Paige Baisley graduated from Dickinson School in 2020 with an Environmental Science diploma and Meals Research certificates. She’s all the time been desirous about studying extra in regards to the meals system and naturally linked with many farm people in Treehouse – the place she lived – in addition to the ENST Division. When she first labored on the farm in the summertime after her first yr, she immediately fell in love. She returned the next summer season and after spending her junior yr overseas, joined the farm for the complete educational yr in her senior yr after which continued as an apprentice.
Following her apprenticeship, Paige went on to work as a Soil and Nutrient Supervisor at a cattle farm in Virginia. Soil sampling within the pasture, she gained a deeper understanding of topography, drainage patterns, and implications of various mum or dad supplies – all this to make lime suggestions for the farm. On high of that, Paige utilized classes from the Dickinson School Farm to streamline the cattle farm’s composting system, enhance their file retaining system, and help of their small market backyard.
This previous June, Paige began her Masters in Crop and Soil Science at Michigan State College. Her analysis pertains to alfalfa for cattle forage. An allelopathic crop, alfalfa’s autotoxicity helps by inhibiting pest and bug injury, however hurts by inhibiting the expansion of different alfalfa. Along with analysis, Paige appears to be like ahead to turning into a Instructing Assistant and getting concerned in Extension work. Her final profession objective is to earn a PhD and turn into a professor at some point. She hopes to show college students to sustainable agriculture and provide the identical mentoring expertise she obtained at a small college like Dickinson.
How has DCF contributed to her post-grad expertise? Along with the work itself, she values the methods DCF’s linked her to different farmers and shoppers. She additionally remembers working with Will, Jenn, and Matt as an apprentice – she appreciates all they’ve shared on what goes into the system and the way it’s managed, views on what sustainable agriculture could be, and admires the care they put into their work. Working as an apprentice early within the pandemic additionally provided a novel alternative to type shut friendships, achieve a robust assist system, and make house to share ideas and concepts.
When requested about her favorite DCF reminiscence, she remembers her final shift as a pupil farmer proper earlier than Spring Break in 2020. She was double digging in Orion and later seeding and labelling trays together with her good good friend Anna Zaremba. She returned as an apprentice and located that she was transplanting the very seedlings she began earlier that Spring!! Seeing the cycles and transitions on the farm was very particular. She additionally cherishes each dialog she’s had out within the fields, laughing so laborious till everybody’s falling over.
Paige at present loves using her bike to work and exploring all of the bike trails in her space.
