This summer of 2025, N.C. Cooperative Extension, Henderson County Center worked with three interns, Nathaniel Rhein, Anna Garner, and Elliott Kohn. This ten-week internship was made possible by the N.C. Cooperative Extension Internship Program, overseen by Dr. Joseph Donaldson and other extension personnel.

These three students are studying various areas of life science at NC State University. Majoring in Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, Biology, and Biological Engineering, these interns cover a wide range of agricultural disciplines.

They worked alongside Karen Blaedow, HCCE Agricultural (Small Fruits and Vegetables) Agent, shadowing and assisting with farm visits, research projects, summer camps, and other Extension duties for much of the summer. From plant tissue sampling to trellis construction, this team had a wide variety of opportunities to work with growers in Hendersonville and the surrounding area, learning about the complex inner-workings of local agricultural systems.

In addition to helping out with everyday Extension activities, these interns worked together with Extension Agents Meghan Baker (Buncombe), Doug Clement (Cherokee), and Sam Marshall (Haywood) on a soil sampling project. This project, a collaboration between N.C. Cooperative Extension, NC Plant Sciences Initiative, and the Science and Technology for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center, aimed to measure phosphorus levels across the Western region of North Carolina. The interns took over 130 soil samples from farms, forests, and fields across 10 different counties, hoping to promote the region’s phosphorus sustainability by assisting with monitoring efforts. The samples were sent to a soil lab at the University of Florida, one of STEPS’s partners, for analysis. Additionally, a part of each sample was saved for research with NC State Plant Sciences.

The interns’ project this summer is just the beginning of an ongoing project headed by the STEPS Center! The data collected over the summer will contribute to further research in the coming years, with the ultimate goal of reducing both human dependence on mined phosphates and reduction in phosphorus pollution significantly in the next 25 years.

The experience and perspective that the three NC State students gained this summer will assist with the development of their education, providing valuable insight into applied science and agricultural education and preparing them for the professional world.

We at the Henderson County Center are grateful for the outstanding work from Nathaniel, Anna, and Elliott!