Summer Centered: Hope Ebert ’19 Brings Moxie to Farming

Hope Ebert ’19 is no stranger to farming. While growing up in the small Kentucky town of Foster, just south of the Ohio River, she worked on her family’s farm, learning first-hand how to raise livestock such as cattle, goats, and chickens. This summer, she’s bringing her Bluegrass State knowledge to the big city at Food Moxie, a co-op in Northwest Philly that supports community urban agriculture through education and sustainable farming.

As part of one of several partnerships with Philly-based organizations, the Center for Peace and Global Citizenship (CPGC) has funded Haverford interns at Food Moxie (and formerly the affiliated Weaver’s Way Co-op) since 2010. The non-profit provides nutritious, fresh food at a low cost to the local community by maintaining urban farms and gardens and delivering educational programming about growing and cooking food.

As a summer intern, Ebert is working on the farm and assisting with horticultural programming for local youth at Food Moxie’s Garden Club.

“I am most excited about learning and working with the Food Moxie folks because they have an incredible amount of passion and intelligence in regards to the work that they do on the farm,” said Ebert. “Every day with them is a lesson in horticulture, social justice, work ethic, and general praxis, and I am so thankful for this opportunity to work alongside them.”

As a biology major, environmental studies minor, and peace, justice, and human rights concentrator, Ebert hopes her summer internship will bridge her interests in biological processes, sustainability, and social issues.

“I am hopeful that this internship experience will give me a new perspective on biology, and on how I can use science in the pursuit of effecting concrete positive change in the lives of others,” she said.

Ebert is living in Philadelphia as part of a homestay with other Food Moxie workers and cooking her own meals that incorporate a weekly bag of produce from the co-op’s gardens.

She lauded the CPGC’s support throughout her internship search and application process, and was grateful that Janice Lion, the Center’s associate director, was able to recommend the Food Moxie position during an individual meeting.

“I came to her around winter break with no idea how to move forward, and she took my interests into consideration and helped me narrow down to a few internships,” said Ebert.

As she spends time working outside in the North Philadelphia sun, the rising junior will look forward to bolstering her horticultural skills to match her already developed animal husbandry knowledge. Ebert values her farming proficiency, and might use it as part of a food justice-oriented career path. In a vibrant city community, she enjoys having a hand in producing nourishing, just, and tasty food.

-Michael Weber ’19

“Summer Centered” is a series exploring our students’ Center-funded summer work.