Name: Jeanne Hardy
Class Year: 2027
Major: Mathematics
Internship Organization: Philly Goat Project
Internship Title: Farm Hand & Operations Intern
Location: Philadelphia, PA
What’s happening at your internship? We would love to hear what kind of work you are doing!
Me and Ivy, the matriarch of the herd
Tucked away on the quiet and picturesque acres of Awbury Arboretum, thirteen charming, playful, and delightful goats live, eat, and play. These goats belong to the Philly Goat Project, a non-profit organization that strives to create an environment where community members can foster a connection with nature and improve their well-being. This summer, I am lucky enough to be one of PGP’s volunteers where I help with morning care, barn cleaning, trick training, goat events, and more. My favorite part of my internship so far has been the time I have spent working alongside my fellow volunteers and coworkers as well as getting to know each and every goat! I would highly encourage anyone interested to visit Philly Goat Project’s farm at Awbury Arboretum or to attend any of their upcoming events!
Teddy (left) and Ray (right) are half-brothers. Ray is a three-legged goat!
Why did you apply for this internship?
When thinking about where I wanted to volunteer this summer, I knew I wanted to be outside and do something that would allow to explore areas of Philadelphia that were new to me. When I found the Philly Goat Project, I knew it would be a great fit as it also provided me with an opportunity to work with animals! Now, over halfway through my internship, I am confident I could not have chosen a better organization to volunteer with and am so glad to have gotten to know the people and goats that keep the organization running!
Goats on a grazing site at Awbury Farm
What is most rewarding about your internship?
Seeing the goats happy and well-fed is one of the most rewarding parts of my day. During my internship, I have helped build multiple grazing-sites where to goats spend a couple hours of the day eating anything and everything in their path. Food is the key to any goat’s heart, so seeing them gleefully chowing down thanks to my and my coworker’s hard work worth it. Additionally, I find that many of the events I have helped with have been rewarding experiences. Many of these events have been at libraries where children and their families are encouraged to interact with the goats and do activities such as walking the goats, reading a story with the goats, and playing games. These events have shown me first-hand how spending time in nature with animals brings communities together and can provide a calm and fun environment for people of all ages to enjoy.
Was this internship what you expected it to be?
I certainly did not expect to be in a full Gritty costume playing the troll in PGP’s production of Philly Goats Gruff for a couple dozen of elementary schoolers on a hot day in center city Philadelphia when I began my internship. With that said, I have been pleasantly surprised with how my internship has turned out. I certainly expected to interact with goats (which I have done a lot of), but I did not expect the goats to be as intelligent and, at times, compassionate as they are. I have found myself grown quite attached to them and plan to continue volunteering at Philly Goat Project in the coming semester!