July 22nd, 2024, I forwarded a resume to Flint Hill Farms in Coopersburg Pennsylvania
applying for an unpaid internship for I was and I still am a corporate communications major @
Penn State University Delaware County Campus. I was invited to come in for an interview a
week later and further discuss an internship opportunity. I was excited, so I asked myself what do
my major and farm life have in common? Answer? Exposure of farm and natural life to the
unsuspecting public, using this as a tool to be an advocate to promote natural living and promote
the need of production, purpose and consumption of dairy products.
Tuesday, July 30th 2024 was an awesome day. I was granted an internship at Flint Hill Farm in
Coopersburg Pennsylvania after an interview. During the interview it was expressed to me that
there would bey varying opportunities for me to contribute to farm help and hone the craft of
writing and public relations through participation in farm activities, helping on the farm with
chores, attending agricultural events in the Lehigh Valley area. Once I got the nod from Mrs.
Kathleen Fields, a few of the helpers on the farm gave me a short yet detailed run of the farm
which was inclusive of seeing glimpses of farm life such as goats, horses, cows, and a mini store
where shirts and dairy products are sold. I went home excited but again I wondered how will I
be able to tie all of this together?
August 30th 2024 was my first day as an intern at Flint Hill Farm. I arrived at around 11:30 am.
First mistake: arriving late in the morning. Why? Because farm work has to be done beginning at the crack of dawn for no one knows what the day will hold. It was a misty morning and it looked
like everything was lost but luckily farm helpers were on hand so I jumped in and raked some
hay into some piles, put the hay on the wheelbarrow, brough the hay on the wheelbarrow and
disposed of the hay in the appropriate storage area and assisted the farm helpers with this task
until early afternoon. Little did I know I was going to get a couple of “gotta do better” moments
in terms of arrivals and chores.
September 1st, 2024 was a hot Sunday. Strike two: arriving on the farm in late morning without
an approved and expressed plan to carry out during the day. It was suggested that I assist
Rebecca at the Lehigh Valley (Saucon Valley) Farmers Market. At the farmers market business
was slow because it was a holiday weekend however dairy items such as milk, cheese and yogurt
were sold.
As you can see the first couple of days were full of growing pains such as clarity of
assignments and blending in with farm life. They don’t say “the early bird catches the worm” for
nothing. Going forward I learned to call the day before or email the day before to make sure I
would have a clear idea as to what I need to do on the farm for that day.
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