My name is Cady Goble. I am a graduate student, finishing up the first year of my Masters of Science in Plant Science with the William H. Darr College of Agriculture. I was one of a few lucky students who got to spend my fall break working for (and learning from) the kind people at Growing Power, in Milwaukee.
I have a history of working in both the education and horticulture fields. When I moved to Springfield from Mountain Home, Arkansas 8 years ago, I started working for Adult Education and Literacy at OTC. Then, I worked as a greens-keeper and golf course horticulturist for Springfield Greene County Parks. In the last year, I have co-managed The MSU Campus Garden, and I’m now a teaching assistant for plant science.
My education and work history have led me to have a passion for urban agriculture, and the impact that it can have on individuals and communities. This passion, in part, is what led me to Bear Breaks, and Growing Power.
Working in the greenhouse
I had the pleasure of working in the greenhouse the first day, alongside our trip leader, Haley. We saw and participated in all aspects of microgreens production (if you don’t know what microgreens are, you should definitely google it). This was highly beneficial to me, because my thesis research revolves around mineral nutrition of these tiny vegetable sprouts. It gave me some perspective on this up and coming food trend, and how it can serve as another income stream for small farmers. In the greenhouse I got to learn about the lives of the people that I was working with, which made the time fly by.
On the second day, our whole group spent about four rainy hours shoveling compost to create raised beds in one of Growing Power’s hoop houses. This was grueling work for everyone, but I was truly proud to see my fellow students from diverse backgrounds doing this laborious work with little complaint. I don’t know many young people outside of this field who would have been so willing and able to endure this.
From book to farm
Our hard work was rewarded when we got to spend the rest of the afternoon touring another one of Growing Power’s farms, with the guidance of Will Allen (the founder/CEO of Growing Power and author of The Good Food Revolution). He let us have free reign to pick whatever we wanted to take home for dinner that night. This included collard greens, kale, carrots, tomatoes, and raspberries!
When we returned to our home for the trip (Lake Park Lutheran Church), one of our advisors, Bernard Kitheka, and myself, prepared a meal that could only be rivaled by the most renowned of chefs (okay maybe not, but it was pretty delicious anyway)! The moment we all sat down to enjoy this meal was the moment I felt we all became friends. Up until that point, meals had been filled with more silence than conversation. It was pure joy to share our culinary creations with the group.
This leads me to another part of the trip that impacted me greatly. It involved our group dynamic, and how a group of strangers could come together around a meal that we harvested and prepared ourselves. This was a great inspiration to me.
Reflecting on the trip
At times, this trip was not all that I expected it to be, but at other times it filled my heart to the brim. Side by side with my fellow bear-breakers, I created new life, new bonds, and also some pretty tasty food. After reading The Good Food Revolution and visiting Growing Power, I am beginning to think of my future career in terms of how I can bring people together and make a positive impact on their lives. I think that urban agriculture has so much potential to do just that. I also came home with a new sense of pride in Springfield, and the “Good Food Revolution” we are having of our own.
Even though I know the other students on this trip will not go on to be farmers like I hope to do, I know they all gained new insight, and set new goals for themselves that involve active citizenship in their own communities. This is the goal of Bear Breaks, and I encourage anyone who wants to attend one of these trips to go for it! Then, you will see that once you find what you are passionate about in life, you can use it to make this world a better place. So go on, pop the college bubble and spread the love!