KUFARMING - Key Persons
Amber Lehrman has been teaching sustainability classes including gardening, canning, permaculture design and emergency preparedness for 5 years. Her family is building a sustainable homestead near Perry, KS where they grow 80% of their own food and are building an off grid home. Helping others learn to help themselves is Amber's life passion and being able to do that through the KU student farm has been a privilege. Their journey is documented on their blog: http://thelehrmans.blogspot.com/. Amber teaches an annual beginning gardening session for the farm each spring.
Becky Crook is a recent graduate from KU, with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Plant Ecology. She is avid gardener and has a particular interest in tallgrass prairie ecology and its restoration. She got involved in the community plot in 2012 and stepped up in 2013 as the garden manager. While she does a little bit of everything for the student farm, she is heavily involved in the community garden, manages the compost, and spearheaded the rainwater catchment project in 2013.
Becky Crook graduated with her degree in Environmental Studies where she received a permaculture certification. She has transitioned from student farm officer (Garden Manager & Compost Manager) to a community advisor. Her role is to serve as a consultant on permaculture design. She also manages the Lawrence Community Garden Project (LCGP), which just happens to be the oldest community garden in Lawrence. Through Becky's effort, we have built a strong relationship with this urban garden. The farm provides management support and the garden serves as an additional location for our members to learn sustainable land management practices with a focus on urban permaculture and community building. This is a real gem of a garden where you will find great people, food, herbs, medicine, dye plants, a butterfly way station, and much more.
Bridger Egbert has joined the farm this year as a community advisor, helping Becky manage the LCGP garden, and consulting for us on equipment/material purchases and construction projects. He was integral to fixing and stabilizing the front fencing to the LCGP site along with building a new east fence. He is truly a jack-of-all-trades all-around-nice guy with a big o' heart. You can find him involved in the community lending a helpful hand. He also maintains a large and incredibly beautiful home garden where he gives away much of what he grows.
Daniel Walker is a farm officer. You will likely see Daniel working on the compost system or operating a mulch machine, mower, or weed whacker. He is particularly interested in the role that micro-organisms play in rehabilitating overworked soils. The farm is located on land that was farmed in monoculture for decades. Daniel is working towards a Bachelor's of Science degree in Environmental Studies at KU. Daniel plays a fundamental role in the leadership of the farm, assisting with fundraising and outreach activities. Besides the farm, you can find Daniel heading up Veggie Lunch on campus. Veggie Lunch is served at the Ecumenical Campus Ministries every Thursday, from 11:30-1pm.
Daniel Walker is a junior working towards a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies. Dan hopes to use his studies for sustainable agricultural and hydrologic applications. Dan formerly worked as a political operative for various progressive causes and campaigns across the country. He now hopes to make a more direct and substantive impact by increasing the availability and means of production of healthy foods.
Gina Beebe is a junior in Environmental Science. She has grown up growing plants with/for her family. Gina is more than excited to be part of the KU Student Farm. Being an officer for the past six months has been a great experience for her to grow as gardener and Gina is looking forward to the future as it will be an even better outlet for her to grow an aspiring beekeeper as well as natural dye and DIY enthusiast. Gina is our Greenhouse Manager.
Jason Hering is a true foodie and one of the founding members of the farm! In 2010, Jason and students in the KU environmental studies program, worked on a project that first conceptualized the farm. The next semester the group would make it a reality. Jason is involved in many local garden/farm-related endeavors. He is co-operator of The Purple Carrot Co-op, a cooperatively-owned mobile kitchen, specializing in providing organic wholesome local fair. You can often find the truck at local events like the Cottin's Farmer's Market and as a member of the Douglas County Food Policy Council. He advises us on purchasing decisions and helps us connect to other folks and happenings around town. We owe much gratitude to Jason for committing to the farm from the very beginning and staying involved.
Jennifer Veercamp is a community advisor who brings art and much love to the garden and to members. She created garden faeries and installed art pieces into the community garden last year. She is one of the founding mothers of Bizarre Bazaar (BizBaz), a popular annual art market that started in a founder's home over 20 years ago. She is a master crotchet/fiber artist and was creating up-cycled art from "junk" before it was popular. Jennifer also helps us by sourcing and delivering local and affordable oat straw to the farm and loves to dry plants for our popular farm grown mint tea.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Muscogee Creek Nation
Katrina McClure is a member of the Muscogee Creek Nation. She is the outgoing program coordinator (2103-2014) and the 2015 treasurer for the farm. Trina can be found working away in the community garden. She specializes in greenhouse production and seed saving. She also does a great deal of organizing and facilitating for the farm. She is a graduate student in geography researching the role and impact of ethnobotanical databases on the recording, function, and dissemination of Indigenous knowledge systems. Trina was the recipient of the KU Graduate Student Sustainability Award in 2015 for her efforts on campus and in the community. She is also involved in organizing the Kaw Valley Seed Fair , is a board member of the Sunrise Project, and was elected secretary to the Association of American Geographer's Indigenous Peoples' Specialty Group. She is an alum of Haskell Indian Nations University where her passion for plants first blossomed.
Katrina McClure is entering her second season with the student farm, and is an expert in the greenhouse and in the garden. She is a graduate student in Human Geography at KU. She is treasurer and in charge of fundraising and finding grant opportunities. She is also a leader and a huge resource in the community plot.
Mary Beth Duda, a junior in Global International Studies is the program coordinator for the farm. She has shown great passion and integrity in her work. This past year she has been working diligently in partnership with KU Dining management/KU Roasterie to enhance the Grounds 4 Gardens program to collect and reuse coffee grounds. Every week farm members pick up buckets of used coffee grounds to add to the composting systems at both the farm and at the Lawrence Community Garden Project. This partnership received the 2015 KU Sustainability Project Award in no small part due to Mary Beth's work and commitment. You can find her in a new role as President/Program Coordinator this year. We are excited to have her in this new leadership position.
Patti Norman is a community advisor with 30+ years gardening experience. Patti specializes in companion and lunar planting techniques and works alongside members in the community garden. Patti can be found assisting and helping trouble shoot issues or just lending a helpful hand. She has donated much of her time to the farm and is passionate about a new generation of growers who are spearheading efforts for sustainable agriculture.
Rachel Richmond is a super senior majoring in Environmental Studies. She is interested in sustainable agriculture, local food efforts, permaculture design and philosophy, and the art of simple living. Rachel is our Events Coordinator, so if you have an idea for an event or any events related questions, don't hesitate to contact her.
Raven is a past farm member turned community advisor. You can find Raven leading cooking classes at the Merc Co+op, catering with local grown foods via Raven's Table, or selling some fantastic fermented foods through her new venture, Bubbly Love. Raven comes anytime we need, whether its giving a canning demo or instruction when we are cooking for Veggie Lunch. She also shares with students her work with the Student Conservation Association. Raven has been a remote sites caterer with the association for many years. You can find her cooking for trail crews from Alaska to the Mohave desert! How cool is that!
Roxy McGee is a community advisor, master gardener, and expert dye artist. She has bestowed much of her knowledge about dye plants and soil health to our leadership and members. We are excited to learn more from her! She is passionate about soil and has put in many hours rehabbing an herb garden or what she likes to call the inspiration garden. We all watch with amazement as it transforms.
Russell Mullin has proven himself a valuable asset to quick fixes and creative solutions. He is farm VP and is heavily involved on campus with EcoHawks, KU Stewards, and the Center for Sustainability. Another major in Global International Studies we know he will find much success in all he does. Check out his Mother Earth News blog from the summer of 2015 where he tells us about his adventures WWOOFing in France. You should also check out is KU Schwinn-Mill project! We would be remiss not to mention the hard work that Russell and his grandfather put in to harvest wood for our upcoming Bee Hotel!
Shannon McGill is a senior in Visual Communication and a junior in Community Health. Shannon is constantly striving to expand the way she thinks and creates. Specifically, she is seeking to synthesize both her visual communication skills and her health knowledge to educate individuals and communities on how they can actively take part in and contribute to their own well-being. Shannon is our Communications and Marketing Coordinator.
Tresa Carter is a graduated environmental studies major. She lives in Lawrence and commutes to the Department of Agriculture where she's interning with From the Land of Kansas, the state's agricultural trademark program. She has been a part of the farm for over two years now and wants to dedicate her time to supporting our local food systems and farmers.