Hello, I am Christina Eisenman, one of the six-month student interns at Gathering Ground this growing season. I have lived most of my life in Davison, Michigan, which is just outside of Flint. Two years ago, I graduated from Oakland University with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, specializing in Environmental Sustainability and Resource Management. During my senior year, I got involved in my university’s student organic farm. That experience gave me a peek into a line of work I had never considered. I was left unsatisfied with my short time at the OU farm and was hoping to find another opportunity to learn more.

I am loving my time with Gathering Ground. I love that every day is a new chance to learn and expand my knowledge. Some of my favorite activities on the farm are getting the chance to interact with and engage with the community on the island. The Farmer’s Market has been a great way to meet new folks on the island and to speak with them. Another one of my favorite things I have done with Gathering Ground was the work day at the Community Garden with the school kids. I think it is so important for youth to have opportunities and experiences in the outdoors, and I am incredibly grateful I got to be a part of that community day at the garden.

The community on the island encapsulates everything I love about the Midwest. Everyone here is so kind and welcoming. I look forward to all the new adventures I will have and all the new knowledge I will gain during my six-month stay on Washington Island.

The longest quack grass root ever?