Oh. My. Goodness.
The internship is half-way done, and we still can’t wrap our heads around it. It feels like yesterday we said that time was moving slow and were wondering how we were going to reach 40 hours by Friday.
As always, our programs are going in full force and we wouldn’t want it any other way! In Region 1, we are kept busy with PoP Club and Beginner Gardners programs. At PoP (Power of Produce) last week in Rock Rapids, we decorated rocks with glitter, paint, and googly eyes to put in the garden at home and tasted broccoli. The profound thing about this internship is the experiences I have gotten without expecting it. I thought the PoP program was going to be exciting, but I never thought I would have kids attend the programs and be ecstatic to come back every time. Each week we set up and within minutes we have kids running at us from all different directions, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach drawstring bags flying behind them. The three of us have created bonds with the kiddos, and we enjoy watching their knowledge grow.
Last Wednesday was a pretty dreary day, and we were not able to be outside at our Beginner Gardeners camp. It is always fun to watch their faces light up when they see us come to hang out with them. We made scarecrows and garden markers to put in the garden. On Thursday, we all went to our producers. While I was at my producer, Cherry Lane Farms in Spirit Lake, I planted microgreen trays and made orders to be delivered that day. The most interesting day was on Friday; we ventured to Omaha, Nebraska. w ventured to Omaha, Nebraska. In Omaha, we toured various farms and gardens that in some way give back to the community or the local economy. We ended the day at the Omaha Extension office to learn about a
STEM summer program that is only offered in Omaha and two other cities in the country. While on this trip we got to visit with Region 5 interns and other staff working in their region. We had a chance to share our summer experiences and how the programs are going. Our planning for the programs is nowhere near complete but we are confident that our programs will be fun and educational experiences for everyone!
Jessica