I'm Bettina Reece, one of the new fall Business Development Interns at Green City Growers. I am also a Masters candidate in Gastronomy at Boston University and the Assistant General Manager at West Side Lounge in Cambridge. I grew up in Cambridge and Maine, where my family bought local and organic produce whenever possible. Many of our neighbors in Maine grew and sold their own produce. "Local" is a relative term when considering an urban or rural setting, but I've always felt that it didn't have to be.
I was inspired by classes for my Masters degree at BU to learn more about urban food systems, so I registered for a summer class in Urban Agriculture. Instantly I knew this class was right up my alley. We visited many urban farms and various agricultural organizations and companies throughout the greater Boston area including The Best Bees Company, Higher Ground Farm, and Waltham Fields Community Farm. For our final project we were asked to select an organization that we did not visit during our semester, and I chose Green City Growers!
I heard about Green City Growers through friends in the restaurant industry that use their restaurant services. After interviewing Jessie for my final project, I knew I had to somehow be part of their team. They are and integral part of the Boston local food movement, making it possible to grow the freshest local produce possible just like being in a rural setting. What I've always believed to be possible.
Only a few weeks into this internship, I've already seen a whole new side of the food industry. While I am familiar with selling a final product of prepared food items, I'm now learning about the business behind food production, a side I knew nothing about, like rooftop farms for restaurants!
One of the perks of being an intern is a free pass to all of the educational workshops GCG holds. I now know how to grow edible mushrooms like shiitake from the Mushroom Cultivation Workshop this week, and in a couple of weeks I'll learn everything I need to know about extending the New England growing season at the Season Extension Workshop. I hope to apply what I'm learning here to future food endeavors, wherever this Masters in Gastronomy leads me. Off to a great start!
