Two friendly faces often seen at our YAP Farm at Hiland Hall Farmhouse this season were those of Sam Lawson and Sylvia Maderes.
Both students are Bennington College juniors and each has their own reasons for taking advantage of this Tutorial Center work experience.
Sylvia, a literature and dance major from southern Pennsylvania, has always had an interest in science and nature, taking several science classes throughout her educational career. She likes knowing about food, growing food and food systems. As she says, “It’s good to know where your food comes from.”
Sam, from slightly closer Holyoke, Mass., is studying biology and anthropology at the college. He admits that since interning at the YAP Farm under the guidance of farm manager JJ Beck he’s beginning to think about future career pathways that include agriculture. “Not in producing food,” Sam said, “but perhaps in the areas of biology and chemistry.”
Sylvia and Sam have been with the part of the YAP farm team since early June which has allowed them to experience all aspects of the farm from planting, to weeding, to harvesting, and now putting the farm to bed for the winter planting cover crops such as buckwheat.
This is the second year that Bennington College students have had the opportunity to work at YAP Farm. This is one element of the growing connection between The Tutorial Center’s YAP and Bennington College.
