SOF Staff
Denae Friedheim – Interim Director, Farm Manager
Although she hails originally from the Lone-Star State, Denae has made Michigan her official home. She first came to the Great Lakes region to study at Saint Mary’s College in South Bend, IN where she majored in Biology and Sociology. Following graduation, she moved to Chicago to work in public health research at Northwestern University and University of Illinois, Chicago. It was there that she discovered her interest in farming, albeit from a systems perspective. She moved to Michigan in 2008 and completed the Organic Farming Certificate Program in 2009. Along with other program staff, she collaboratively redesigned the program into its non-credit format in 2010. Between 2010 and 2015 held several different positions at the farm, including Propagation Manager, CSA Member Services Coordinator, OFTP Program Manager, Wholesale Manager, and Recruitment Coordinator.
In 2011 Denae started Foodshed Farm, a sustainable agriculture business that specialized in growing seedlings for local farmers and gardeners, specialty produce for local restaurants, CSA, and farmers’ market customers, and consulting with other small scale growers. After four years of great experience running Foodshed, she came back to the SOF full time as the Production Manager in 2015. She became the Farm Manager in 2016 and is now the Interim Director, working collaboratively with the Farm’s staff, Advisory Group, and Advocacy Council to ensure that the Farm’s programs and systems are sustainable.
She likes books, soccer, sour beers, coffee, and sharing good food with good people.
Although she hails originally from the Lone-Star State, Denae has made Michigan her official home. She first came to the Great Lakes region to study at Saint Mary’s College in South Bend, IN where she majored in Biology and Sociology. Following graduation, she moved to Chicago to work in public health research at Northwestern University and University of Illinois, Chicago. It was there that she discovered her interest in farming, albeit from a systems perspective. She moved to Michigan in 2008 and completed the Organic Farming Certificate Program in 2009. Along with other program staff, she collaboratively redesigned the program into its non-credit format in 2010. Between 2010 and 2015 held several different positions at the farm, including Propagation Manager, CSA Member Services Coordinator, OFTP Program Manager, Wholesale Manager, and Recruitment Coordinator.
In 2011 Denae started Foodshed Farm, a sustainable agriculture business that specialized in growing seedlings for local farmers and gardeners, specialty produce for local restaurants, CSA, and farmers’ market customers, and consulting with other small scale growers. After four years of great experience running Foodshed, she came back to the SOF full time as the Production Manager in 2015. She became the Farm Manager in 2016 and is now the Interim Director, working collaboratively with the Farm’s staff, Advisory Group, and Advocacy Council to ensure that the Farm’s programs and systems are sustainable.
She likes books, soccer, sour beers, coffee, and sharing good food with good people.
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 the city of Sao Paulo in 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 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 educational market garden in Seattle. Now at the MSU SOF, she is excited to be back on a production farm, and to continue working with students.
Outside of farming, Sarah enjoys hiking and camping, and spending time with friends and family.
Sarah grew up in the city of Sao Paulo in 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 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 educational market garden in Seattle. Now at the MSU SOF, she is excited to be back on a production farm, and to continue working with students.
Outside of farming, Sarah enjoys hiking and camping, and spending time with friends and family.
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.
Laurie Thorp - Undergraduate Engagement Coordinator
Laurie Thorp is director of the Residential Initiative on the Study of the Environment (RISE) and faculty member in the Department of Community Sustainability at Michigan State University. Thorp holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Education from Texas A&M University. Her doctoral research took her to the Lansing School District where she studied the cultural and educational implications of a schoolyard garden. This study is the topic of her 2005 book, The Pull of the Earth by Altamira Press. She has served on the MSU Vice President for Finance and Operation’s Environmental Stewardship Systems Team as technical team leader for behavioral research associated with strategic change initiatives advancing campus sustainability.
Laurie is one of the founders of the MSU Student Organic Farm and the Bailey GREENhouse and Urban Farm. For the past six years she has been collaborating with colleagues in the departments of Animal Science, Philosophy, and Sociology to study sustainable pork production and student ethical development. Thorp’s work has been published in Qualitative Inquiry, Agriculture and Human Values, Journal of Experiential Education, Resilience, The International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, and The Journal of Ethnographic and Qualitative Research.
Laurie Thorp is director of the Residential Initiative on the Study of the Environment (RISE) and faculty member in the Department of Community Sustainability at Michigan State University. Thorp holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Education from Texas A&M University. Her doctoral research took her to the Lansing School District where she studied the cultural and educational implications of a schoolyard garden. This study is the topic of her 2005 book, The Pull of the Earth by Altamira Press. She has served on the MSU Vice President for Finance and Operation’s Environmental Stewardship Systems Team as technical team leader for behavioral research associated with strategic change initiatives advancing campus sustainability.
Laurie is one of the founders of the MSU Student Organic Farm and the Bailey GREENhouse and Urban Farm. For the past six years she has been collaborating with colleagues in the departments of Animal Science, Philosophy, and Sociology to study sustainable pork production and student ethical development. Thorp’s work has been published in Qualitative Inquiry, Agriculture and Human Values, Journal of Experiential Education, Resilience, The International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, and The Journal of Ethnographic and Qualitative Research.