Cambria Snyder

 

Nourishing Neighbors produce delivery. Pictured is Mountain Laurel Medical Center staff who are ready to serve the community.

Wow! What a busy week! We had another great afternoon in Barton. Our kids’ gardening classes have ended but don’t worry, we picked up on doing reading in the garden. Each week the kids gather around the raised beds and are read a children's book related to gardening. After the story had been read we gathered the kids and inspected the growth of their garden. Lots of veggies were booming. The kids were able to harvest some tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, beets and onions. It was so encouraging to see the kids walking through the garden and getting so excited about the produce being grown and able to harvest. Another week means packing up more veggie boxes! I assisted in packing up and delivering 100 veggie boxes for nourishing neighbors. It’s a good feeling to be able to have a hand in helping serve and nourish our community. Later in the week, I assisted in the Garrett County 4-H engineering event. This is a great opportunity for youth to get hands-on experience in engineering. The kids participated in bicycle, small engines, and electricity events. This event was neat for me to help with and learn from as well. 

 These girls took home a small bounty to feed their family!

My time with extension has certainly opened new doors for me; not only in personal connections but also in awareness of myself. This internship has been instrumental in helping me hone in on my talents and how I can use them to succeed. I certainly thrive in conditions where I can grow. I have been able to absorb so much useful knowledge and tactics from UME educators. Working in a professional setting and alongside educated professionals has really helped me grow in the way I think and handle certain situations. It has forced me outside of my shell and put me in positions that voluntarily I would not be in. It has expanded my horizon on new ideas and shown me my capabilities that I didn’t think I was capable of. I have been able to work efficiently in many different environments. Undoubtedly if I am on a deadline I work most efficiently if I am in a quiet environment with minimal distractions. Personally, I can get overwhelmed and stressed from time to time. The way I manage to stay productive is by planning everything out. Organizing and planning my day helps keep my mind at ease and me moving forward in being productive. I have found myself working a lot with the community and I have enjoyed the connections I have made. I’ve enjoyed working with and helping educate our community about agriculture. Working collaboratively has opened my eyes to different organizations and the various different needs of our community.

Contenders from the bicycle events. It was exciting to watch the kids maneuver their bikes through the different challenges.