Apr 7, 2007
Summer Intern Bids Readers Farewell

Writing this column is bittersweet to me. My time here, a time that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed, is coming to a close. It seems as though I just wrote my introduction to all of you; surely it’s too soon to be writing my farewell.

I will begin my senior year at Michigan State University in a few weeks. While I am looking forward to heading back to school for my final year, I will deeply miss writing for The Fruit Growers News and The Vegetable Growers News.

Although the summer has flown by, the knowledge and experience I have had the opportunity to gain seems far more abundant than three months could offer. Learning to edit, lay out, cut and prepare a publication has been a wonderful experience for me.

Throughout the summer, I have had the chance to speak with many of you, visit a few of your operations and received such warm words of welcome into the industry that merely saying thank you is not enough. Your kindness, patience and encouragement are greatly appreciated. Watching harvests, seeing new and unique marketing techniques and eating my weight in sweet cherries are just a few of the things I have been able to do because of you, and I have loved every minute of it.

My time here has allowed me to learn from a vast array of people – from growers and producers to professors and Extension agents, restaurant owners and chefs, government officials, researchers and other writers. There is no doubt that I know exponentially more about fruits and vegetables than I did at the beginning of my internship here. The knowledge about agriculture I have collected from these individuals is prolific and sure to serve me well.

And it has been such a privilege to work with and learn from all of the outstanding members of Great American Publishing. I am so grateful to them and to the American Agricultural Editor’s Association for awarding me this internship. Because of them, I also had the opportunity to attend the Agricultural Media Summit in Portland, Ore., in July, for which I am so grateful.

Even though I am leaving the office, I will never be out of reach, and my work within this industry is certainly not done. Please feel free to e-mail me with updates on your own endeavors or just to say hello. I would love to hear from as many of you as possible.

I will have what is sure to be another bittersweet moment in May as I graduate, but I know my life thereafter will be significantly sweetened because of my experience here this summer. A young writer could ask for nothing more.




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