Student Info
Name: Allie Kuppenbender
Term: Winter 2018
Credits: 16
Title: Exploration of Local and Organic Flower Cultivation
Contact Info
Contract mode: Student Originated Study
Sponsor name: Sarah Williams
Internship Info (if applicable):
Internship hours/wk: 15 hrs/week w/ Dave Hock
Internship credits: 6
Academic credits: 10
Field Supervisor
Field supervisor: Doug Hock
Title: Owner
Organization: Thistlehook Farm
Subcontractor
Name: David Muehleisen
Title: Professor
Organization: The Evergreen State College
Program Description
Narrative:
The student will gain an understanding of what it takes to run a successful organic flower farm through both theoretical and practical applications. Theoretical applications will include completion of Floret Flower’s online workshop and associated homework as well as completion of an annotated bibliography of additional research materials related to starting and running a local, organic flower farm and floral design business. Practical applications will include a 2 day per week internship of 7 hours per day with Doug Hock of Thistlehook Farm, an Olympia-based organic flower farm that sells to the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market Cooperative. Additionally, the student will gain hands-on propagation experience on the Organic Farm at the Evergreen State College through the SOS Tuesday meetings. The student will share all of these experience with the entire SOS cohort on the Tuesday meetings as well as in their ePortfolio and participate in all seminars.
| Learning objective | Activity | Deliverable |
| Gain hands-on experience with flower propagation and flower farming as a whole. | I will work with Doug Hock 2 days a week for 7 hours each day. An average of one hour a week will be devoted outside of the internship to research for upcoming projects on Thistlehook Farm (i.e. blueberry propagation techniques) as well as writing up reflections on day-to-day internship activities. | Faculty will evaluate my ePortfolio, my field notes, and Doug Hock’s evaluation of my work with him. |
| Gain a deeper understanding of how to start and run a successful flower farm/floral design business. | I will complete Floret Flower’s online workshop, which will include watching all 6 modules’ videos and complete all homework associated with those modules. I will also do additional reading and research on how to start a successful flower farm. | Faculty will evaluate my activity book from Floret as well as my ePortfolio. Additionally, I will turn in an annotated bibliography of additional research on flower farming and flower business start-up/management. |
| Participate in Tuesday’s weekly meetings to learn more about propagation and connect with other SOS members. | I will attend all classes, complete all assigned readings, and turn in all seminar papers on time. | Faculty will evaluate my seminar papers, and class attendance. |
Evaluation of Work
- Narrative evaluations from field supervisor and/or subcontractor
- Narrative mid-quarter and final self-evaluations
- WordPress ePortfolio