University farm offers internships funded by environmental sustainability fee

The recently implemented Environmental Sustainability Fee will fund two internship positions at the University Farm.

The fee covers the $5,000 cost of the internships, which are part of the Farm to Table Program. The interns will begin working on the farm during the summer to produce vegetables for Sodexo and will operate a farmers market on campus in August.

University Farm Manager Bill Kuntz says he expects the interns to work in the fields planting and growing vegetables while learning how to grow things sustainably. Kuntz says the interns will learn to harvest and market what they have grown during the fall.

“Anybody can grow vegetables,” Kuntz says. “I mean, it’s not rocket science on how to grow them. But when it comes to the harvesting, handling and then the marketing end of it, there’s a lot to learn there, and it’s a good experience because they get to actually be in the community and work with the community to get vegetables to the people.”

Kuntz says interns have worked at the farm before, and the position typically changes slightly from year to year. He says though there usually aren’t many large-scale changes to the position, the environment is different every year and can affect the work.

Kuntz says one change for this year will be a heightened emphasis on Market on The Mall a farmers market located in the area in front of the Student Union Building and behind Pickler Memorial Library.