Amanda Hemminger (she/her), Journalism+Design ’22
Minor: Environmental Studies
Unpaid Internship Grant
Company: Eagle Street Rooftop Farm
Type of work completed: Organic agriculture, urban ecosystems, horticulture, farm management, pest management. etc. Laborious internship – on your feet, lifting and bending down, always with a sharp mind.
Where did you find the internship: Online searching for urban farms to work at.
Would you recommend it for other Lang students: Absolutely – could not recommend it more. Again, I would recommend for the Spring semester rather than Fall.
Internship Description Description
For the past 4 months I worked 3 days a week at Eagle Street Rooftop Farm, a 6,000 square foot green roof organic vegetable farm in Brooklyn, NY. I was immersed into the field of horticulture, urban ecosystems, permaculture, and farm management and organization.
Who was supporting you in with work? How did you work with your mentor or faculty/staff/success advisors?
Annie Novak – owner of Eagle Street Rooftop Farm. I worked with Annie as in a mentor, teacher, and supervisor relationship to learn about organic farming and farm management. We had weekly calls and email check-ins combined with frequent in person meetings. She helped guide me through any learning curves and bumps.
How has this project has been impactful or transformative — for you personally or for those this work has impacted:
Every day on the farm was filled with community, and love. When I started working on the farm over the summer, I never anticipated such a diverse group of people that was so open to friendship and new experiences. I learned an incredible amount of knowledge just from working on the farm, but also from my community and peers that I had the privilege of working alongside.
What would you do differently? How would you advise a student who is going to do something similar?
I would start farming early in the year and then continue and internship like farming into the fall. the bulk of learning how to farm and manage a space like this is potent in the early spring into summer. As the fall comes around, there is less to do and learn. I would recommend doing this internship in the Spring semester.
Short summary
Interconnected experience that revealed the importance of green spaces and organic local food in urban ecosystems.