Apprentices

Joining The Seed Farm for 2011:

Christopher Akinwuntan - Newark, NJ

I am interested in The Seed Farm program due to the fact that I love farming. I have more than 25 years of farming experince. I obtained a Bsc degree in Fisheries Technology and a Certificate in General Agriculture. In Nigeria, before coming to the USA eight years ago, I farmed rice, corn, vegetables, soybeans, watermelon, and groundnuts. I also had a fish pond; reared goats, sheep, and pigs; and had a snailry pen. I am presently a social worker but want do what I love doing - I WANT TO BE A FARMER.

Blake Unis - Allentown, PA

I currently reside in the West Side of Allentown. I was born in Allentown and spent most of my life in the Lehigh Valley. I have always respected the resident people’s appreciation of the local agricultural community. I desire to become part of this continuing relationship between the community and its farmers by becoming a knowledgeable steward of the land. After graduating from college, I went to work with Steve and Gayle Ganser at Eagle Point Farm. I was fortunate to have such great bosses, as well as mentors during my first full growing season. I look forward to farming with them again in addition to working at the Seed Farm. I felt sincerely fortunate that The Seed Farm selected me as an apprentice for the upcoming growing season. I intend to take full advantage of the opportunity presented to me in order to become a truly productive steward of the land.

Ken Dikeman - Emmaus, PA

Ken Dikeman was born and raised in the Lehigh Valley. After attending Penn State, he spent a few years in New York and New Jersey before returning home to the Valley. Ken worked in chemical engineering for too many years before deciding a career change was essential. Ken’s motivation to become a farmer is based upon his desire to live a healthy and sustainable lifestyle and teach his 6 children how to live in so too. Having raised herbs organically for over 20 years, in recent years he expanded to organic vegetables and just this season added fruit trees as well. The animal menagerie living on Ken’s farm includes Boer/La Mancha goats, heritage Cayuga ducks, heritage Old English geese, and heritage Dominique chickens. He plans on starting a CSA this spring in order to help others live healthily and sustainably.

Victoria Ligon- Havre de Grace, MD

Growing up my father taught me the value of having a kitchen garden to grow fresh vegetables during the summer. We composted everything we could from our kitchen and had beautiful black dirt wriggling with worms at the end of the season. This is where my fascination for farming started, in my backyard. I went to school for photography in the Berkshires of Massachusetts and fell in love with the local food movement there. That is where I had my first experience with Farmer’s Markets and buying fresh from the farmer. Recently I met my husband and with both shared a passion for nature. We want to have more involvement in stewarding the land by developing our own sustainable farm and joining the fresh local food movement. I was very excited to join the Seed Farm’s apprenticeship program to get more hands on experience and put the knowledge I have read in books to practical use. Upon completion of this apprenticeship, my husband and I hope to start our sustainable farm in Southern PA.

DeVida McKevitt - Philadelphia, PA

DeVida was the General Manager of the Merriam Theater for the last fifteen years.  She became a Master Gardener in Philadelphia County in January 2011.  She is currently the chair of two Master Gardener Demonstration Gardens in Philadelphia (vegetable and butterfly).  DeVida wants to grow old growing vegetables, raising a few chickens, goats and rabbits.