on our farm.
- Met amazing people. Delivering to Hoover Dining Hall and food banks in the Greencastle area, we met outstanding and caring people. Our work throughout the entire semester went towards feeding students and impoverished community members which added an increased level of purpose to each and everyday.
Overall, this summer was an amazing opportunity for me to better understand the work I want to do in the future. I've come to the conclusion that I love working outside, serving others, and connecting to the environment. While the work was physically demanding, I understand that there are some challenges, such as hand weeding, that we have accepted because the current alternative is not a sustainable practice. A key takeaway from my experience was incorporating sustainable practices more into my everyday life and I hope to continue this practice in future experiences. I plan to use my knowledge from my internship to explore sustainable practices in both the farming and the energy sector outside of Indiana and abroad.
