Jeff Martin |
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Jeff was born and raised in a small town outside of Columbia, SC. Growing up he had lots of forest to explore and enjoy. After high school, Jeff attended Clemson University which is in the upstate of South Carolina. While attending Clemson, he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Horticulture. Unlike most of the students in his major, Jeff was not as interested in landscaping, but more so in small vegetable production. Growing up he was always exposed to many types of gardens: vegetable, butterfly, and woodland gardens. Jeff wanted to pursue this area of Horticulture, so he spent a summer working with a Clemson University professor, Dr. David Bradshaw. Along with another student, the three of them planted, maintained, and harvested a 2.5 acre sustainable vegetable garden. The purpose of this garden was to continue the seed bank of South Carolina’s heirloom seed collection. This sparked Jeff's interest in community food programs. Shortly after college, he decided he wanted to share his gardening knowledge with others. Jeff joined Americorps and served his term volunteering at Beardsley Community Farm in Knoxville. He believes that everyone should have the opportunity to grow food. Jeff received his Master's degree in Plant Sciences from the University of Tennessee in 2013. Since that time, he has worked as the internship manager. Jeff hopes to continue working with vegetable growers in the future to strengthen communities while providing healthy food. |
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