Greetings, and Welcome to the Woodriver Elementary School Garden blog site! My name is Jillian, and not only will I be writing these weekly updates, I’ll be heading up the garden site itself and working with students, parents, teachers and other Calypso Farm employees until the end of September. I’m brand new to Fairbanks, so any tips from you folks about the town, the garden goings-on, community events, etc., are very welcomed. Let’s get started, Wolf Pups!
Here’s a little about me: I was born and raised in the beautiful state of Minnesota, and have spent much of my life in the Midwest. I graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in Journalism, working as a photographer for the daily newspaper and studying abroad in Italy. After college, I lived in Chicago for several years before taking off to explore South America , spending nine months as a semi-professional tourist and volunteering with WWOOF at several organic farms and gardens. I love laughter, traveling, my family and friends, photography, yoga, crafts, music, and things that grow in the ground – and that’s just the short list. This is my first time to Alaska, and I simply cannot wait to get our EATinG Crew together and dive right into the earth!
This season Calypso employs four interns as School Garden Supervisors. All four of us have been very busy this past week and a half, not just arriving, unpacking and getting to know Fairbanks, but also with our daily orientation, research and planning. There’s so much to learn about our new schools and how Calypso Farm operates – and let me assure you, our excitement is growing each day! So as we wait for the snow to melt, let’s start brainstorming together about ways we can make our garden a beautiful, educational and supportive endeavor. Please know my door is always open for ideas, questions and discussion. I’m looking forward to meeting and working with you all soon!
Warmly, Jillian.
Woodriver School Garden 