by Jennifer Hammer, V.P. of Land & Watershed Protection
Alongside our hardworking farm crew, we are thrilled to welcome seven bright and dedicated interns to the farm this summer –young leaders who are not only lending helping hands but also growing roots in the world of sustainable farming. Their presence is part of a larger vision: cultivating future farmers who understand that caring for the soil is just as important as growing healthy produce for our community.
These internships are made possible thanks to the incredible support of our community champions—DuPage County Board Member Mary Ozog, through the Member Initiative Program, the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, and our own Main’s Internship Program. These partnerships are sowing the seeds for a new generation of land stewards, and we couldn’t be more grateful.
From Glenbard East High School’s Future Farmers of America/Horticulture and Sustainable Agriculture Dual Credit Program, we’re excited to welcome Marisa, Rachel, and Donovan. This special collaboration was sparked by long-time Glen Ellyn resident and supporter, Ron Aubrey, who teamed up with Glenbard educator Dave Krodel, administrator Mike Fumagalli, and County Member Mary Ozog to connect students with meaningful, hands-on learning at the farm. Together, we’ve laid the foundation for what we hope will be a long and fruitful partnership with Glenbard High School District—growing both vegetables and visionaries.
Our second internship grant from the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley is once again supporting students from Aurora High Schools. Owen, who volunteered and interned with us last year, returns with a strong sense of place and purpose. He’s joined by Ellie, who is jumping right in to help with all aspects of our Green Earth Harvest program.
Rounding out the crew are two college students supported by our Main’s Internship Program, focusing on the behind-the-scenes work that keeps the wheels of Green Earth Harvest turning. Luke is bringing creativity and insight to our marketing and social media efforts, helping share our story and amplify our mission. And Erica is becoming a Friday fixture—helping prep for farmshare market pickups and welcoming members with a warm smile. Be sure to say hello when you come by to grab your veggies!
Together, these interns are more than just extra sets of hands—they’re an essential part of our farm family this summer. They’re learning the rhythms of the land, patience with the weather, the joy of harvesting, and the deep responsibility that comes with growing food for a community. We’re grateful to have them alongside us this summer, learning what it means to grow food with care—for the land, the people, and the future.
My name is Owen Robles, I just graduated from high school and have been a summer intern at Green Earth Harvest for three years now. I enjoy working outside in the sun and on the farm. In my free time I enjoy to cook things like chicken Alfredo.
Hello! My name is Luke and I am going into my senior year as an advertising major at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and am an avid fan of not just video games but ways that I can gather people to enjoy them together. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work as the Marketing Intern for Green Earth Harvest after all of the wonderful things that I was able to see TCF do during the time that my father worked here. I am always looking for creative new directions to take the current social media and marketing materials because our local communities deserve to be able to hear how much work that Green Earth Harvest does for families in need of healthy, organic food. I’m so excited to be able to share with you how much is being done both on the farm and at our local food pantries!
Hi! My name is Donovan, and I’m really excited to be part of TCF this season as a summer intern from Glenbard East High School. I first got into farming by helping my grandma with the flowers in her garden, and my interest only grew from there. I believe the work TCF does is important because it shows how even small, local efforts can make a big impact on the environment and community. In my free time, I love playing football and weightlifting. I’m looking forward to everything I’ll learn here and to contributing to the awesome work being done! 🙂
My name is Ellie and I’m a senior in high school. I’m from Big Rock, IL, and I’ve been having a wonderful time at Green Harvest so far. I love being outside, and am excited to learn more about organic farming. I love hiking, and spending time with animals. I’m an avid reader, big country music fan, and hope to go into environmental science after high school. 
Hi, I’m Marisa and I am one of the Glenbard East interns! I just graduated from East this past May and I will be attending University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. My plan is to major in history and eventually become a high school history teacher. At East I was in our school’s FFA chapter where I was the chair of the historian committee and had the honor of being chosen to be one of Lombard’s Lilac Princesses. In my free time I like to hang out with my friends, read, tan, and listen to music! I love being outside which is one of the major reasons I wanted to be a part of the farm. My positive experiences in my horticulture class also became a driving factor in wanting to continue and expand my knowledge on growing plants. Can’t wait to meet you!
I am Rachel from Bloomingdale, Illinois! I am here working with Green Earth Harvest through an internship from Glenbard East High School. Once I learned about this opportunity I was so excited to get involved. I have an extreme interest in ecology, so being able to work on the farm and apply the knowledge from my studies has been an amazing experience. I plan on going to North Central College to major in Environmental Science to continue to grow my skills and explore my interests in helping the environment! I also have an extreme passion for music, I’ve played the cello ever since I was little. I’m involved in community orchestras and plan to join the orchestras at NCC! I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and cannot wait to learn more from my peers!
Hello! My name is Erica and I grew up in Palos Heights, went to Illinois State University, currently live in Naperville and am finishing up my Urban Farming certificate from College of DuPage. In addition to The Conservation Foundation, I also work at the College of DuPage’s Fuel Garden growing fresh produce for Fuel Pantry clients on campus, volunteer with Loaves & Fishes Community Services in Aurora and am a board member for The GardenWorks Project in Wheaton. This work allows me to be a part of mission-driven operations that help people during pivotal times in their lives. The common thread throughout my professional work as well as organizations I have volunteered with has been that of service. Service at the local government level, in the non-profit space, in the corporate space and in the consulting space… and now, service in the urban farming and sustainable ecology space. In addition to the 700+ families with farm share subscriptions, I love that The Conservation Foundation supports an additional 1,200+ families in their farm to pantry program. This particular part of the mission aligns with my values and for that, I am grateful to be a part of the farm team. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, being outdoors, hiking, rucking, watching baseball, visiting new stadiums and travelling.
