Every sip serves a purpose. Every seed grows more than grain. Everything we do supports the Spirit of Change Fund. Launched in 2019, the Spirit of Change Fund champions the next generation of organic farmers by helping more farmers go organic. By donating 1% of our sales, we’re advancing our mission to help make a better future for our land and our farmers. More organic farmland means fewer pesticides in our soil and water — and a significant lasting impact on our environment.
Our primary partner in this industry-leading initiative is Rodale Institute, a nonprofit committed to growing the organic movement through research, farmer training and consumer education. Through our Spirit of Change Fund, Prairie Organic will provide scholarships for interns accepted into Rodale Institute’s Next Generation Scholarship Program, which passes on practical, hands-on organic agriculture knowledge and skills to future organic farmers.
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Congratulations to all 2019 scholarship recipients
Rodale Internship: April - November 2019
Interest: Through permaculture, I would like to restore the culture in agriculture.
Aslynn Parzanese grew up in Berks County, Pennsylvania and developed an interest in organic agriculture after supporting cannabis farms in northern California where she saw the need for making sustainable agriculture available to all cultures. When she returned to Pennsylvania in 2017, she started a residential garden internship with the Kula Kamala Foundation and Yoga Ashram and discovered the concepts of permaculture—farming systems that have the diversity, stability and resilience of natural ecosystems. She completed a permaculture design course (PDC) under the instruction of Dr. Enzo at the Permaculture Education Center and is now pursuing an Agricultural Supported Communities (ASC) internship at the Rodale Institute to learn how to fun a CSA-style (community supported agriculture) operation. She plans to offer a PDC course at Kula Kamala in 2020.
Position: Diversified Vegetable Intern
Rodale Internship: March - November 2019
Interests: I would like to understand how to create a profitable diversified farm which would add value to my life and my community.
Baylor grew up in Louisiana and in his early years participated in 4-H and the Future Farmers of America (FFA), which is how he became interested in farming. His path to a career in agriculture took a brief break with a bachelor’s degree in political science from Louisiana State University but got back on track with a master’s degree in food security from the University of Edinburgh. This shift back towards agriculture as a career choice was fueled by a growing awareness of the need for sustainable producers as well as a change towards support of sustainable agriculture. Ultimately, Baylor hopes to own his own diversified farm that specializes in tea production (Camellia sinensis).
