Introducing the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund 2024 Class

These young adults will travel to sustainable farms for fully paid one month apprenticeships from June to September. We are so excited for them to share their experiences and incredible voices with the world! And we are proud to see Anne’s energy live on through these adventures. Thank you for making ASLF possible with your donations and support.

Abigail Greendyk
(she/her)

Temple University

New Leaf Agriculture

  • I am Abigail, an ASLF Alumni, and I am thrilled to be returning to New Leaf Agriculture this summer in my hometown of Austin, Texas. I am a student at Temple University, and am passionate about restoring our relationships with the land while improving food access for my community. Through apprenticing at NL, I have learned skills originating in farming practices from all across the world, and I hope to continue learning from those around me to prepare myself for a future in agriculture!

Abigail Wessels
(she/her)

University of Oregon

Love Is Love Cooperative Farm

  • Hi, my name is Abby Wessels and I am from Dallas, Texas. I just wrapped up my third year at the University of Oregon where I am majoring in Environmental Studies and Sociology and minoring in Food Studies. I am super excited for the opportunity to learn and grow at the Love is Love Cooperative this summer! 

Abril Rambla Calatayud
(she/her)

University of Geneva

Jones Valley Teaching Farm

  • I grew up in the outskirts of Barcelona, immersed in a vibrant urban area. I felt disconnected to the countryside, so as a teenager, I waited for the summers to come and work in family scale farms across Europe. At 16 I started working seasonally for a natural winemaker in Jura, France. This experience was very meaningful and allowed me to bind valuable ties with Jura’s countryside. There I understood that agriculture is more than growing and producing food; it is a way of connecting with the land and with the community. After living in Geneva for my studies, I came to the University of California, Davis, to better understand the agriculture that feeds us. California is proving to me that there are alternative ways of practicing agriculture aligned with sustainability principles. Acknowledging my past experiences, I would like to overcome the dualism imposed on the rural and the urban landscapes. My professional goal is to transform our cities into a new, holistic urban reality that embraces agricultural practices. Being a future apprentice at Jones Valley Teaching Farm, in Birmingham, Alabama, is a great opportunity to gain hands-on work understanding of the role that urban farms are starting to play in many cities across the world. I am looking forward to the experience to come, thank you ASLF!

Alice Navadeh
(she/her)

Rethink Food

Talbott & Arding

  • I am so honored to be accepted into this year’s ASLF apprenticeship cohort! I have always bee interested in and passionate about food – so much so that my first word was “cheese!”

    After graduating from the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, I worked in food operations at an NFL stadium. It was there that I saw how much food waste exists in the hospitality industry, so I decided to pivot in my career to focus on food justice, sustainability, and curbing food waste. I now serve as the Director of Sustainability and Corporate Partnerships for Rethink Food, a NYC-based nonprofit focused on creating a more sustainable and equitable food system. This summer, through the apprenticeship program, I hope to learn more about sustainable sourcing and agriculture – and how to make cheese, of course!

Alicia Esquivel
(she/her)

University of New Mexico

SingleThread Farm at Dry Creek

  • I was born and raised in Houston, TX. I just completed the first year of my PhD program in Sociology at the University of New Mexico where I am studying food and labor. I have a background in librarianship and have held several jobs in the food industry. I strongly believe in the material and symbolic creation of knowledge through manual labor. I am excited for the opportunity to work at SingleThread Farm this summer and learn about regenerative soil processes and hand cultivation.

Aeshah Ahmed
(she/her)

New York City College of Technology / ERMC Aviation

Queens County Farm Museum

  • My name is Aeshah Ahmed, currently I am a sophomore at City Tech, studying Hospitality management. I have a fond interest in gaining as much experience as I can while in college, hence why I am so excited about being a part of this apprenticeship. I’m 20 years old and love the concept of farm to table. I love to bake and cook.

Allison Sirota
(she/her)

Brooklyn Nature Days

Blackeyed Susan Sheep Dairy & The Von Trapp Farmstead and Mad River Taste Place

  • I am a filmmaker, nature educator, and second-year ASLF apprentice living and working in Brooklyn, NY! I apprenticed with ASLF in 2023, growing vegetables at Ohio City Farm in downtown Cleveland.

    Day-to-day, I teach all-outdoor forest school classes in Brooklyn, sell vegetables at a farmers market, make art, and guide one-on-one nature exploration for kids. I can’t wait to spend the summer among cows and sheep!

Allyssa Foster
(she/her)

Brown University

D-Town Farm

  • I am in my final year of studying environmental science at Brown University. Over the past couple of years working at a Symbolic Slave Garden at my school, I have grown a strong connection to the interconnected values of Black and Indigenous land stewardship. As I keep searching for the kind of space I want to occupy in the future, I am drawn again and again to farming, working outdoors, and the infinite possibilities a space of regeneration can mean for a better world. I am excited to engage in a journey that will bring me closer to what I am passionate about. I have so much to learn about the rich relationships between communities, cities, cooking and farming this summer!

Allison Jiang
(they/she)

FoodCorps: Detroit Public Schools Community District

Fisheye Farms

  • I’m a nature educator and recent grad from the UM School of Public Health! I spent this past year teaching K-8 students in Detroit public schools about all things nature and the garden. I’ve also farmed for a few different community sites here in Detroit and in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti areas. I view farming and growing as revolutionary acts that must center people, over corporations and profit. My identity as a first generation born Chinese-American has deeply shaped how I view my relationship to the land and the communities I learn alongside. Other than farming, I really enjoy ceramics, sewing, slow chess, and ping pong!

Anabelle Plume Poore
(she/her)

University of Oregon

Deep Rooted Organics

  • Hi, my name is Anabelle. I am a Junior at the University of Oregon pursuing degrees in Planning, Public Policy, & Management and Spanish. Before starting college, I took a year off to live and work on organic produce farms in California and Oregon. The beauty and reward of feeding my community with crops I grew myself was impactful, causing me to explore the intersection between the health of the Earth and of the people. I believe that sustainable agriculture has a profound connection to food justice, which is a relationship that upholds an essential respect towards nature.

    Aside from being in the garden, I enjoy making ceramics, going on bike rides, chatting with friends, and trail running. Thank you ASLF and Deep Rooted Organics for the opportunity to grow my knowledge of environmental stewardship, I am so excited to learn outside this summer!

Anaya Harry
(she/her)

University of North Carolina at Asheville

Southside Community Farm

  • I am a rising Junior at UNC Asheville double majoring in Biology and Health & Wellness with a focus on plants. I am an alumni of the ASLF apprenticeship and am excited for another opportunity to strengthen the skills I've learned from my last apprenticeship with Southside Community Farm here in Asheville, NC. I hope to one day use the skills I’ve learned to support other farms that selflessly serve and educate their communities as much as Southside Community farm has.

Amelia Citron
(she/her)

​​Ethical Culture Fieldston School

Lively Run Goat Dairy

  • My name is Amelia Citron and I'm a highschool student in New York City. I love all things food, and I always have. I started by teaching myself to cook and bake, then got my food handlers license and spent a semester at a school with a working farm called Chewonki. The semester was incredible in many ways, but perhaps my favorite part was being able to eat, cook, live, learn, harvest and serve food all in the same place. Now, I am a rising senior from Fieldston in the Bronx, and I live with (and cook for!) my parents and twin sister. I love to hike, bike, explore neighborhoods (and their food) in the city and listen to all kinds of music. In the future I hope to learn about food policy and food systems.

Anna Dua
(she/her)

New York University, Gallatin School of Individualized Study

Harlem Grown

  • My name is Anna Dua, and I was born and raised in Berkeley, California. Growing up in Berkeley, home to Chez Panisse and the slow food movement, definitely influenced my current interest in agriculture and food. I’m heading into my senior year at New York University, pursuing an interdisciplinary degree in food sovereignty and food systems. Since moving to New York, I’ve wanted to participate in community-led agriculture, so I’m really looking forward to working at Harlem Grown this summer! I love all things food-related, especially cooking and sharing a meal with loved ones.

Anna Hsu
(she/her)

Tufts University

Queens County Farm Museum

  • Anna is a sophomore at Tufts University where she plans to study chemistry. She is interested in the study and application of natural materials, such as silk, as sustainable alternatives. In her first summer at Queens County Farm Museum, Anna loved learning in the field and the unique opportunity to educate visitors at the farm. She is excited to continue working in sustainable agriculture and to give back to her community in her second summer at QCFM!

Anna Captain
(she/her) 

Cocus Magazine / Spitfire Cheese and Sundry

Firefly Farms

  • My name is Anna Captain! I am a food writer who has been fortunate enough to jump around the industry, working as a barista, barback and cheesemonger. I studied culture and rhetoric at NYU’s Gallatin School, and last year I worked as an editorial assistant and tasting coordinator for the New Wine Review. I currently run a Stubstack called Cocus, focused on dining, cooking and food accessibility in NYC. I also host a monthly “Gathermake” which invites young people to collaborate on creative projects, explore a variety of media, and discuss intentional living in the digital age. I adore the serendipity, community, connection and empowerment fostered through the food and beverage space. Food is art, food is political, food is love! I’m thrilled to have received this opportunity with ASLF and cannot wait to dive headfirst into the world of cheese this summer.

Anya Yu- Swanson
(she/her)

University of California, Santa Barbara / Marine Science Institute

Winona's Hemp & Heritage Farm

  • I am currently a student at UCSB studying Environmental Studies and Geography. I was the president of my high school garden club where I discovered my love for cultivating healthy soil, food, and community! I currently work in the biology greenhouses on my campus and have a garden plot where I grow lots of flowers. I love plants, animals, and being outdoors and am interested in pursuing a career in sustainable agriculture and food systems. I’m so excited to apprentice at Winona’s Hemp and Heritage Farm with the support of ASLF.

Aviva Senzon
(she/her)

Tufts University / New England Conservatory of Music

Firefly Farms

  • Aviva Senzon is from West Palm Beach, Florida and is a rising third-year undergraduate student at Tufts University. There, she studies biology and music composition. From starting a garden at her school, to organizing a festival on the future of food systems, Aviva seeks out opportunities to make the food landscape more sustainable, accessible and just. She is involved in cellular agriculture research and is thrilled to delve into all of the facets of making cheese. Aviva is incredibly grateful for this hands-on experience to learn something new within the agriculture field.

Anna Moore
(she/her)

FRESHFARM FoodPrints

Spring Brook Farm

  • Growing up in Brooklyn, NY, food has always shaped my identity. Eating fresh bagels and pizza with my family and going to farmers markets throughout my childhood remain some of my happiest memories. I have been living, studying, and working in Washington, DC for the past six years, graduating from American University in 2022. I am currently a Garden and Food Educator in DC Public Schools through FRESHFARM FoodPrints, an organization dedicated to building a more equitable food system. I have discovered the pure joy of connecting my love for food with teaching. Working in urban agriculture and communities across DC has greatly inspired me to connect people everywhere to the food they eat. I am overjoyed to expand this journey to new places by working with Spring Brook Farm and being a part of ASLF.

Brooke Harrington (she/they)

Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine College / Berryessa Gap Vineyards

SingleThread Farm at Dry Creek

  • Brooke is a recent graduate from UC Davis with a B.S. in Sustainable Environmental Design and an A.S. in Waste Management. She is an enthusiastic, spunky individual with a passion for farming, community engagement and poetry. She hopes to communally own land with friends in the future, and host farm-to-table dinners on-site.

Cal Dagner
(they/them)

Bates College

Glidden Point Oyster Farm

  • I was born and raised in Crozet, Virginia and will be a sophomore at Bates College in Maine this fall. I have been studying environmental sciences since the beginning of high school and am an earth and climate science major in college. I am passionate about the ways we as a society can use agriculture, not only a source of food but also as a solution to the growing climate crisis. As a rower I have immense respect for the water and am so excited to learn more about marine ecosystems and oysters this summer!

Bobby Boucher
(he/him)

Jasper Hill Farm

Uplands Cheese

  • Hello! I’m Robert Boucher but my friends call me Bobby. My life goal is to make cheese and cook amazing food for my friends and family around the world and on my current journey I’m learning the ins and outs to make that life goal a reality. Im currently a cheesemaking apprentice at Jasper Hill Farm and loving it.

    Jasper Hill is where I spent my first ASLF apprenticeship and thanks to the amazing people at The Anne Saxelby Legacy fund and Jasper Hill I’m living my dream full time.

    Looking forward to the 2024 season I’m filled with so much excitement to have another incredible opportunity to continue my education in the great big world of cheese!

Carmen Ortega
(she/her)

Yale University

Florence Fang Community Farm

  • I am from Albuquerque, New Mexico, where my family has a deep connection to agriculture! I just finished my bachelor’s degree in American Studies, and I fell in love with farming two years ago when I worked on my college’s student-run, sustainable farm. I’m very passionate about decolonizing agriculture and food literacy and justice! I’m so excited to deepen my understanding of such initiatives this summer.

Carrie Stenerson (they/them)

Metcalfe's Market Hilldale 

Rogue Creamery

  • Carrie S. is a trans nonbinary freelance cheesemonger and educator currently based out of Rockford, IL. Carrie got their start in the industry at a specialty grocery store in Madison, WI where they worked behind a cheese counter for four years. Since then, they have expanded to conducting freelance cheese work across the U.S., including hosting cheese education, tastings, & parties, feeding the Chicago queer community through mutual aid organizing, and mongering at events like Charleston Food and Wine 2024 and the Cheesemonger Invitational. Most recently, Carrie won first place in the Top Cheese of Cheeselandia competition and became the first recipient of the Vermont Creamery Bob Reese Scholarship. This summer, they look forward to a cheesy journey of mongering, making, tasting, conferences, and journalism, before relocating to Los Angeles in August.

Camryn Kennedy
(she/her)

Johnson & Wales University / Rhode Island Food Policy Council

Deep Rooted Organics

  • I am a rising senior at Johnson & Wales University studying Sustainable Food Systems with an associate degree in Baking & Pastry Arts. I have long been interested in food, sustainability, and agriculture and previously worked on a flower farm. I live in Providence, Rhode Island, where I am a barista, work at a culinary goods store, and am finishing up an internship focusing on food literacy with the Rhode Island Food Policy Council. Through my internship, I have come to have a huge passion for food and agricultural education. In the future, I hope to work to further food literacy and make this kind of education more accessible and equitable. As an Ohio native, I am incredibly excited to return to the Midwest and explore Wisconsin this July. I’m looking forward to jumping outside my comfort zone and learning more about organic and heirloom agriculture.

Charlotte Maffie
(she/her)

Bates College

Catskill Wagyu at Hilltop Farm

  • Hi, I am from Newton, Massachusetts, and am a rising senior at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, majoring in chemistry. My family has always prioritized food and cooking, and we often spend time at home cooking and baking together. I am fortunate enough to live in Vermont in the summer and have seen how important farm fresh food is for society. All of these pieces of me came together to create an interest in food science, sustainable farming, and how science can help that. I am so excited to learn about farming and I hope I am going to be able to apply some of my chemistry knowledge this summer!

Chloe Harmon
(she/her)

University of California, Davis

Gentle Time Farm

  • Hello, my name is Chloe! I grew up in Los Angeles and Dallas have always enjoyed playing in the dirt and exploring nature’s beauty hands-on. I am approaching my fourth year at UC Davis as a Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems major. Through my educational journey, farming has become a way for me to connect with my Chinese culture, family, land, and community. In my career, I want to help others experience the joy of cultivating their personal connection to food. To do this, I hope to partner with farms and organizations that seek to bring culturally relevant produce to nearby communities. In my spare time, I bake and decorate cakes, host clothing swaps, and make/enjoy music with friends. I am excited to join

Catherine “Cat” Diggs
(she/her)

University of Michigan

Brother Nature Produce

  • Cat Diggs just recently graduated from the University of Michigan as a Dual Master’s Degree Student with an M.S. in Environmental Justice at SEAS and a Master’s in Urban & Regional Planning at Taubman College. Cat has accrued close to a decade of grassroots community work experience during both her seven-and-a-half years away from academic study and during her time at U.M. Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec by a family of human rights advocates, Cat decided to move to Detroit in 2016 as a dual citizen to become involved with the city’s powerful Afrocentric music communities and culture of grassroots activism.

    Over the years, she has worked as a grassroots recycling educator, community-based storyteller and event producer, ESL teacher, and environmental justice nonprofit worker. Through her boots-on-the-ground experience as a community worker and cultural organizer, Cat has grown passionate about building the capacity of climate justice movements in their ongoing efforts to address the global plastics crisis and its impacts on EJ communities, locally and globally. Cat never ceases to be humbled by the incredible people and communities she has had the privilege of collaborating with over the years. Cat has, in recent years, come to realize that to be a more well-rounded EJ practitioner, it is essential that she develops stronger, more material ties to the land and the practice of growing. She hopes to continue contributing her community-building and organizing skills to the social and EJ movements and causes that she is striving to work in-collaboration with throughout her life.

Danielle Sklar
(she/her)

Bedford Cheese Shop / The Jewish Museum

Cato Corner Farm

  • Danielle is a Brooklyn-based lover of sustainable food systems and currently works at Bedford Cheese Shop in New York City. Before working in cheese, Danielle worked for a small Jewish experiential education-based organization in Portland, Oregon. Working in experiential education before cheese, Danielle is a firm believer that getting your hands dirty is the best way to learn something new. Danielle is excited to work with Cato Corner Farm to fully immerse herself in the world of sustainable cheese and cheesemaking. In Danielle’s free time, she likes to bake pies and crochet.

Dennis MacDonald
(he/him)

Burlington Beer Company

Stony Pond Farm

  • My name is Dennis MacDonald. I am an avid outdoorsman that loves hiking, hunting and fishing. I am a true foodie at heart. With a background in the culinary world, food has always been my passion. I grew up watching Emeril Live and Molto Mario instead of watching cartoons as other kids my age did. My passion for food led me in the direction of farming. I grew curious about seeing where all these beautiful products that I’ve become so familiar with came from. My goal when moving to Vermont nine years ago was to brew beer and/or make cheese. I checked brewing beer off the list and now onto making cheese!

Daniel Chian
(he/him)

Oberlin College

Brooklyn Grange

  • Hello! I’m a student at Oberlin College in Ohio. I’m a Politics major and an Africana Studies minor seeking to pursue Oberlin’s Food Studies concentration. I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and I love Cantonese food, public parks, and making music videos.

    After college, I hope to pursue a career in international food advocacy. I am particularly interested in small-scale farming, especially in cities, and how those practices can be made more accessible. I attended the Mountain School in Spring 2021, where me and 45 other classmates lived, worked, and learned together on a farm in Vermont for three months. Getting to work so intimately with the food I eat has inspired me to pursue volunteer opportunities both at home and at school. One of my favorite farm chores is seed starting and transplanting and I like to listen to Solange while I do so. I’m incredibly excited to work at Brooklyn Grange this summer.

Eliza Pease
(she/her)

University of California, Santa Barbara

The Ecology Center

  • Hey all, my name is Eliza Pease and I am a third-year student at the University of California, Santa Barbara pursuing degrees in Environmental Studies and Geography. Growing up with a mother and grandmother who loved to garden, I was pushed to explore food cultivation at a young age. While I used to loathe long hours in the hot sun and dirt under my fingernails, I now find myself feeling the most creative, grounded, and happy when I get to work outside and get my hands dirty.

    I got involved in the world of sustainable agriculture in high school through my work with a community-focused, non- profit, urban farm in my hometown and have never looked back. I hope to pursue a career that works to uplift agriculture as a form of resistance and empowerment. While I love working outdoors, I also love to spend my free time outdoors – running, hiking, swimming, biking, and camping. I am beyond excited to spend the summer working as an apprentice on an urban farm and am looking forward to learning more about how food can be used as a tool for change.

Ella F. Sosik
(she/her)

Ideal Cheese

Jasper Hill Farm

  • My name is Ella Sosik, and I’m from Massachusetts. I received my bachelor’s degree in Applied Food Studies from The Culinary Institute of America and my Master’s degree in Food Studies from NYU Steinhardt. During the pandemic I spent time working in Vermont and Maine and developed an interest in the small farms around New England, especially those producing artisan cheese. All of my work has focused on food; I’ve been a pastry cook, baker, line cook, cheesemonger, food educator for children, and more over the years. I’m very passionate about food justice, farmworker rights, and ethical agriculture and I try to shape all of my pursuits around my belief that more sustainable and equitable future food systems are possible. I'm honored to have the opportunity to work at Jasper Hill Farm this summer and am excited to learn as much as I can.

Ebb Skye Burk
(they/she)

University of California, Davis 

Featherstone Garden

  • ​​I am Ebb, a city kid and aspiring farmer from Oakland, California. I am a recent graduate of UC Davis. I studied Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, with a focus in agroecology.

    At my campus educational farm, I teach organic farming methods to my peers and lead children through garden exploration. I am inspired by community-led food and agrarian efforts, QTBIPOC urban growers, and cooperatives. You can find me in local mosh pits, gardens, bodies of water, and/or caked in dirt.

Fredi Weitzel
(she/her)

Foodcorps

Avenue 33 Farm

  • Fredi is stoked to be furthering her learning in the food systems space at Avenue 33 Farms in LA. After years of both formal and informal studies in botany, agro-ecology, and permaculture, and following her latest role as a Food and Garden Educator at her local Elementary School, she is thrilled to have the opportunity to gain practical experience on a food access farm. Fredi has a spiritual, ecosystemic approach to life and also works in the birth space. Her dream is to become a certified midwife and to design and manage a site for and with her own community, sharing in the valuable experience of (and nutrition from!) home-grown food. Reconnection is the goal!

Eva Donato
(she/her)

Lafayette College

Our Core

  • My name is Eva Donato and I’m a rising junior at Lafayette College, studying Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies, Studio Art and Environmental Studies. I grew up in Woodstock, New York, surrounded by art and nature. As I learned to care for nature and allow it to care for me, my appreciation for the outdoors grew. I took a gap year before entering college, traveling throughout the United States and Europe and working on many small family-operated sustainable farms. I spent my time building connections with people and the Earth, and learned to understand those as one and the same. Through my studies I’ve continued this education and learned to reframe our connection with the Earth outside of a colonialist framework. I’m incredibly passionate about community embedded programs that focus on leader building through working with nature and with others, and I’m extremely excited to be working with Our Coore in Newburg, New York this summer!

Ellen Rodda
(she/her)

Tate Modern

Neal’s Yard Dairy

  • Hiya! I'm Ellen, a 27-year-old farmer's daughter based in South London. I'm Cornish, meaning I was born and raised in Cornwall (right at the bottom of the UK in the South West, towards the very end of the island!). Being Cornish and coming from Agriculture (on both sides of my family) are things I’m very proud of and that I think will hopefully set me in good stead for this opportunity, as the South West is an area that is famous for its farming, food and drink. This made it a wonderful place to grow up and learn all about food and discover my first true love; Cheese. As you can probably see from this photo, food is very important to me and consuming cheese, cooking with cheese or just talking about cheese have always been some of my favourite pastimes (can you tell?). So, when the opportunity came up to work under Neal’s Yard Dairy, it felt like a calling I couldn’t ignore. I was also thrilled to find out that it was being supported by such a creative fund as ASLF, since I have been working in the Arts & Cultural sector for over two years now and truly believe in the power both art and creatives have to facilitate dialogue, learning and engagement. Cheesemaking and Cheesemongering are art forms that are sometimes so overlooked, hence why I am really looking forward to learning everything I can about them and applying that knowledge to the wider food and farming landscape of now and tomorrow.

Indy Gerhardt
(he/they)

Oregon State University FEWS Lab

Rise & Root Farm

  • Hi there, my name is Indy, and I am a recent graduate from Oregon State University. I majored in Biology with a focus in Ecology and Chemistry. With this degree, I’m hoping to further expand my knowledge on human-ecosystem interactions, particularly in freshwater habitats. I’m interested in researching the effects of agriculture on amphibian species while also learning about the sustainable, small-scale side of farming.

    Originally, I grew up in Ventura, California and then moved to Oregon with my family. Living in the forests of the PNW sparked my interest in environmental issues at a young age. Now this interest has evolved into a passion focused on how we as a society can sustainably coexist with the ecosystems we reside in.

Hamna Khan
(she/her)

Columbia University 

Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden

  • Hamna Khan recently graduated from Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs with a Master’s in International Affairs. She works at the Center on Global Energy Policy as a Research Assistant focusing on Nuclear Energy Policy. Hamna has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of California San Diego.

Genesis Cabrera
(she/her)

University of Denver

Winona's Hemp & Heritage Farm

  • I am Genesis Cabrera; I will be a junior in college this next fall. I go to the University of Denver in Colorado, and I am majoring in Environmental science with a minor in Business Administration and another possible minor in GIS. With my major and future education, I will be pursuing sustainable agriculture to help with food insecurity in Guatemala. I am fluent in Spanish, and I grew up, most of my childhood, in Guatemala. I currently live in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin but I went to high school in a suburb of Chicago called Deerfield. In my free time, I love to go outside and hammock or go for walks, go thrifting with my friends, cook, sculpt and listen to music.

Jackie Tyson
(she/her)

New York Foundling

Queens County Farm Museum

  • I grew up in Connecticut and spent my high school years working on organic farms, where I cultivated a deep appreciation for nature, agriculture, and the work that goes into keeping all of us fed. I graduated from Carleton College in Minnesota in 2020. Since graduating, I have dedicated myself to the field of education. My work has spanned various environments, from media and digital literacy to makerspaces and traditional schools. My passion lies in teaching youth to develop both a deep belief in themselves and a deep appreciation for the world around them, fostering a sense of responsibility towards the earth and each other.

Isabella Higgins
(she/her)

Urban Creators, Life Do Grow Farm

D-Town Farm

  • Isabella (Isa) Higgins is an urban farmer and beekeeper based in Philadelphia, PA, originally from Albany, NY. She graduated from the State University of New York at Geneseo with a dual English Literature and Psychology degree in 2021. While she has always had a deep love for food, the past few years have opened her up to new adoration of the land and land stewardship. She is constantly in awe of how food brings people together, nourishing mind, body and soul. When she is not knee deep in compost of beehives, you can find her crocheting, playing soccer or cooking for her loved ones. As an ASLF apprentice, she is so excited to continue learning best practices for growing and expanding her community.

Isaac Lopez
(he/him/el)

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo 

Winona's Hemp & Heritage Farm

  • Isaac is a recent Agricultural Science graduate with an Agricultural Education minor from Shandon, CA. He is currently attending Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo where he’s enrolled in the Masters of Agricultural Education program. He enjoys working with students because he is passionate about youth education and connecting students to the production agriculture around them. He has previously worked on the California Wheat Commission’s Wheat2School Project, where he developed and taught hands-on, wheat education curriculum. In his free time, he likes watching thrillers and swimming. Isaac is excited to learn and continue increasing agricultural literacy among those around him.

Josh Gormley
(he/him)

Xiao Ye Restaurant

Paradise Locker Meats

  • Josh Gormley currently cooks at Xiao Ye in Portland, Oregon. He joined ASLF to further his education in food and sustainability, two areas he is deeply passionate about. He dreams of making the world a better place and believes that good food is the way to do it! When he’s not in the kitchen you might find him riding his bike, going for a run, or grabbing a bite with friends!

Jordy Cazales Estrada
(he/him)

Dopl's Production

Winona's Hemp & Heritage Farm

  • My name is Jordy Cazales. I’m born and raised in South Brooklyn. My family has a long history of farming in rural Mexico, and as someone who is studying environmental science I plan on continuing that history. My interests are art, outdoor activities, ecology and empowering local communities here in New York.

Jess Buxbaum 
(she/her)

Sylvester Manor Educational Farm

Star Route Farm

  • I grew up near Washingington, D.C. and studied economics, environmental studies, and food studies at Middlebury College. After graduating in 2023, I worked on farms in Vermont and New York, where I developed farming skills and grew my love for all things food and farming. I love big morning harvests, team lunches, and fresh cucumbers. I also love jerryrigging, problem solving, and being covered in dirt. I hope to keep growing fruits and veggies wherever I am for myself, my loved ones, and my community, and to one day have animals and land to call my own.

Katalina Huazano
(she/her)

University of California, Santa Cruz

Florence Fang Community Farm

  • Hi, I am Katalina Huazano! I am currently an undergrad at UC Santa Cruz doubling in Environmental Studies and Economics. In my freetime I love to hike, cook/bake, run, and eat yummy food! I am passionate about learning about environmental justice issues like nature gaps and food deserts in urban cities. I am so grateful to be a part of the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund this summer and have the opportunity to apprentice with a farm that commits themselves to meeting both of these needs.

Kaela Kleinman- Chiang
(she/her)

Bard College / Cloverbrook Farm

Stonewood Farm

  • My name is Kaela Keinman and I’m originally from Los Angeles, California. I’m going into my senior year at Bard College, majoring in Environmental and Urban Studies, minoring in Anthropology, with a focus on Food Systems and Agriculture! I am passionate about sustainable agriculture, farm animals, and community-led farming and hope to pursue a career within the field. Apart from farming, my hobbies include rock climbing, art, and hiking. I am so excited to apprentice with Stonewood Farm!

Juliana Wilson
(she/her)

Elon University 

New Leaf Agriculture

  • Juliana is a 2023 graduate from Elon University with a degree in environmental and sustainability studies. She worked with Spring Brook Farm in Vermont last year through ASLF and has since been traveling in New Zealand while working on farms. She’s passionate about permaculture and working in the food system.

Keara Alonso- Lopez (she/her)

University of Oregon

The Ecology Center

  • My name is Keara Monique, and I grew up in Lakeport, California. I am currently a second-year student at the University of Oregon (UO) studying Earth Science and Environmental Studies. I work at the UO Student Sustainability Center as the Food Equity Lead where I coordinate a team that plans and executes events that promote food security to all UO students. This summer I will be working with the Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano, California; an organic certified farm and education center! I am beyond thrilled to learn more about soil health and science, composting and water conservation practices. I am most excited to work with staff, the local community and other apprentices.

Kayden Delvo
(she/her)

University of California, Davis

Kupa'a Farm 

  • Hi, I’m Kayden! I currently attend UC Davis as an undergraduate student studying Environmental Science and Management. I grew up in Wenatchee, in central WA. I developed a strong love for the outdoors as a child and continue adventuring through new places in CA. I am involved in various research at UCD surrounding agricultural plant breeding and the social and environmental impacts of livestock. Coming from a wine-making family and personally working in orchards, I have lots of experience in agriculture, and Davis is expanding my interest in sustainable agroecology. I’m excited to come back to this program for a second summer and widen my horizon!

Kaylee Torres
(she/her)

New York City College of Technology

Love Is Love Cooperative Farm

  • Growing up, the aroma of spices from my family’s kitchen always brought us together. It ignited a passion for food that I continue to pursue as a student in Hospitality Management at New York City College of Technology. I’m particularly interested in urban agriculture and farm-to-table products. Currently, I’m honing my culinary skills by experimenting with fresh spices and herbs to bring out the true, bold flavors of a dish. Ultimately, I hope to combine my culinary background with a focus on sustainable, local food production to continue my progression.

Layne Patrick
(he/him)

Kansas Trade School

Good Shepherd Poultry Ranch

  • My name is Layne Patrick and I was born and raised a small-town, Kansas farm boy. I am 26 years old and spent time in high school working for Frank Reese at the Good Shepherd Poultry Farm. Since high school, I’ve moved around quite a bit. I spent time at various colleges in Kansas, a year in Miami Florida, a year in Las Vegas and some time in Kansas City before recently returning home to Marquette, Kansas. I am grateful for the opportunity to work at the Turkey Farm again because the experience I’ve had so far will last a lifetime.

Kori Valler
(she/her)

Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden Heritage Farm

Wildflower Farms

  • I am very excited to be returning as an apprentice this year! Last season, I worked as an apprentice at Snug Harbor Cultural Center’s Heritage Farm. It was an incredible first experience in farming, and I’m eager to grow in my knowledge of farming from the team at Wildflower Farms. I am particularly passionate about the opportunity to work with farm animals, as this will be my first time! I currently work in hospitality in Brooklyn, so I’m looking forward to melding this interest with farming at Wildflower Farms.

Lauren Halsey
(she/her)

Edible Magazine, San Luis Obispo

Wildflower Farms

  • Lauren Halsey recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology and Geography and a minor in Event Industry Management. Her interest in food is rooted in her childhood, as she grew up entering baking competitions and cooking after school. Since then, Lauren has studied the anthropology of food during her time at Cal Poly, worked for Edible Magazine, and interned for a local farmer’s market in San Francisco. Her passion for local agriculture runs deep throughout her life, and she is excited to embark on her next journey thanks to the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund. In her spare time, Lauren loves to explore art museums, shop at thrift shops, and whip up new recipes in the kitchen.

Lillian Ferreira
(she/her)

University of California, Santa Barbara

Featherstone Garden

  • My name is Lilly Ferreira and I am a Environmental Studies student at UC Santa Barbara! Originally from Oakland, California, I grew up finding green oases amongst urban landscapes. I am excited to be joining Featherstone Garden in Detroit this summer to learn more about harvesting produce and how to tend to a harmonious urban ecosystem. I have always admired the ways food brings people together and am intrigued by the impacts our food choices make socially and ecologically. In my free time I love to hike, run, practice guitar, block print, and cook with my roommate. I am always searching for new ways to improve my skills in the kitchen; whether that's learning to tend to and baking sourdough, pickling, or cooking with seasonal produce harvested from my small home garden. I am thrilled by this incredible opportunity and can’t wait to give back what I have learned.

Leila Stallone
(they/she)

Bard College

Winona's Hemp & Heritage Farm

  • I’m Leila! I am from Chicago and recently graduated from Bard College with a bachelor's degree in Anthropology and Environmental Studies. I had the privilege to fall in love with veggies and growing them as a child and developed my interest in farming through working on urban farms in high school. I am passionate about working towards creating a world where food sovereignty exists for all. I enjoy cooking, eating, natural dyeing, and organizing community music shows. I am very excited to learn more about hemp and local Indigenous agricultural economies through my apprenticeship at Winona’s Hemp and Heritage Farm this summer!

Lian Moy
(she/her)

Oregon State University

Blackeyed Susan Sheep Dairy

  • Hi! My name’s Lian Moy and I am a soon-to-be graduate from the Food Science & Sustainable Technologies program here at Oregon State University. I’m really interested in working with dairy products (ie. making Beaver Classic cheese and ice cream with the OSU Creamery, as well as apprenticing at the lovely FireFly Farms!) and plan to pursue a career in the dairy industry after graduation.

    Besides being a foodie (everything from learning about the science behind how and why foods behave the way they do, discovering new recipes/cuisines, and eating good food), I like to spend my free time hanging out with friends and family, doodling the occasional drawing, and watching anime!

Lywana Dorzilor
(she/her)

American Academy of Arts & Sciences

Harlem Grown

  • Lywana Dorzilor is currently a Program Coordinator for Education at the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. Prior to joining the Academy, Lywana was a Language Assistant in Spain. She has previous experience in the education nonprofit sector as well as at charter schools where she worked directly with middle and high school students. In her spare time, she volunteers and gardens for food based organizations and gardens like the 119th St Community Fridge and Carrie McCracken Truce Garden – both located in Harlem. She graduated with a BA in International Studies and History from the CUNY City College of New York. She will be starting graduate school at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor in the fall.

Lily Potthast
(she/her)

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Ice House Farm

  • Lily grew up in a small town in the heart of the Adirondack Park where she was surrounded by a farming community. As a teenager she discovered her passion for working with goats on Asgaard Farm in Au Sable, NY. Lily is excited for her upcoming apprenticeship at Ice House Farm in Goshen, VT, where she hopes to gain more experience in cheesemaking and goat farming. She is a competitive long distance runner, and in her free time enjoys hiking and creative writing. Lily will graduate with a BA in Russian Language & Culture and Management & Society in the Spring of 2024, and plans to attend law school. Lily is interested in studying international and agriculture law.

Lindley Saffeir
(she/her)

Paris School of International Affairs/ Renewables100 Policy Institute

Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden

  • Lindley Saffeir is an incoming master’s student at Paris School of International Affairs, studying International Energy Transitions. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Los Angeles in International Relations and Environmental Studies, where she became interested in the intersection of agriculture, energy justice and climate mitigation. Her undergraduate research focused on environmental peacebuilding, which ultimately is a study of people’s relationship to land – an ongoing practice that she is looking forward to continuing as an ASLF apprentice. Along with farm work, she has worked for global think-tanks and non-profits on issues spanning from climate justice to environmental conflict to energy security. She is committed to bringing an ethic of radical environmental care to global climate politics. Lindley loves good food, good wine, and being outside with friends.

Madelyn Engel
(she/her)

University of Connecticut

Wildflower Farms

  • I graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2024, earning my degree in sustainable agriculture and equine management. In my time at college, I worked with UConn’s equine breeding and training program, alongside their student-run agricultural co-op, Spring Valley Student Farm. I will be doing my apprenticeship with Wildflower Farms for summer 2024 and am beyond excited to learn about the many diverse facets of their farm in rural New York.

Madeleine Freundlich
(she/her)

Vassar College

Uplands Cheese

  • Madeleine Freundlich is a scholar and farmer from central New Jersey. She has spent time farming in the Adirondacks where she found a love for rural farming communities and living through abundance. Madeleine recently graduated from Vassar College, finishing a thesis on alternative food networks and cattle ranching in Italy. Throughout college she worked at a local veggie farm, made art with her friends, and took long walks at the local preserve. Madeleine is excited to immerse herself in the Midwest and learn a new artisan craft. After her internship with Uplands Cheese, Madeleine will continue her passion for food through a masters degree at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Bra, Italy.

Madeline Clay
(she/her)

Swarthmore College

Weavers Way Farms

  • My name is Madeline Clay, and I’ve always enjoyed gardening, foraging, canning, and pickling- basically any sort of manual labor that has a tangible reward for hard work. Growing up in rural East Texas I was surrounded by people whose livelihoods depend on farming and livestock. I’ve just graduated from Swarthmore College with a degree in Indigenous Studies, motivated by my identity as a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. I’ve worked in Yosemite and Canyonlands National Parks previously, and hope to build on my previous experiences in a valuable and community-oriented way.

Max Lazary
(he/him)

DiBruno Bros.

Jasper Hill Farm

  • Max Lazary is a lifelong food enthusiast who has spent his years working for restaurants, wholesale distributors, and most recently a cheese shop. Coming from a large Greek American and Italian American family, food has always been a focal point in his life. He is excited to explore another side of the cheese industry this summer as he finds his path in the dairy industry.

Margot Freudenheim (they/them)

Ansche Chesed Hebrew School

Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden

  • Margot Freudenheim (they/them) is a rising senior at the High School of American Studies at Lehman College who enjoys vegetables, music, and theater. A farming enthusiast since age 9, Margot is very excited to join the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund as an apprentice and grow their knowledge of food systems and the earth.

Marria Peduto
(she/her)

The Fulbright Program

Matunuck Organic Vegetable Farm

  • For her second apprentice season with ASLF, Marria will be returning to where she grew up in the summer diving for quahogs in Rhode Island. With degrees in Sustainable Food and Marine Systems, International Studies, and East Asian Languages and Cultures, Marria is passionate about the intersection of food, people, and the environment. Most recently, Marria was awarded a Fulbright Open Research Grant to study the impact of coral reef restoration on fisheries and livelihoods in Buleleng, Indonesia. She will begin a Master’s in Marine Affairs program in the fall of 2024. In her free time, she loves to hike, cook, read, and document the unique food and culture of the countries in which she has lived @mealsmilesandmarria.

Mena Drakeley
(she/they)

Oregon State University

Jasper Hill Farm

  • Hello, my name is Mena (Me-Nah), I’m currently completing my third year at Oregon State University, where I'm majoring in Food Science & Sustainable Technologies. Although originally from Minnesota, I've been a resident of Oregon's Willamette Valley for over a decade, deeply rooted in its agricultural community. My passion for agriculture started early, and I've been actively involved in it since childhood. Over the past two and a half years, I've been proud to work at the OSU Creamery, where I've been involved in producing and processing white cheddar and ice cream, as well as working on the OSU Beaver Classic Food Truck during farmer’s markets and university events. Additionally, I've had the opportunity to take on a leadership role, assisting with everything from training to order delivery. Now, I'm excited to embark on a new adventure with Jasper Hill Farm and am eager to further explore cheese production and sustainable farming practices in the East!

Maya Bisram
(she/they)

Mount Holyoke College

Gentle Time Farm

  • Maya Bisram is a New York native of Guyanese and Jamaican descent. She is interested in the intersections of food and land sovereignty, healthcare equity, and social justice. Their passions are rooted in sharing knowledge that interrupts notions of individualism and separatism from nature, to grow towards collaborative communities. Maya is ecstatic to gain hands-on experience through their apprenticeship, and use this knowledge to give back to her communities.

Maya Netzer
(she/her)

Farmer and ASLF Illustrator

Big Picture Farm

  • Maya is a Brooklyn-based farmer, illustrator, and astrology practitioner with a background in youth advocacy and food justice. She has been a crew member and educator on diverse vegetable operations in Northern California and the Northeast, and worked in creative and development across different avenues of the food world in NYC. She loves working in the community, connecting like-minded people, and aiding in redistribution of resources toward models of greater collective care. She hopes to have her own mutual aid farm project one day!

Natalie McGrath
(she/her)

FoodCorps

Brooklyn Grange

  • I am an urban grower and food educator from Brooklyn, NY. I have spent the past eight summers farming primarily in Massachusetts but have also had the opportunity to work for and learn from farmers in Hawaii, Pennsylvania, Maine and Newark. Last year, I graduated from Emory University as a double major in Anthropology and Creative Writing. I am overjoyed to be an apprentice this summer and to join a cohort of such inspiring and motivated individuals. My hope throughout this apprenticeship is to continue expanding and challenging my knowledge of sustainable and community-driven agriculture.

Mona Ziabari
(she/her)

New York University, Steinhardt School of Culture

Fisheye Farms

  • Hi! My name is Mona and I’m 20 years old. I’m a rising Junior at NYU in the Nutrition and Food Studies department. My interests are cooking, baking, singing (I’m in an acapella group), beatboxing, martial arts, hiking and instruments (I play guitar, bass and uke). I’m super excited to be a part of ASLF this summer and can’t wait to meet everyone!

Moselle Fredericks (she/they)

Bard College

Villa Villekulla Farm

  • Moselle grew up in Sausalito and Mill Valley, CA. They have a deep love for the redwoods and the fog. They just graduated from Bard College, in the Hudson Valley in NY, where they studied Environmental and Urban Studies and completed their senior thesis, ‘Compost Toilet as a Radical Act of Care?’, which focused on communally-scaled infrastructure, care, and anti-colonial relations to Land and Water. They also spent a semester in Bhutan, where they studied political ecology and were involved with research on community forestry. They love being outside, growing food and tending soils, sharing yummy meals, napping in hammocks, and being in community. They are honored and thrilled to be an ASLF apprentice, and to contribute to some of the incredible work being done to create sustainable, healthy food ecosystems and networks.

Olivia Biase
(she/her)

The Good People Restaurant Group

SingleThread Farm at Dry Creek

  • Hello! I am Livi Biase, Director of Global Operations at The Good People Group by Eyal Shani. Despite my background in finance, studying Economics at University and working at a hedge fund, I fell in love with restaurants and hospitality after working with Miznon and their team. I started as a host at North Miznon and eventually worked every position from waitress to line cook. After taking over their social media channels and assisting them with the new opens in 2021, I eventually became a global ambassador for the company, traveling to over 10 cities in the last two years to lead the openings of quick service and full service restaurants. I still work in the kitchen at the Michelin Star restaurant in the group, SHMONÉ, with Head Chef Nadav Greenberg. This restaurant, along with the others, rely heavily on produce from farms such as Norwich. We have come to develop close relationships with our farms, and it became a priority of mine to truly understand the day to day of working on a farm. How do farms work from an operational standpoint? How do they rely on wholesale for restaurants compared to other revenue streams? How are different farms designed for different purposes, and how does that affect the type of produce that comes out? What makes really fresh and flavorful produce that way? Is it more dependent on the seed varieties, the general upkeep of the farm, or practices I may not even know of? What are different terms that I should look out for when sourcing as a restaurant? These are the questions I hope to answer in my apprenticeship this summer at SingleThread Farms, and I cannot wait.

Olive Siu
(they/them)

Brooklyn Nature Days

Red Hook Farms

  • Olive believes in increasing access to culturally relevant produce and plants for medicine for Black, Brown, Indigenous, Asian and Pacific Islander communities. They enjoy crafting, foraging, baking, and spending time at a community garden. They are an outdoor early childhood educator based on Lenape land.

Oliver Prince
(he/him)

Hudson & Charles Inc.

Monti Verdi Salumi

  • Hi all, I am currently living in Portland Oregon where I work as a Butcher at a korean barbeque restaurant. I got into food during the pandemic and moved to NYC in 2021 to pursue an apprenticeship at a whole-animal butcher shop. I look forward to continuing my education in the food world and am excited to be partaking in the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund again!

Paige Benson
(she/her)

Oregon State University

Rogue Creamery

  • Ever since high school, I have been fascinated by dairy, especially fermented foods. I was intrigued by the notion that I could create my own yogurt and cheese with very few ingredients, simple equipment, and a practice in patience. For my undergraduate degree, I enrolled at the University of Minnesota as a Food Science major because I have always been curious regarding how food is made and why certain ingredients or processes are used. Food Science is a multi-faceted field of study that never gets boring. I love learning about why certain processing techniques are applied to foods, how fermentation principles can make food safe, and the chemistry behind foods’ flavor, colors, and textures.

    During both Summer 2021 and 2022, I had the opportunity to intern at Scoular, a food ingredients company in Minneapolis, as their first Research and Development Intern. My experience there set the stage for future R&D interns at the company. In May 2022, I graduated with my B.S. in Food Science and knew I wanted to continue my education by getting my M.S. in Food Science at Oregon State University. This past summer, I had the opportunity to be the first student to do a Masters research exchange program with the Universität Hohenheim for three months in Hohenheim, Germany. In Hohenheim, I got to further my cheesemaking education by partaking in a two-day German sheep’s milk cheese making course, gaining hands-on experience using ultrasound equipment, and learning from the dairy team how to make large scale Gouda cheeses.

    Outside of school, I love playing pickleball, hiking, biking, drawing, relaxing with family and friends, and yes… making different types of fermented foods.

Olivia Hall
(she/her)

North Carolina BIPOC Climbers

Florence Fang Community Farm

  • I grew up in Dayton, OH. After discovering a passion for the environment in high school and college, I went on to work a variety of seasonal jobs all across the country in the fields of conservation, farming, cooking, and outdoor education. Outside of that work, I’m a big media person, I love doing arts and crafts, and I’m always excited to learn new information and skills! I’m stoked to be able to join the ASLF community and to have the opportunity to learn more about farming and community organizing.

Olivia Whitener
(she/her)

Columbia University/ Fancy Scraps

Harlem Grown

  • Olivia is a master’s student in the Sustainability Management program at Columbia University, with a focus on regenerative food systems and waste reduction. While in her master’s program, she has worked with a variety of food systems projects including evaluating the potential of agrivoltaics in Bakersfield, developing a greenhouse gas inventory for a regenerative food brand, and conducting a life cycle assessment of recirculating aquaculture systems for salmon. When not in class, she runs a food-waste focused pop-up series called Fancy Scraps, where she partners with local chefs, farmers, and businesses to develop menus featuring upcycled ingredients, recovered produce, and low-waste cooking techniques. Prior to graduate school, she worked in marketing, customer experience, and operations at an early stage home goods startup in San Francisco.

Rosie Houghton
(she/her)

Santa Clara University

Kinderhook Farm

  • Hello! My name is Rosie and I am currently finishing up my second year at Santa Clara University where I am studying psychology and environmental studies. I have an interest in working with livestock and have a goal of learning how to make the meat and dairy industries more sustainable. During the school year, I work as an aide at my university’s childcare center. I plan to take the knowledge that I learn from this experience and share it with younger generations to keep children passionate about the planet and provide them with the resources necessary to maintain and implement new sustainable practices. I am so grateful for this opportunity, and cannot wait to get started!

Phoebe Pyles
(she/her)

Virginia Tech

Queens County Farm Museum

  • My name is Phoebe Pyles and I am a recent graduate of Virginia Tech with a B.S. in Agribusiness Management with a focus on Civic Agriculture & Food Systems and Global Food Security & Health. I am a Native New Yorker and I grew up with an interest in the culture of food and how food plays an important role in bringing people together. During my undergrad, I worked as the Student Manager for The Market of Virginia Tech, a food pantry serving Virginia Tech students. Working with food access initiatives at my university allowed me the privilege of connecting with students from all over the world. I am excited to gain practical farming skills that I can apply when working to bring equitable and sustainable food to my communities, as well as meet new people who are just as passionate about this work as I am. In the future, I hope to educate people in my community on why access to safe, healthy, local, and culturally appropriate food is important.

Rose Curley
(she/her)

Full Belly Farm / Sutter Davis Hospital

Urban Growers Collective

  • Rose is a farmer and advocate who is deeply committed to a food and farming system that is equitable, ecological, and community centered. She is living out this vision farming certified organic vegetables, fruits, livestock and cut flowers in her home state of California. Prior to farming, Rose worked for a non-profit organization where she supported small farmers through on-farm research projects and knowledge sharing opportunities. She is overjoyed to be joining ASLF to explore new agricultural landscapes – both in and on the soil. Rose has a degree in Molecular Environmental Biology and Food Systems from the University of California, Berkeley.

Sasha DuBose
(they/them)

New York University / Snack With Sash

Harlem Grown

  • Sasha DuBose is a Black lesbian food scholar based in NJ/NYC. They recently graduated from NYU's undergraduate Food Studies program. Sasha is passionate about Black foodways, food history, and social justice. Their work focuses on food as a political force that African Americans use to assert their identities and fight for freedom. Sasha is so excited to work with Harlem Grown this summer and give back to a community that is so culturally rich. They have a lot of family history in Harlem and are excited to continue that legacy.

Ruby Saloom
(she/her)

Oberlin College

Catskill Wagyu at Hilltop Farm

  • Hi! My name is Ruby, I’m a student at Oberlin College. I live in Connecticut, where I am lucky enough to be surrounded by nature. I’ve been working on a local farm for about four years, where my boss has taught me about the importance of community and sustainable farming. I love to read, hike, and learn about new things, and I’m so grateful to the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund for giving me the chance to learn more about cattle during my internship at Catskill Wagyu at Hilltop Farm this August.

Sadie Hammarhead (she/her)

Vassar College

Glidden Point Oyster Farm

  • Hi! I'm Sadie, and I'm so excited for my second ASLF apprenticeship this summer. I was born and raised in Philly, and am currently studying French and film at Vassar College. I love to go trail running, play Boggle, and write rhyming poetry. My interest in farming began when I first read Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and after working on dairy farms for the past two summers, my passion for farming has only grown. I love tactile work, whether it's milking a cow or making stained glass. I'm so excited to plunge my hands into the waters of oyster farming!

Simone Nelson
(she/her)

University of California, Davis

Featherstone Garden

  • My name is Simone, and I am finishing my last year at the University of California, Davis majoring in International Relations, focusing on world trade and development, with a minor in International Agricultural Development. After graduating, I am interested in pursuing work related to global food systems and agricultural and environmental sustainability. I am so thrilled to be working at Featherstone Gardens to learn about urban farming in Detroit, as well as working with the "Featherstone Felines" to care for the community cats in the neighborhood!

Sierra Kuhn
(she/her)

Oregon State University

Matunuck Organic Vegetable Farm

  • I am originally from Arizona. I have just completed my second year at Oregon State University, where I am majoring in Food Science and Sustainable Technologies. My love for baking and cooking originally drew me to the program, and last year, I spent the summer at Firefly Farms. Now, my interest has evolved to include dairy and vegetable farming, and I am passionate about introducing sustainability in every aspect of the production process. In my free time, I love to play volleyball and am a part of the OSU Women’s Club Team. I am super excited and grateful for this opportunity!

Sasha Pramesti
(she/her)

Charleston Parks Conservancy

Ohio City Farm

  • Hi! I am a 26-year old originally from Jakarta, Indonesia and living in Charleston, SC. I am currently doing a community horticulture fellowship with the Charleston Parks Conservancy. I discovered my passion for agriculture when I was an undergraduate student at the College of Charleston, volunteering for a farm-to-school non-profit and interning at the student gardens on campus. I had such a meaningful experience apprenticing with ASLF last year and I am so excited to return for a second year!

Susannah Sun
(she/her)

Just Roots Chicago

Urban Growers Collective

  • Hi hello! I'm leaving my corporate job for work that will nurture the planet and hopefully me, too. Three years in supply chain and business school taught me that the path to a more just world requires us to value land and labor beyond their economic costs. I started working at various urban farms in Chicago in the last six months, learning how agriculture can be a vehicle for investing in communities, as well as a means of exploring my own identities of being queer and Chinese-American. I’m very grateful to continue learning at Urban Growers Collective for a second season!

Somalia Gilliard
(she/her)

Alabama A&M University

Metro Atlanta Urban Farm

  • Somalia Gilliard, a native of Atlanta, Georgia, is a rising sophomore majoring in Environmental Science at Alabama A&M University (AAMU). Actively involved on campus, she participates in the AAMU Honors Program, Student Activities Board, and Environmental Science Club. Somalia is a recipient of the prestigious 5 Strong and Propel Scholarships. In her spare time, she volunteers with the SCLC Women’s Organization for Equality Now, Incorporated, and was honored as the Drum Major For Justice Youth Advocate of The Year.

Sofie Kanayama
(she/her)

CraftsCrumbsandCheese / Millu

Jasper Hill Farm

  • After graduating with a dual degree in Design and Japanese last June, I apprenticed with Chad and Morgan at Ice House Farm. Since then, I’ve relocated to Japan to learn more about agriculture, food, craft, and cheesemaking. In the past 5 months, I’ve worked and volunteered in a community restaurant, a goat farm and creamery, potter’s studio, and three hotel kitchens within the snowy ski village of Nozawa Onsen. In April, I returned to Ice House Farm in Vermont, to help with kidding season. It’s been an incredible full circle moment to be back in Vermont, and I am beyond excited to be headed to Jasper Hill this summer! Besides cheese and goats, I love cooking for friends, baking, fermenting, making ceramics, stained glass, printmaking, playing the violin, and ice skating.

Tristán Rodríguez Velez
(he/him)

New York University, Gallatin School of Individualized Study

Queens County Farm Museum

  • Proudly born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and having spent the last few years in New York City for college, I’ve developed a passion for urban agriculture, food studies, and the community-oriented nature of these fields. Through this apprenticeship, I hope to gain the knowledge and experience that will allow me to continue my work in them, and one day return to my island; there, I hope to contribute to community agroecological projects that work toward food sovereignty for Puerto Rico.

    In the fall I will be completing my Bachelor’s at NYU, where I am studying Critical Art History and minoring in Food Studies. At NYU I’ve been involved with the Urban Farm Lab, the NYU Seed Library, the Food Studies department’s hydroponics and aquaponics systems, and the Mycology Club. I’m also an avid indoor gardener!

    After college, I hope to stay in the city and continue working in the field of Food Studies, perhaps for urban agricultural and urban foodways projects and organizations.

Tessa DeRose
(they/she)

Manhattan Country School

Sky High Farm

  • Tessa is an educator and artist  living on Lenape land in Brooklyn, NY. They studied rainforest and coral reef ecology. Tessa worked and lived in an queer environmental housing cooperative. They are a trained environmental educator. Their interest in agriculture and food systems springs from their desire to find spaces where they can integrate their knowledge and passion for ecology, justice, the arts, and education. This is what draws them to ASLF. This is their second year as an apprentice, having previously worked at Heritage Farm at Snug Harbor. This summer they are looking forward to apprenticing with Sky High Farms!

Sydney Lee
(she/they)

University of California, Berkeley

Avenue 33 Farm

  • I am currently a student at UC Berkeley studying Society and Environment with a minor in City Planning. I am interested in studying climate and food resilience in urban settings through diversified, small-scale agriculture. In the fall, I took an agroecology course that had a field component at one of Berkeley’s local urban farms. I am so excited to continue this work at Avenue 33 in Los Angeles this summer! My family has lived in LA for my whole life and I look forward to cultivating the land there.

Vanessa Salas
(she/her)

University of California, Santa Cruz / Companion Bakery

The Ecology Center

  • Hi, my name is Vanessa Salas. I am a student studying Agroecology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. I am interested in food, nutrition, community, and health, particularly interested in food access for marginalized communities. I am excited for my apprenticeship at The Ecology Center in Southern California and look forward to working alongside and learning from farmers.

Veronica Maciag
(she/her)

Case Western Reserve University / The Cleveland Observer

Firefly Farms

  • Hi! My name is Veronica and I am from North New Jersey, but during the year I study English, Business Management, and Architecture at Case Western Reserve University. I am beyond excited to be working in Maryland with Firefly Farms this summer. While I have no prior experience with cheesemaking or the food science that goes along with it, it only makes me all the more eager to learn more!

Zion Battle
(he/him)

California Institute of the Arts

Winona’s Hemp and Heritage Farm

  • My name is Zion Battle and I come from New York City but partially Raleigh North Carolina. I love hiking, nature and the outdoors. I am a singer-songwriter with guitar being my primary instrument. I plan to transfer out of California Institute of the Arts which I attended this past year. I am a musician but I also love to be outside and get dirty. I am excited by sustainable practices and more eco-friendly systems.

Zoe Groder
(she/her)

Appalachian Conservation Corps Youth Crew 

Brother Nature Produce

  • I am so excited, and thankful to be able to work with ASLF for a second summer apprenticeship! I currently live in Montana and work in the food service industry. My main interests are in the outdoors, reading, and music. I can’t wait to learn more about sustainability and farming, and have another great hands-on experience!

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