My Internship with the NRCS
Working with the NRCS has changed the way I look at the surrounding farmland here in Greene County. Greene County is an extremely urban area full of farmland and before working with the NRCS I did not know how much work and effort went into producing an effective crop season. The NRCS does a lot of cost sharing projects with farmers to help them implement more conservation practices.
During my internship we have helped create a waterway that will help stop erosion on crop fields, created a waste plan for turkeys and hogs and collaborated with local farmers on practices that could help their farms. These plans have not only helped farmers save money, but they are conserving energy, which is the goal of all NRCS programs.
The most interesting aspect of my internship has been seeing all the work that goes into producing an effective farm. To many they will never see the math and science that goes into farming, but working with the NRCS has given me the insight of what goes into it. Being from a small town in upstate New York I have also never had the experience of going to a turkey, chicken or hog farm. Working with the NRCS I have been able to not only experience this, but work with these farmers on plans to implement conservation programs.