Hello everyone! My name is Hannah Gideon and I’m a second-time intern at Agrilead Inc. I was born in Wichita, Kansas, and moved to Russell, Kansas about 5 years ago. Although I am a city kid at heart, I ended up getting into a school program through school called FFA (The National FFA Organization). This led to many different experiences that impacted my life before my own eyes.
After living in an agricultural community for years, I got to understand what the basis of agriculture is. It’s not about making money and being rich, but providing necessary food and products to our country (and sometimes the world!). Living in this community has made me realize how humble and amazing many of these farmers (and residents) are. I enjoy hearing their ideas, concerns, and outstanding stories they are able to express to me. I realized that being here greatly deepened my passion for agriculture and most importantly– the Environment itself!
During my internship this year, I will be constructing 3 different hydroponic systems. Two of these systems will be indoors, with one system outside. Using these systems, I will grow lettuce, strawberries, peppers, and even microgreens. I will also be testing and comparing systems for factors such as bacteria, water consumption, and nutrient differences.
While I strive to complete this, I’m working on improving my own skillset as the journey continues. This year, I hope to improve my oral communication abilities by the time I complete my time here. Communication is an essential skill to have and I wish to perfect it as much as possible in any situation I can. I also strive to assist other interns in my community and aid them throughout their own internships. I understand that sometimes it can be hard to find what direction to head to, so I plan on guiding them to the direction best fit for them.
Last but not least, I plan to converse more with Agrilead’s visitors to enhance my network. This way if I ever need someone for an idea or help, I can always ask them. I’m looking forward to this summer and everyone I meet!
