I’m willing to bet that as far as internships go, I got set up with the best possible environment possible. Nurturing my interests, guidance, and assistance wherever I had trouble- and most importantly, a newfound sense of respect for the farmers overcoming mountains of work that agricultural production requires. Near the end of my time at my internship, I was told, specifically, that I was “the perfect face for our company while we’re away”, which motivated me to work as hard as I could to make my internship advisor, as well as my bosses, proud.
My name is Andrew Webb, and I am majoring in Ornamental Horticulture. I come from Chesapeake City MD, and I have acquired a long-lasting love of gardening from both my grandmother, and from CCST, the Cecil County School of Technology, where I first really dipped my toes into agricultural production.
I began work at a small market in the spring- The Local Buzz, in Middletown DE. It seemed initially unassuming- a large field, a single greenhouse, and a veggie garden. Seems simple enough. What I wasn’t ready for, however, was the sheer drive and passion my boss, Molly Warren, had for her business. She was happy to take me under her wing in showing me all of the responsibilities of this line of work, and just how much goes on in the background in order to ensure that all flows smoothly.
In fact, as the internship went along, my boss and internship supervisor, Mrs. Warren, took note of my proficiency in floristry, as well as beekeeping. In Mrs. Warren’s own words, “You seem to have either picked up a lot from one year of college, or you’re a natural born naturalist, Andi.” She very quickly took note of this passion and saw to it that my abilities were put to use. I was then assigned to oversee much of the floral production/design, as well as assisting in much of the honey collection and bottling. The beekeeping proficiency was a surprise because I was brand new to the entire process. I was proud to see that I had some hidden talent up my sleeve!
Managing greenhouse operations was a vital part of everyday work at the farm- making absolutely sure each plant has enough water, (as all of the plants are hand-watered) ended up proving to be very rewarding. That said, checking for soil moisture could unveil something more harmful- checking each leaf for differences in coloration and potential disease proved to be a very fruitful practice. Thorough pruning and removal of infected plants could potentially save an entire yield.
Our yields are one of the most important parts of working on the farm- and yet, we wouldn't have anything without some pest control. Fortunately, early in the job, Mrs. Warren had shown me our adorable little helpers- two barn cats, kiddos of the stray cat that the Warrens helped to take care of. Most of the litter was adopted by other farmers, as well as the two aforementioned kiddos. Both of them helped every single day removing mice and other rodents from our barns, and they were extra cute to boot.
Overall, I adored my time working in such an environment. My bosses were nothing but encouraging, and I couldn’t thank them enough for all of the motivation they brought. To be told that you’re, as my supervisor phrased it, “the perfect face for our company while we’re away” is the most pride I’ve had in my work in a very long time. And that pride only further cemented my passion for the agriculture industry.
