A First-of-Its-Kind Farm Fellowship: Warren Wilson Students Partner with Caney Fork Farms

This fall, Warren Wilson College is excited to announce a new partnership with Caney Fork Farms in Middle Tennessee.

For the first time, three of our students — Flynn Schierkolk, Erica Ostling, and Gabe Adler — are spending a full, credit-bearing semester as fellows at former Vice President Al Gore’s organic farm. This immersive program is not only a rare opportunity nationally, but also a distinctive offering among undergraduate institutions. Guided by Dr. Emily Stutzman, Caney Fork’s Head of Research & Outreach, students are earning academic credit while combining rigorous classroom study with hands-on fieldwork in regenerative agriculture.

Throughout the semester, fellows are immersed in every aspect of life on a working organic farm that uses carbon farming practices. Their coursework explores the science and practice of regenerative agriculture, along with the broader food system — including policy, economics, culture, and history — making this one of the most comprehensive undergraduate semester immersions in sustainable agriculture available today.

This month, the fellows engaged in conversations with visiting leaders in agriculture and business about silvopasture, composting, and agroforestry. The inspiring focus? Building a cleaner food system and seeing how partnerships between farmers, companies, and communities can create meaningful change.

These fellowships highlight Warren Wilson College’s commitment to ensuring that every student completes an internship as part of their major. This requirement is a defining element of the new curriculum introduced in Fall 2024, which guarantees that every student participates in hands-on, community-engaged courses, an internship, work on a campus crew, and a Senior Capstone — research, field study, or a creative project. Our Caney Fork Farm program exemplifies this commitment: a full-semester, credit-bearing immersion that integrates academic rigor with real-world application. This comprehensive approach to learning engages the mind through the heart and hands, and students graduate with substantial professional preparation and a portfolio of experiences that demonstrate both depth and breadth of engagement.

Caney Fork Farm Director (Warren Wilson graduate ‘08) Asher Wright shared, “I’m very excited to see this awesome semester immersion program come to life after two years in the making. It is especially meaningful to me as a Warren Wilson College alumnus to be able to share the applied learning resources that we have here at Caney Fork Farms with current students from my alma mater. The diverse Enterprises that we have here on the farm provide endless opportunities to learn and develop regenerative agriculture knowledge and skills.”

“These Warren Wilson students have brought a willingness to do the work, both on the farm and in the classroom. They are connecting with the range of perspectives on agriculture and labor and are setting themselves up well for impactful careers in sustainable agriculture,” said Emily Stutzman, Caney Fork’s Head of Research and Outreach.

We are incredibly proud of Flynn, Erica, and Gabe for taking on this once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunity. Their curiosity, passion, and dedication embody what it means to be a Warren Wilson student: learning by doing, thinking critically, and contributing to positive change for all.