Hi!  My name is Stephanie Shaw, I am an Eastern Michigan University Dietetic Student completing a community experience here at The Farm at St. Joe’s.

After: Stephanie has been a big help in transitioning the hoophouse from summer to fall. Tomatoes have been replaced with greens, root crops, and scallions.

Before: Tomatoes in hoophouse 2 grow 8 feet tall by September.

To tell you a little bit about myself, I grew up on a farm outside of Superior, Nebraska.  We raised cattle and grew wheat and milo crops.  I have always been interested in nutritious foods, especially since I grew up with fresh produce from the family garden.  Now, as I cook for my husband and 17 year old daughter, I continually find myself adjusting recipes to include fresh produce or to accommodate my husband’s need for a gluten-free diet.

It has been years since I have worked on the farm, so I am thrilled to be here and have this unique opportunity to see how this farm operates and benefits the community.  Additionally, hoop houses and fall planting are all new to me, so I am anxious to learn about these topics and pass some of this information on to you as I experience it myself.  Look for future posts about what I am learning, photos of the fall plants growing and maybe a few recipes that incorporate fall produce.