The Reality Of Field Work! - by Grace Tisone

This is a cocklebur, which is a species of weeds that can grow in the fields.

This is the third week of the internship program, and the growing season at the Wye research center is swinging into full gear. The plan this week was originally to work with one of the grad students on completing a weed survey in the hemp fields, however, the weather had other plans. The rain this week had most of the fields oversaturated and too muddy to work in, which means that we have to postpone the data collection. Although it was disappointing not to be able to go and work out in the fields, it definitely brought on the realization that field work is very temperamental and the timing of most work - whether that be planting dates or data collection - is determined by the weather. 

Some of the other research fields were less saturated and we were able to walk around in them. One of the plots is being used in a phosphorus phytoremediation study and generally is in a grain or forage rotation; however this season hemp is being planted in some of the rows to study its effect on phosphorus remediation. We were able to look at the germination rates and the presence of weeds in the fields before determining that the hemp rows needed to be sprayed and re-seeded. 

My favorite tasks are always the ones where we are able to get out into the field and see the research that is being done. Even if we are just observing growth and not actively planting, I think that being out in the fields is where I feel the most immersed in learning and see the most applications of prior knowledge. It also gives me the opportunity to work with all sorts of different people in many different job positions. I have learned that I enjoy hands-on learning and that I get the most out of experiences where I can actively do and see something directly in the fields. 

This week I also began to plan out some social media content for the hemp tour that will be happening at the end of July. I got to read through different factsheets and review papers to gather information for the posts, and then I was able to plan out material and content for the weeks leading up to the hemp tour. Having the mixture of field work and desk work gives me time to think about the work that is going on around me and the ways that this internship is impacting my overall career growth. I think that it's important to take note of the skills that are being learned or utilized and to track improvements upon such. 

The hemp fields after a heavy rain, the soil was so saturated that our feet sunk in when we tried to step into them.