By Montgomery P. Sparrow
Trevecca students, regardless of major, can volunteer on the Urban Farm.
The Trevecca Urban Farm, which includes gardens, animals, fruit trees and aquaponics, is in need of a few good volunteers. This month the farm is starting a new program called Meet and Greet. Every Wednesday from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. students can feed goats and chickens and pigs by hand and help socialize the animals.
There are also other volunteer opportunities and jobs available to interested students.
“It would be great to have about 10 consistent volunteers every semester,” said Jason Adkins, environmental projects coordinator. “The more volunteers, the more we can do.”
Volunteers would complete tasks like feeding the 85 animals on the farm, putting hay down in the barn, tending growing food in the greenhouse and gardening.
Also, 20 baby goats have made appearances this semester and need some extra care. Right now around three consistent student volunteers work on the on-campus farm. More volunteers would mean being able to help with more community gardens, more care for the fruit trees on campus and beautification projects around the farm.
Students should volunteer if they love animals, if they have interest in agriculture, if they want to help people in practical ways in their neighborhood–especially in the inner city– and if they are concerned with environmental issues, Adkins said.
“We are hoping for a way to help students learn skills, while at the same time doing work on the farm,” Carlson Grae, a graduate student who works on the farm.
Being with the animals is the biggest reason many of the current volunteers say they like their job.
Rebekah Jackson, freshman psychology major, and Rebekah Warren, freshman social justice major, both enjoy the time with the Great Pyrenees dogs and the goats. Sydney Danyelle, freshman dramatic arts major, works on the farm for both the animals and the nostalgia.
“Its more of a hobby for me; because as a child growing up, my grandparents had goats, and frogs, and horses and a cow that slept in the house,” Danyelle said.
Volunteer work is needed through out the week and the shifts vary.
“We’re happy to have people for an hour, or three, or six if they want,” Adkins said. “Some work all morning; and some will work part of the morning.”
The farm will also host planting days and harvesting days as other opportunities to volunteer. In order to volunteer students should contact Jason Adkins (615)-812-3291.
