Introducing “Clerk Chronicles,” an interview series featuring various Haverford faculty and staff. For our first installment, The Clerk sat down with Aubrey DeLone, Haverford’s new Haverfarm Fellow.
Aubrey DeLone
Title: Haverfarm Fellow
Age: 27
Years at Haverford: Started fellowship in July 2015
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Upper Darby, and I live in West Philly now. I actually went to the Shipley School down the road, and I used to run through Haverford’s campus. So Haverford already feels like a part of me, which is very comforting.
What were you doing before you came to Haverford?
I worked at a bike shop for the past year. Before that, in spring of 2014, I drove across the country with a friend. But then when I got there I thought, ‘I could fly back, but it would be way more interesting to bike and to see the country from that view.’ So I biked across the country last spring.
Where did you stop during your bike trip?
There’s this website called “warmshowers,” and it is like couch surfing for bikers. So all the people that I stayed with were people I found through this website and they were all really into biking. They host you, they feed you; it is a wonderful community. I’m a host now in Philly.
I think I biked through 13 states in total. I was very curious about what school gardens were like in different states and climates, so I raised money for school gardens and donated seeds to schools that I visited along the way.
When did you first become interested in farming?
During my time at Warren Wilson College, I took a sustainable education class and I volunteered at a women’s shelter garden. Then straight after college I worked on a small-scale, organic vegetable farm in Maine for a summer. I’ve also worked on farms in Montana and Vermont since then.
What’s next for the Haverfarm?
Two of the big projects that we’re working on now are a proposal for a high tunnel to lengthen our growing season. If accepted, we will be able to grow in the garden through November. Our other project is getting an outdoor classroom near the greenhouse to be used for the environmental studies minor. Having both of those is crucial to the farm’s success; they would both definitely increase our production.
What is your favorite part about working at Haverford?
Definitely the students. They are the most exciting part of the work; I’m here to educate them more so than just to farm.
What do you do in your spare time?
Acrobatic yoga! It is partner yoga where one person is a base and the other person flies on his or her feet. You do all sorts of therapeutic and active poses. It’s like play for adults.
I also just picked up the banjo. I only started a month ago, but I can play “I’ll Fly Away.”
Do you have a faculty or staff member that you want The Clerk to profile? Send us an email at hcclerk@gmail.com!
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