Quaker Values and Miller Farm with Jonny

Transcript

Okay, let’s hear from Jonny, a Senior Environmental Sustainability major from Seattle, Washington. Alum Living and Learning has been shaped by a set of values dating back to its Quaker founders in 1847. Those values including respect for persons, integrity, simplicity, peace, and justice, and community are still important today. Tell us more, Jonny.

– Hey, hey. Thank you, Alex. I’ve been a Quaker my entire life. Coming to Earlham was a decision to join a welcoming and friendly community away from home and a decision to develop my sense of self as a Quaker and as a human. Earlham has proven itself to be full of kind, generous, loving people. Somehow, it is simultaneously a rigorous learning environment and an open space for delving deep into interests and discovering passions. At Earlham, I chose to follow my for the environment, which led me here to Miller Farm for my Sustainable Agriculture class, which also happened to be the first class I ever took at Earlham. I vividly remember stepping onto the farm in my khaki pants and quickly realizing that my clothing did not agree with the Indiana heat and humidity In August. It was in that class that I made some of my first friends at Earlham, drove a tractor for the first time, met chickens and guineafowl, harvested the silliest-looking carrots, and became closely familiar with the very spiky Canada thistle. To me, Miller Farm is all about hands-on learning and community. We hold farm days on the weekend when anyone is welcome to come do some farm work and share a community meal afterward. And Miller Farm is just one place on campus that encourages leadership and lives into Quaker values. Being at Earlham has taught me so much, but most importantly, it has taught me to connect with other people and find value in everyone. I’d say Earlham’s Quaker values teach us to do good and be good to each other, no matter where you are on campus. Come check out the farm sometime, Alex. I got work to do. Back to you.

– Jonny, thank you for sharing how Earlham has helped develop your sense of self as a Quaker and how you support Earlham’s core values through the Miller Farm Experiential Agriculture Program. Your contributions are helping to preserve Earlham’s Quaker heritage and deepen its commitment to community and hands-on learning. Thanks again.