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, who will turn 5 in August.
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, who will turn 5 in August.
Sarah Geurkink - Production Manager
Sarah grew up in São Paulo, Brazil, but spent most of her childhood weekends visiting her extended family in the country. 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 studying Business and International Development in college, Sarah intended to spend just one season as a farmworker at Groundswell Community Farm in Zeeland, Michigan before going into international development work. 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 especially enjoyed seeing students apply their academic studies to their efforts on the farm, while gaining new skills and a deeper passion for sustainable food systems. Sarah joined the SOF in 2017.
Outside of SOF, Sarah enjoys hiking, swimming, raising a bit of livestock at home, and spending time with friends, family, her partner Nate, and her dog Gilbert.
Sarah grew up in São Paulo, Brazil, but spent most of her childhood weekends visiting her extended family in the country. 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 studying Business and International Development in college, Sarah intended to spend just one season as a farmworker at Groundswell Community Farm in Zeeland, Michigan before going into international development work. 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 especially enjoyed seeing students apply their academic studies to their efforts on the farm, while gaining new skills and a deeper passion for sustainable food systems. Sarah joined the SOF in 2017.
Outside of SOF, Sarah enjoys hiking, swimming, raising a bit of livestock at home, and spending time with friends, family, her partner Nate, and her dog Gilbert.
Kate Heflick- Greenhouse Manager
Kate originates from the southwest corner of the state, raised in the small village of Edwardsburg. After completing her undergraduate at the University of Michigan and working for a bit, she moved to Lansing to participate in the MSU Organic Farmer Training Program. Kate stayed on the following season at the Student Organic Farm as the Propagation Manager, growing the then 10 acre farm's transplants. This led to her next placement as the Production Manager at Foodshed Farm, a Lansing area organic farm that specialized in plant starts for farmers and gardeners. Since 2015, Kate has been back at the SOF as the Propagation Manager and the OFTP Program Coordinator, putting her experience of teaching as well as food production to good use.
While not at the SOF, Kate can be found in Lansing's Eastside neighborhood, frequenting local farmers markets, breweries, libraries and parks.
Kate originates from the southwest corner of the state, raised in the small village of Edwardsburg. After completing her undergraduate at the University of Michigan and working for a bit, she moved to Lansing to participate in the MSU Organic Farmer Training Program. Kate stayed on the following season at the Student Organic Farm as the Propagation Manager, growing the then 10 acre farm's transplants. This led to her next placement as the Production Manager at Foodshed Farm, a Lansing area organic farm that specialized in plant starts for farmers and gardeners. Since 2015, Kate has been back at the SOF as the Propagation Manager and the OFTP Program Coordinator, putting her experience of teaching as well as food production to good use.
While not at the SOF, Kate can be found in Lansing's Eastside neighborhood, frequenting local farmers markets, breweries, libraries and parks.
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.