SOF Staff
Katie Brandt –Educational Programs Manager
Katie grew up on 80 acres of woods and wetlands in SW Michigan and soon recognized a real need for forests and fields when she moved to Ann Arbor for college. This led her to work at organic farms in Tennessee, southern Michigan, Lansing, Grant and Jenison and to co-found Groundswell Community Farm with Anna Hoekstra in 2006. The farm grew from 2 farmers tilling bare land with hand tools into a viable business employing 10 farmworkers and 3 tractors to grow some serious quantities of vegetables. During that time, she also attended GVSU where she completed her MS in Biology and designed an on-farm research project.
After much thought and introspection in 2016, Katie and her husband Tom Cary listed the farm for sale, to pursue opportunities in farm education and advocacy. Teaching at the MSU Organic Farmer Training Program allows Katie to expand on the farmworker trainings she developed at Groundswell. She especially enjoys working alongside aspiring farmers to translate their skills and vision into attainable goals for real, working farms and agricultural endeavors.
She also enjoys hiking, driving tractors and playing with her son Leland.
Katie grew up on 80 acres of woods and wetlands in SW Michigan and soon recognized a real need for forests and fields when she moved to Ann Arbor for college. This led her to work at organic farms in Tennessee, southern Michigan, Lansing, Grant and Jenison and to co-found Groundswell Community Farm with Anna Hoekstra in 2006. The farm grew from 2 farmers tilling bare land with hand tools into a viable business employing 10 farmworkers and 3 tractors to grow some serious quantities of vegetables. During that time, she also attended GVSU where she completed her MS in Biology and designed an on-farm research project.
After much thought and introspection in 2016, Katie and her husband Tom Cary listed the farm for sale, to pursue opportunities in farm education and advocacy. Teaching at the MSU Organic Farmer Training Program allows Katie to expand on the farmworker trainings she developed at Groundswell. She especially enjoys working alongside aspiring farmers to translate their skills and vision into attainable goals for real, working farms and agricultural endeavors.
She also enjoys hiking, driving tractors and playing with her son Leland.
Sarah Geurkink - Production Manager
Sarah grew up in São Paulo, Brazil, but spent most of her childhood weekends visiting her extended family in their rural town. She spent a lot of time running around the farm where her grandfather operated an apiary and honey house and her dad kept a small orchard, livestock, and a commercial vermiculture facility.
After college, Sarah intended to spend just one season as a farmworker at Groundswell Community Farm in Zeeland, Michigan. She stayed on as a manager of Groundswell for two more years, at which point she decided pursue a career in farming.
In 2013, Sarah became the manager of the University of Washington Student Farm, a 1.5 acre market garden in Seattle. She joined the SOF in 2017. Sarah especially enjoys seeing students apply their academic studies to their efforts on the farm, while gaining new skills and a deeper understanding of sustainable food systems.
Sarah grew up in São Paulo, Brazil, but spent most of her childhood weekends visiting her extended family in their rural town. She spent a lot of time running around the farm where her grandfather operated an apiary and honey house and her dad kept a small orchard, livestock, and a commercial vermiculture facility.
After college, Sarah intended to spend just one season as a farmworker at Groundswell Community Farm in Zeeland, Michigan. She stayed on as a manager of Groundswell for two more years, at which point she decided pursue a career in farming.
In 2013, Sarah became the manager of the University of Washington Student Farm, a 1.5 acre market garden in Seattle. She joined the SOF in 2017. Sarah especially enjoys seeing students apply their academic studies to their efforts on the farm, while gaining new skills and a deeper understanding of sustainable food systems.
Daniel Seggebruch – Special Projects Manager
Daniel was born in Portland, Oregon and has also lived outside of Seattle, but has spent most of his life in the Lansing area. After graduating from Okemos High School, he was undecided in his future career path. He spent the next few years between community college, welding, work, and farming through the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms in Australia.
In 2016, Daniel participated in the Organic Farmer Training Program. He returned in 2017 as a staff member on the SOF team. Daniel keeps busy driving a lot of tractor, leading the farm crew in daily tasks, operating our farm stand on campus, and managing production of specialty crops like mushrooms, strawberries and ginger.
Daniel was born in Portland, Oregon and has also lived outside of Seattle, but has spent most of his life in the Lansing area. After graduating from Okemos High School, he was undecided in his future career path. He spent the next few years between community college, welding, work, and farming through the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms in Australia.
In 2016, Daniel participated in the Organic Farmer Training Program. He returned in 2017 as a staff member on the SOF team. Daniel keeps busy driving a lot of tractor, leading the farm crew in daily tasks, operating our farm stand on campus, and managing production of specialty crops like mushrooms, strawberries and ginger.
Teresa Zbiciak – Office Assistant
Teresa is a Michigan Native with degree in Art and Design and her heart outside in the fields and forests. In the early days after graduating from college, she worked in the Grand Rapids NonProfit Sector and participated as an artist, curator, and emcee in many events held on the Avenue for the Arts. Working with volunteers, she felt a calling to get out of the office, and began a long and winding journey that included farming, learning Permaculture in Australia, landscaping and starting her own ecological business. She has also illustrated and self-published a children's book written by a fellow Permaculture enthusiast that she met in her travels. (Check it out!)
Teresa joined the team as a Temporary Manager in 2020 during the Global Pandemic to support the farm while Sarah took her parental leave. At the time, she was participating in the Virtual Edition of the Organic Farmer Training Program, the Farm Business Accelerator. Having fallen in love with the Student Organic Farm, she continues to support it remotely by managing the digital side of the business. She enjoys every opportunity she has to come to the farm, working with the student crew and continuing to evolve her understanding of agriculture and ecology.
Teresa is a Michigan Native with degree in Art and Design and her heart outside in the fields and forests. In the early days after graduating from college, she worked in the Grand Rapids NonProfit Sector and participated as an artist, curator, and emcee in many events held on the Avenue for the Arts. Working with volunteers, she felt a calling to get out of the office, and began a long and winding journey that included farming, learning Permaculture in Australia, landscaping and starting her own ecological business. She has also illustrated and self-published a children's book written by a fellow Permaculture enthusiast that she met in her travels. (Check it out!)
Teresa joined the team as a Temporary Manager in 2020 during the Global Pandemic to support the farm while Sarah took her parental leave. At the time, she was participating in the Virtual Edition of the Organic Farmer Training Program, the Farm Business Accelerator. Having fallen in love with the Student Organic Farm, she continues to support it remotely by managing the digital side of the business. She enjoys every opportunity she has to come to the farm, working with the student crew and continuing to evolve her understanding of agriculture and ecology.