College graduation, a day highlighting the accomplishments that come with academia. For me, this feeling of accomplishment was short lived, you might even say it lasted as long as my graduation cap in the air following the traditional toss of the graduation cap. Why? Because the all too common post-college anxiety of being deemed an official member of the scary “real world” began sinking in, and I was unclear as to where to begin.
Luckily, picking up an environmental minor tapped an environmental conscience that had faded over recent years. During my last year as an undergraduate I was fortunate enough to take an ecological agriculture course, taught by a retired organic farmer whose ardent passion for sustainable farming was transparent. The course was an experience that completely changed my views on food and the culture surrounding it. My newly sparked interest in sustainable farming only grew the more I delved into it.
Coming back to New York City after school, I began searching for opportunities involving anything that had to do with farming. I came across two potential opportunities: apprenticeships at the Battery Urban Farm and Earth Matter NY, which ultimately came to fruition.
My experience at Battery Urban Farm lasted from May to August, and gave me the opportunity to work and educate others on an urban farm, helping mend a connection I had lost with my food and the land. One of the intricacies within the sustainable farming cycle is the promotion and maintenance of soil health. One of the many reasons I joined Earth Matter NY as an apprentice was to increase my understanding of composting and its application in remedying the soil. My apprenticeship with Earth Matter began in May, and consisted of a training program running two days a week. The program covers compost education and training in educational leadership, as the apprentices assist with visitor and group education.