Reflections from our Graduating Crew Members, Class of 2020

Although we’re unable to celebrate our graduating student crew members on-farm this spring, we can still honor and remember all that we’ve learned and experienced together through the seasons. 

Emma Stein, Trinity ‘20, is graduating with a degree she designed called Food, Farming, and the Future: Navigating Climate Change and Adaptive Culture. She’s been on the student crew since spring 2018. “After the first day of work on the farm, I called my mom and told her ‘I now know what I want to do. I have to have my hands in the soil!’” She remarked. "I am a firm believer that just one experience on the farm can change someone for the better." 

Harrison Branner, Public Policy and Environmental Science ‘20, is our avid beekeeper and has been with us since spring 2017. "I've seen the farm become more and more beautiful with every season," he said. 

Jonah Bissell, M.T.S. ‘20, joined our crew last fall after spending last summer on-farm as a Luce Fellow. “DCF has offered a more stable form of community,” he shared. “This has been an invaluable source of encouragement and support as I approach the end of my graduate program at Duke.

Emily McNamara, M.E.M. ‘20, is returning to Winters, CA, to work on her family’s organic walnut farm after graduation. She shared, “Not only am I eager to add to the steadily growing statistic of ‘women in ag,’ but I’m also looking forward to applying the skills and knowledge gained from my time at the Nicholas School and Duke Campus Farm.”

Congratulations class of 2020! Thank you all for many special seasons and lasting memories.