Adena Hefner

(she/her)

Skidmore College

Our Core

My name is Adena I am 19 years old from Los Angeles, California. I am approaching my third year at Skidmore College where I major in environmental studies. I am deeply passionate about environmental education and indigenous ecological knowledge. I also love music and have been playing bass for almost 8 years. A music genre I currently favor is Ítalo-disco!

Casey Rae Borella

(she/her)

New York University

Blue Acres Aquaculture

Casey Rae is a Food Studies Masters student at New York University. She holds a MA in American Studies from Georgetown University, where she completed her thesis on storytelling and identity through short form recipe videos. After undergrad, she studied at Tokyo Sushi Academy in Japan, learning about whole fish butchery and traditional sushi techniques. Since then, she has worked as a prep and line cook at Penny, a James Beard nominated raw bar in New York City. She enjoyed learning as much about seafood as possible, and is thrilled to continue down that path. Casey Rae is incredibly excited to learn more about oysters and kelp at Blue Acres Aquaculture this summer. She is passionate about community building, sustainable food systems, and access to high quality seafood. Her ASLF Apprenticeship will be a wonderful opportunity to understand aquaculture from the ground up.

Collin Durfee

(he/him)

California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo

Cato Corner Farm

Hi all! My name is Collin, and I am an Environmental Sciences student concentrating in Sustainable Agriculture at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. This summer, I am thrilled to be apprenticing at Cato Corner, where I will continue building on the food production skills I have gained through volunteering on small farms in Ecuador and working at the French Laundry Culinary Garden in Napa, California. I see my ASLF experience as a meaningful stepping stone toward a career supporting small farmers and helping create positive change in our food system. When I’m not in the garden or kitchen, I love riding bicycles, learning about botany, and foraging for fruits and mushrooms.

Emma Garman

(she/her)

Scripps College

Deep Rooted Organics

Hi! My name is Emma, and I just graduated from Scripps College, where I dual majored in Biology and Art. I’m interested in the intersection of nature, people, and creativity – and I’ve come to understand that for me, agriculture is often where those threads meet most powerfully. I first fell in love with farming while volunteering at a local syntropic farm in Cairns during a semester abroad in Australia. That experience led me to Tuscany, where I WWOOFed on a farm tending vineyards and olive groves – and where I began to see how deeply agriculture shapes culture, community, and ecosystems alike. I am so excited to bring this passion to Deep Rooted Organics, where I look forward to learning about tomatoes, flowers, and the vital role they play in the Westby community.

Giavanna Troilo

(they/she/all)

Sunrise Movement Philly

Weavers Way Farms

I’m Giavanna, a Philadelphia-based narrative artist and climate organizer with Sunrise Movement Philadelphia. I previously participated in a workshare program with Rancocas Creek Farm in NJ, and am eager to get back to digging in the dirt with Weaver’s Way Cooperative this summer! With Sunrise Philly, I work with neighbors toward local solutions to problems created by the fossil fuel climate crisis. I believe that community will save us, and that everything is better shared. I am a triple water sign and oldest sibling of five, and I enjoy creative writing, biking around the city, and spending hours seated at the Free Library of Philadelphia. I am always looking to make friends, reach out to connect: troigi@proton.me!

Grace VanWagner

(she/her)

Bethany College

Good Shepherd Poultry Ranch

My name is Grace VanWagner. I am a senior at Bethany College pursuing a degree in biology. After earning my bachelor's, I intend to continue my education via a graduate program. I grew up in Cleveland Oklahoma and spent many years participating is 4-H and FFA. I raised several animals including pigs, chickens, goats, and cattle on a small scale at my family home. The time I spent learning to care for and appreciate the animals that provided for my family alongside the time I spent exploring science inspired me to pursue a future in agricultural/natural science. I am excited for this opportunity provided by ASLF that will allow me to expand and further my experience of sustainable agriculture so that in the future I can help farmers and ranchers continue these practices with the use of science.

Iris Segal

(she/her)

Outer Coast

Fisheye Farms

I’m Iris and I am a first year at Outer Coast, a college program in Sitka, Alaska where I dip, cook, bike, read, and write every day. I grew up in New York City, where my love for food was fostered, but I soon realized that the food systems I was living in were incomplete– I wasn’t able to see how the food I was making and consuming connected and was rooted in the land. I am excited and grateful for this opportunity to learn more about urban food systems and complete (in some ways) my understanding of them!

Izzy Aptekar

(they/them)

Bard College

Talbott & Arding

Hello there! My name is Izzy, and I am a studio arts major with an interest in youth environmental education. A New Yorker, born and raised on the Lower East Side, my love for both farming and the Hudson Valley blossomed on the Bard Farm, and has only grown. I passionately believe that small scale farming and food can have immense power over large scale political and social systems, especially through skill-sharing and meal-sharing. I am so excited to widen my farming community and my knowledge through my time with Talbott & Arding!

Jacqueline Ramirez

(she/they)

Fordham University

Red Hook Farms

Hi, I’m Jackie! I grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and recently graduated from Fordham University with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology and a minor in Music. I have a winding story but everything connects to a passion for health. My interest in systems that support well-being began when I developed narcolepsy and C-PTSD in high school. I came to college seeking to understand my mind-body and found powerful tools in biopsychology education, socioemotional education, and somatic movement. Midway through college, I learned about the detrimental effects of industrial animal agriculture on the health of humans, animals, and the environment. My dream food system is one that is plant-based, local, and regenerative. These next few years, I aim to build my understanding of all aspects of health, especially movement and food, which is why I’m so excited to apprentice with Red Hook Farms. As I learn, I want to creatively disseminate knowledge to communities, and influence policy to protect health. Besides the above, some of my favorite activities are dancing, playing music, arts and crafts, and photography!

Jennifer Zingone

(she/her)

NYC Food Policy Center

Stonewood Farm

Hello! My name is Jennifer Zingone, and I am from New York City. My childhood was spent in the aisles of my 99 year old grocery store started by my great-grandfather in Manhattan's Upper West Side. This upbringing taught me the importance of how food shapes communities, but it also exposed inequalities. This led me to earn my degree in Political Science and Legal Studies, with an independent focus on food sovereignty and agriculture. Now, as a policy researcher interrogating the political consequences of modern food production, I aim to slow food systems down through community activism and increased consumer literacy. I was recently honored as the Colin Powell School at City College of New York’s Valedictorian while receiving my degree, and I am now working with the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center as their Food Policy & Programs Coordinator to expand the reach of fresh and ethically sourced produce across NYC. Ultimately, I aspire to receive the World Food Prize, an international honor awarded to those who have advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity, or availability of food in the world. In addition to my career interests, I am an avid fan of Tetris, Jurassic Park, and Daredevil!

Josephine Chumpitaz

(she/they)

NYC Department of Education

Harlem Grown

Josephine is a novice steward of the land and an alum of John Jay College with an undergraduate degree in Deviant Behavior and Social Control. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY by way of Peruvian and Eastern European immigrants, Josephine aspires to honor the legacy of ancestrally dispossessed and indigenous farmers by cultivating her own skills to advance towards a liberatory agricultural praxis in a sprawling city setting. Josephine seeks community with people in the struggle to rehabilitate all that’s been lost by imperialist, capitalist, and patriarchal control of the land and social relations. She is moved by the perseverance of Palestinian farmers and organizations such as Roots of Resilience, and the many local and global farmers who prioritize collective emancipation and joy over profit.

Julia Sayre

(she/her)

Brown University

Blackeyed Susan’s Sheep Dairy

I was born and raised on the island of Martha's Vineyard, and grew up embracing the rich agricultural history of this wonderful place. When I was little, I visited local farms and markets, and eventually worked at these same farms. Through this journey, I learned the power and impact of connecting people to their local food systems and teaching them about what they’re eating and where it's coming from. I'm a rising senior at Brown University, studying environmental studies and science. While the classroom setting proves important to holistically understanding of agriculture and our environment, I find so much more fulfillment and insight from actually being immersed in the labor of production. I’m so excited to be apprenticing at Blackeyed Susan Sheep Dairy this summer to learn about dairy farming and to learn from such pillars of the sheep farming community.

Michael Miller

(he/him)

Skidmore College

Blackeyed Susan’s Sheep Dairy

My name is Michael Miller and I am a rising sophomore at Skidmore College. I have grown up with a large ranch of animals which include but are not limited to dogs, cats, goats, ducks, chinchillas, horses, fish, turtles, and more. This chaotic yet very enjoyable lifestyle has led me down the path of environmental science, which is my intended major alongside business at Skidmore. I am very excited to broaden my horizons by partnering with the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund to gain new sustainable agricultural skills and ideas that I can carry out within my own life and future opportunities.

Riley Brooks

(he/him)

Brown University

Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden

Yippee! I’m a rising junior studying Health & Human Biology and Environmental Science. The throughline of my many goals within environmentalism is to help close the distance between ‘people’ and ‘nature’ by suffusing that relationship with the love that abounds within my own interaction with the natural world. Food in particular provides a unique and yummy inroad towards doing so. So naturally I’m thrilled to spend this summer outside, farming and getting to share in that love with people who feel similarly, and hope to continue doing so forever!

Robin Pyo

(she/her)

Washington University in St. Louis

Gentle Time Farm

My name is Robin and I am from Orange County, California. I recently graduated from Washington University in St. Louis, where I studied art, philosophy, and cognitive science. I am excited about sustainable food systems and community supported agriculture, which stems from a love for the joy that food brings and a desire for better relationships with the land and food. In my free time, I love biking, reading, and cooking with friends. I couldn’t be more thrilled to learn from my time apprenticing at Gentle Time Farm!

Rowan Robison

(he/him)

Bard College

Jasper Hill Farm

I am from Ashland, Oregon and I really enjoy dirt and mud and things like that. I study music composition at Bard College, I love making music. I like to listen. I am very interested in how farming and slowness help us. I help run the radio station at my college and I have a radio show called Microdreaming, which explores dreams and hypnagogic imaginations. I like to go down rabbit holes and delve into niche things. I love meeting people and making inside jokes.

Samuel Donohoe

(he/him)

Skidmore College

Brooklyn Grange

Sam is a recent graduate from Skidmore College with a double degree in Environmental Studies and Economics. He recently undertook yearslong research into the state of regenerative agriculture in New York State and is thrilled to translate that research into hands-on work. He is a lifelong Brooklyn resident and is passionate about local food and nutrition in his community. In his free time he reads and plays the banjo.

Seth Allen

(he/him)

Essex Farm

von Trapp Farmstead & 5th Quarter Butcher + Provisions

Hello! My name is Seth, and I am a young farmer currently living in upstate NY. I am inspired to explore more sustainable relationships with how food is grown, sourced, and distributed. I am committed to supporting a future where the average person is connected to the land they inhabit and the food they eat! While I am not doing things food-related, I love playing guitar, camping, and spending time with my family and friends.

Skylar Klarsfeld

(she/her)

Cornell University

Catskill Wagyu

Hi! My name is Skylar and I am an undergraduate student at Cornell University where I am studying food science! I love to cook, bake, and cider-make, and I especially enjoy sharing all of the things I make with friends and family. As I immersed myself in the culinary world, and began to learn about the science behind it, the injustice that lies within our food systems became impossible to ignore. I have since been part of organizations that work to combat food insecurity. I am passionate about fixing the track of agriculture and redistributing the abundance of whole, nutritious food that goes to waste every single day. This summer, I will be working at Catskill Wagyu to learn about sustainable farming practices and ways that the land can better support people and the environment.

Sophie Lamb

(she/her)

Yale University

Winona’s Hemp & Heritage Farm

Hello! My name is Sophie. I'm an undergraduate student at Yale, and I grew up in the Tetons, where I spent much of my time up high in the mountains, looking at wildflowers and picking my way through talus slopes. When I'm not in the mountains, I'm often farming, whether in the Alaskan backcountry or a school garden in New Haven. These experiences have taught me the power of farms in restoring communities and landscapes – I am so excited to continue my education this summer.

Tempe Stewart

(she/they)

Spelman College

Southside Community Farm

Tempe Stewart is an emerging memory worker from Atlanta, Georgia. Tempe graduated from Spelman College with a B.A in Art History in the Atlanta University Center Art History + Curatorial Studies Collective. Her practice centers storytelling, preservation, and survival, and she is passionate about care work, community preservation projects and collective memory-making. Tempe comes from a lineage of farmers, land stewards and caretakers in the deep South, and she is fueled by the opportunity to connect with her family’s legacy of land stewardship through her participation in this program, alongside learning more about sustainable agriculture and regenerative practices to share and bring back to her home community. In her free time, you can find her creating and contributing to Wikipedia articles, browsing the mycology subreddit, and working with her mom on genealogical research.

Tommy Hurley

(he/him)

University of Oregon

Monti Verdi Salumi

Hello! My name is Tommy. I’m a recent graduate of the University of Oregon, where I learned a passion for the regenerative food movement through my Environmental Studies Major and minors in Food Studies and Ethics. I see regenerative agriculture as a tangible way to have a positive effect on the global climate crisis while simultaneously building healthy local communities. In my free time I love all things outdoor recreation and spending quality time with families and friends.

Violet DiBiasio

(she/her)

Bard College

Queens Farm

I’m Violet DiBiasio, a current senior at Bard College! I grew up in Queens, NYC and I’m looking forward to working with Queens County Farm and experiencing the local, historical agriculture of my home. My experience has been in the upstate area around the Hudson Valley, and I am so grateful for this opportunity to learn more about urban local farming at a farm I have memories of from when I was younger. I began my entrance into agriculture with Water Quality Monitoring on the Hudson River, and eventually I worked with the DNA of soil and food samples in lab settings with Bard. Working at Bard Farm has been an incredible experience to connect with my community and find a pathway for my passions, which are strengthened every time I’m learning something new. I can’t wait for this summer and to be a part of the ASLF team.

Will Fiori

(he/him)

University of Vermont

Star Route Farm

My name is Will Fiori and I studied at the University of Vermont, graduating with a degree in Environmental Studies and Food Systems. I spent my four years learning about the complications within the global food system and looking at solutions through the lens of connection-based action. I held a teaching position at UVM, working with students to cultivate a stronger sense of personal connection to the natural world, themselves, and their communities. I have been lucky enough to be able to study Sustainable Food Production in Copenhagen, Denmark and travel throughout Scandinavia learning about agriculture and sustainability initiatives. I am passionate about creating, often using photography and other art practices as a form of expression. I value connection with others, whether that be through playing music, attentive conversation, time spent outdoors, or often most importantly, through food!

Zoe Friedland

(any pronouns)

University of Washington

Glidden Point Oyster Farms

Hi, my name is Zoe! I am a poet, artist, and scientist graduating this year with a B.S. in Oceanography and a B.A in English from the University of Washington; outside of school, I work as a face painter at the zoo. After a summer WWOOFing, I fell in love with the ways that small-scale regenerative food systems are imbued with rhizomatic values about care and labor that go so far beyond the act of farming itself: I love this work which is situated at a confluence of political ecology, environmental justice, and prefigurative science. I’m especially interested in the role of aquaculture in coastal and estuarine environments, so I am elated to be joining Glidden Point Oyster Farms in Maine this summer. The poet Bianca Stone wrote that “in the end / we are all just filters”, but I also love the perspective of the oysters, for whom their role mitigating eutrophication through filter-feeding is only a sweet side effect as they seek to soak everything up.

Zoe Sepsenwol

(she/her)

University of California, Berkeley

Firefly Farms

Zoe is a recent graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, where she studied Conservation & Resource Studies with a focus on environmental science, policy, and storytelling. Her interests are centered around environmental justice, sustainable food systems, ocean conservation, and the ways communities and culture shape our relationship to the natural world. Following her degree, she is very interested in pursuing a path rooted in tangible, on-the-ground sustainability and community-based work. She is especially excited about the opportunity to learn all about cheesemaking at FireFly Farms, understanding not only the technical craft, but also the care, labor, and community that make small-scale food production possible.

Zoe Vittori-Koch

(she/her)

Bard College

Brother Nature Produce

Hi! My name is Zoe and I am a rising Junior at Bard College, where I major in Architecture and work at our college farm. I was born and raised in the city of Boston, surrounded by a community of people who have taught me to cherish the process of growing food and forming relationships with what we eat and the land we grow in. Food and nature lovers, gardeners, and activists have shown me the power of local green spaces for cultivating community joy and learning. I’ve been farming at the Bard College Farm for the past two years, and I am excited to continue diving into the world of sustainable agriculture by learning from farmers that center their work in food justice and community engagement. I hope to use my experience working on farms to advocate for and design more equitable and sustainable food systems and urban environments. I can’t wait for the opportunity to work on an incredible urban farm this summer, Brother Nature Produce in Detroit.

Class of 2026!