Harry Daniels

Harry Daniels is a 23 year old undergraduate student at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. His studies are centered on agriculture, plant and animal biology, and genetics. He was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, before moving to Washington in 2022. His hobbies include cooking, community gardening, and mixed media sculpture.

Sarah Dyer

Sarah is a senior undergraduate at the Evergreen State College pursuing dual degrees in ecological agriculture and food systems. She is a former SURF fellow, where her research focused on the design and implementation of replicated variety trials of both radicchio and winter cabbage. She initiated this project as a capstone describing the holistic nature of her food and agriculture education, including her love of community led agriculture, her passion for food sovereignty in marginalized communities, and her interest in examining the complex human relationship with and perception of bitterness, as food, medicine, intoxicant, and poison. Before pursuing her degree at the Evergreen State College, Sarah was a cook for 22 years. In addition, Sarah earned an associate degree with focuses on Communications, Journalism, and Creative Writing at Spokane Falls Community College in 2014. Her favorite vegetable is cabbage.

Oonaugh Foster-Bill

Oonaugh is a twenty-year-old first-year student at Evergreen State College with a passion for sustainable agriculture, land restoration, and indigenous ecological knowledge. She was born in Seattle and grew up in Indianola, WA, exploring tide flats and swimming in the Puget Sound. Oonaugh has volunteered for various climate activist organizations over the years and spent her gap year after high school walking the Spanish Camino, painting on the West Coast of Ireland, and volunteering for a Costa Rican conservation organization on the Osa Peninsula.

During her time on the Osa Peninsula, she read the book Natural Farming by Masanobu Fukuoka, which made her realize that addressing the crises we face today must begin with healing human relationship to land and food. When Oonaugh returned home she spent the summer before Fall quarter at Evergreen living and working on an organic farm called Persephone. Now in her third quarter at Evergreen, Oonaugh is excited to continue exploring human relationships to land and food through participating in the Gilo Eggplant variety trial project in collaboration with the Land Based Learning program taught by Sarah Williams. She will contribute by helping to collect data and research for an initial writeup of the ‘Gilo’ eggplant vigor study and writing weekly reflections on WordPress.

Emerson Gregorio

Emerson is a first-year student at Evergreen State College studying agriculture and food justice. He was born in Kansas and raised in Omaha Nebraska. He spent most of his life in Nebraska next to large industrial corn and soybean farms and moved to Washington with his dad when he was 15. After spending most of his life living in food deserts, he realized that not everyone has the same access to food that he does. Emerson has a passion for public health that has translated well into food and agriculture. He hopes to also mix his passion for art with agriculture and public health. He wants to continue his time at Evergreen studying food justice and working on the organic farm on campus. He will be studying marketing and consumer education while creating illustrations for the project this spring.

Aria Larsen

Aria Larsen is a senior at Evergreen, studying eco agriculture and food systems. Born and raised in Washington, Aria graduated from Lower Columbia College in 2023 with a theater degree. They then came to Evergreen to pursue their love for gardening, science, and to earn a Bachelor of Science. Aria discovered a passion for growing food in middle school and hopes to inspire more youth to do the same. In their free time, they enjoy performing improv and standup comedy downtown.

Why did the eggplant go to school?
Because it was an aubergenius!

Finn Parent-Goebel

Finneus Parent-Goebel is a sophomore at The Evergreen State College, pursuing a bachelor’s science degree with an emphasis in climate science, regenerative agriculture, and film. Finn has lived in Olympia for the entirety of his life and has gotten to explore so many of the natural ecological wonders that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Finding a passion for farming in high school, and pursuing it into college, Finn’s goals are set on helping communities in need and the system as a whole. Driving his passions are his creativity, determination, and flexibility. Finn’s favorite hobbies are film, photography, and skateboarding.

Laura Reusche

Laura Reusche is a fourth-year Evergreen undergraduate studying botany and agriculture, pursuing a Bachelor of Science & Arts degree. This student was involved in this project through data collection, statistical analysis, community outreach, marketing, fieldwork, facilitating summer collaboration, and individual study abroad. Laura believes that interacting with ecosystems and community facilitates relationships that create equitable environments. Outside of academia, she is a dedicated grower. Laura expands her knowledge through technical professional work within horticulture, local farming, community gardening, and education & outreach opportunities. Laura has enjoyed learning from multiple different mentors to better understand the unique processes of managing land and supporting healthy communities. She often spends her free time in the garden, enjoying music, making art, or trying a new recipe.

Aaron Valva

Aaron is a junior undergraduate at The Evergreen State College pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Botany and Environmental Science. Born in Oakland, California, he has always had a fondness for citrus and redwood which lead to him discovering a love for plants and the environment around them. He joined the Capstone project as it presented a good opportunity to bond with community and further his knowledge about plants from a holistic perspective when involved in agriculture. In his free time Aaron plays board games, explores Capital Forest, paints, and enjoys talking about Lord of the Rings.