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Our Volunteer Program Coordinator kristy@edaphon.com Kristy Apostolides is an American born daughter of a Greek-Cypriot national. She spent many summers in Cyprus during her youth, visiting relatives and discovering the country's rich culture. She has always held an affinity for Greek culture and an ingrained desire to fully understand her heritage. As the natural world is central to Greek life, Kristy chose to study the plant sciences at Cornell University. At Cornell, Kristy developed a strong interest in local economies, small-scale farming, and organic agriculture. At that time, there were not many options for this course of study. Having the habit of forging her own way, Kristy pursued her interests through independent study with the support of Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) in Tompkins County and New York City . These projects required research in two seemingly disparate communities, but Kristy was amazed at the similarities she noticed in individuals when speaking to them about food. Discovering this common ground was the first in a string of experiences that has led her to pursue a career in agriculture. After graduating from Cornell University in 1999, Kristy pursued an interest in travel writing while working a 'day job' for the NonProfit Finance Fund in New York City . However, wanting to focus again in agriculture, she took a position with the Hartford Food System (HFS) early in 2001. At HFS, she staffed its food policy initiatives and was an apprentice at Holcomb Farm, a 13-acre organic Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm. Having learned the importance of community-driven influence in forming policy and the techniques to produce organic vegetables for the CSA market, Kristy's heart and a new challenge led her back to New York City. Kristy grew exponentially as an agricultural professional in her role as manager for Just Food's Community Supported Agriculture in New York City (CSA in NYC) Program. She stabilized CSA in NYC by designing and implementing a training program to start more CSA sites in NYC and with this, doubled the number of sites in NYC. She also designed, expanded and directed Just Food's Americorps* VISTA (volunteer) program. On holiday in Cyprus during the winter 2004, Kristy discovered interest in, but little application of organic agriculture. Realizing her experience could benefit farmers abroad, she decided to pursue her desire to learn and live in the Greek culture while maintaining her passion for agriculture. Late in 2004, she was invited to an international agriculture conference in Italy , "Terra Madre". Here she met many amazing individuals working across the globe to improve the landscape of farming, including the president of the Mediterranean Association for Soil Health (MedASH), and was determined to work abroad. Since September 2005, after an invitation from the president of MedASH, Kristy donates her services to design and implement a volunteer program for this NGO. Because of the great enthusiasm expressed by farmer hosts and the potential the volunteer program holds, it has evolved into the project "Organic Agri-Cultural Exchange". Kristy has been continually inspired by those involved and comforted by life in the culture she always knew was somehow mapped in her being. You can reach Kristy at kristy@edaphon.com |
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