The Farm at St. Joe’s is happy to welcome Laura Meisler, joining us as our new Program Manager. Laura is a local food and farming supporter who is excited to bring her organizational skills and enthusiasm to the Farm. She will be supporting our administrative and planning activities and working closely with Farmer Dan, initially as a volunteer.

Laura was most recently the training developer for the People’s Food Co-op in Ann Arbor, where she has worked on and off for the past 11 years. She has served on the steering committee for the HomeGrown Festival since 2009. Laura also has a background in children’s museum and outdoor environmental education, and is an outreach classroom teacher with the Agrarian Adventure.

“I love connecting people with healthy food, and the Farm is doing that in a unique way. I’m honored to be able to offer my strengths and service here,” says Meisler.

On her (quickly expanding) to-do list are streamlining the Farm’s volunteer recruitment procedures, increasing outreach to potential partners at St. Joe’s and in the community, and developing a manual for self-guided farm tours that visitors may use.

Director of Hospital Farming, Dan Bair, is looking forward to expanding The Farm team in 2014. “Laura brings a great set of complementary skills and energy to the work we’re doing with The Farm, ” says Bair, “Our capacity to engage with St. Joe’s patients, staff and the community, regarding healthy eating and lifestyles, will be greatly enhanced with Laura’s help.”