Four Years of Farming - Evan

My name is Evan Braun. I am attending Virginia Tech in the fall, and this is my fourth season with the Youth Leaders in Agriculture (YLA) program.

I started with YLA my freshman year summer when I heard that my sister was working here. She came home talking about her day on an organic produce farm which I thought was interesting. I then decided to see if there were any positions available which, luckily, there was.

In the following summers all leading to now I have spent my time working at Project GROWS with the YLA program. Four years ago I was a very different person and had quite a different role within the program. Everyday I came in quietly, did what work was scheduled for the day, and rode home with my sister at the end of the day.

In comparison to now, a lot has changed. As the summers progressed, I took on more leadership growing from crew member, to assistant crew leader, and then crew leader. Each day this past summer I came in early, consulted with our farm manager Austin, developed a schedule for the day, and then led our crew of eight YLA members throughout the day. I no longer come in and am quiet, just getting work done. Each year I came back it was a gradual increase in responsibility which consequently prepared me for the following year of leadership. I thoroughly enjoy the increase in leadership and love what I do. 

In addition to loving the work, I always enjoy learning new things and working at Project GROWS has offered the ability to learn a variety of skills. The most noticeable skills I improved upon would be leadership skills, communication, plant identification, and knowledge of organic farming practices.

During my time at Project GROWS, I have had the opportunity to work with some amazing people. I have seen people come and go during my extended time here, and one of my favorite aspects has been each year coming to lead a different YLA crew. This has connected me to a variety of people around the valley all with similar interests who would love to help with projects or just chat.

I'm so grateful for these opportunities as they have prepared me well for all that is yet to come in college and beyond. I'd like to thank Project GROWS for their continued support, learning opportunities, and the growth they've instilled in me. Four years ago, I could not have imagined what this little outside summer job would have turned into and how much it would impact my life. I could not recommend the Youth Leaders in Agriculture program more.