Meet the team!
If you’ve volunteered or taken a class at UGArden in the last year, you’ve got to be familiar with this friendly face. Today, we’re (re)introducing you to Allie Johnston, our new @americorps Volunteer Coordinator.
As of this past May, Allie is an @uga_collegeofag alumna with a B.S.A. in Horticulture. Her favorite @ugahorticulture classes during her time as a student included Floral Design with @ugajulie, Landscape Management with Professor Berle, and “anything with Dr. Zhang.”
Allie first came to UGArden as a horticultural intern in the summer of 2022, after which she stayed on as a student worker for the following year. She sees UGArden as an outdoor classroom – the perfect place to teach students and volunteers how to farm. “I learned everything I know about farming at UGArden,” Allie said. “So to me, UGArden means a lot.”
Some of Allie’s small joys on the farm are the satisfaction of harvesting collards (which she also loves to cook) and the excitement of watching the muscadines fruit and ripen. She also loves keeping up with a young mulberry she calls Murray Moe III. Allie has been cultivating this tree for nearly a year now and helped it persevere through unseasonable freezes, mowing mishaps and more.
But the most important part of UGArden to Allie is the sense of community she has found here. “I love that I can come in here any day of the week, any time, and just feel like I’m alright,” Allie said. “It has definitely become a second home.” She also loves how welcoming UGArden is to people from all walks of life. “You see people from all over the community, of all ages and sizes, in different stages of life, come out here and volunteer,” Allie said.
Her love for the UGArden community makes Allie the perfect fit for our volunteer coordinator position. In her new role, Allie will be coordinating volunteers, leading tours, and powering volunteer recruitment efforts.
In her free time, Allie loves cheering on the Dawgs and the Braves – but also reading Jane Austen on her porch. We feel super lucky that Allie wants to stay on with our team for another year – so be sure to come see her at the farm!
