Category Archives: Farm Life

Meet Kathleen Lokey, Food Systems Intern!

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Welcome to the farm Kathleen Lokey, a member of this year’s team of Food Systems Interns!  Here’s what Kathleen has to say to introduce herself:

My name is Kathleen Lokey and I hail from the beautiful, rolling hills of Tennessee. I graduated from Baylor University with a Master of Social Work in 2011 and spent the following summer in Waco staying hydrated during my frequent bike trips to Cameron Park. Eventually I moved to Belize and worked as a social worker in the school system.

            Micah 6:8 says, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humblywith your God.” This verse encapsulates the way I desire to follow and glorify the Lord. I do not believe we empower others, as people already have power within themselves, but we can support, love, and walk alongside others in their journey. I came to the farm seeking an avenue to live in community and pursue holistic ministry with others. While the allergies from “stray,” dust, and Texas in general annoyingly force me to wear glasses (instead of contacts) for the first few hours of every day, I enjoy and am fulfilled through the work of the farm and the graciousness exhibited by my fellow farmers. My walk with the Lord has been void of solid, intentional community the last couple years so the familial aspect of the farm is exactly what I need. The farm is a lifestyle I have sought after and now I am finally in the midst of it. During this time I want to learn more about living in community while seeking to love God and my neighbors more deeply whether that is through a listening ear, pulling weeds, feeding pigs, cracking a smile, or all of the above. Random things I enjoy include flying kites, rambling in the outdoors, reading, star gazing, and riding my bike.  

 

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Meet Adrienne Griggs, Food Systems Intern

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Please welcome to the farm, Adrienne Griggs. Adrienne is one of our new Food Systems Interns for the 2012-2013 school year. In addition to her work on the farm, Adrienne will be leading our afterschool garden clubs.  Here’s Adrienne’s introduction of herself:

I come to the lone star state from northern Virginia (In Virginia there is northern Virginia and then the rest of Virginia; we feel the need to specify). I grew up about 30 miles south of DC in the suburbs and have lived there nearly my entire life. I graduated in 2010 from James Madison University (Go Dukes!) with a degree in Health Sciences, emphasis on public health education. After graduating I went on to work with the Virginia Cooperative Extension as a part of the Family and Consumer Sciences program. I was housed at the Capital Area Food Bank and worked with their partner organizations. I partnered with church food pantries and non-profit organizations throughout 4 counties working with low-income families, teaching people how to eat healthy on small budgets through cooking demonstrations and a series of classes. When I began with the food bank I had little interest in cooking and even less experience. As the months went on and I gained more confidence in my cooking abilities (through a lot of practicing on my accepting family) I started to really enjoy learning about food.

Through my job I had the opportunity to work with a church that had started some community gardens in order to provide some fresh produce to their clients. I would create recipes based around the produce available, make the dish, and give people samples. The idea was to create demand for the produce and encourage people to take the fresh vegetables and make a healthy meal for their family. I worked in the community garden a few times and loved it. I started to look around for opportunities to learn about gardening and sustainable agriculture while within a Christian community and stumbled upon WHRI with the help of a friend, Google. I am grateful that WHRI was so accepting of a girl from the suburbs with zero experience but a willingness to learn. I am looking forward to learning about gardening and sustainable agriculture and passing that knowledge on to the students in the after-school garden clubs I will help lead in Waco this year.

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