Reflections from the 2026 Four Sisters Urban Farm Interns

September 3, 2026 |

At the end of the season, we asked the interns to reflect about their experience being a part of the Four Sisters internship. The reflections presented below are personal accounts from some of the interns that chose to give their testinomies. From these reflections you will notice overall themes of openness, gratitude, and growth. I hope readers will soak in the powerful and transformative experiences of young people defining what it means to return to the soil and our plant relatives guided by indigenous values of reciprocity and generosity. One intern chose to include a few drawings of some of their favorite plants in the garden, interweaving their reflection process with art and observation. These reflections are also interlaced with photos of their time at the Four Sisters farm and examples of their art throughout the internship.

 

Reflection #1

What surprised me the most about myself while working on the farm was my capability to try new things. In the past I have struggled with trying new things in community, it brings up a lot of hard feelings when I am not knowledgeable or good at something in front of others. However, going into an environment where I knew very little, I was very comfortable in the position of someone who is learning. This is primarily attributed to the supportive environment created by the program leads Gloria, Victoria, and Isabella who were clear, kind, and knowledgeable mentors throughout the internship. Overall the work environment was a supportive one, that celebrated growth and did not put unnecessary pressure on the interns. However, I still felt I was being pushed out of my comfort zone enough to grow through participation in the day-to-day activities.

This experience has shaped my career goals by showing me how food sovereignty and Agriculture related work is a career much more expansive than I previously understood. Through working on the farm as well as field trips, I was able to see the multitude of paths that one could take as well as talk to people of many different backgrounds within the industry. This allowed me to better visualize myself in agriculture work and has influenced me to continue similar work after the program.

I also appreciated the time spent reflecting as a group, which manifested primarily through our time discussing “Braiding Sweetgrass”. This allowed me to think through my relationship with the Earth not only through labor, but deep reflection and conversation. This has definitely impacted the direction I want to take in the future with how I use my time, as well as how I view myself in the world. Overall, I had developed a deeper sense of confidence and a clearer view of my values.

One challenge I faced was having my bag stolen while working at the farm. While this was definitely inconvenient, it put into perspective some of the realities of working in disinvested neighborhoods. Throughout this experience I felt truly supported and safe. Further, the internship had helped me have a relationship with many people in the community, and this experience did not negatively impact how I felt about the neighborhood. If I were to adjust anything in this program, I would wish for more casual community involvement on the interns part.

I believe the easiest way to do this would be having the interns more involved in the farmers market, which we started to help closer to the end of the program. If this began earlier, I think we might have had more of a chance to talk more with NACDI staff and the community (outside of field trips).

 

Photos of Interns this Summer:

 

Reflection #2 

My time at the four sisters urban farm internship was unforgettable. Initially, I was really nervous. Before I started, I had never worked in an environment with peers round my age or in an outdoor setting so I wasn't sure what to expect. However, I was quickly met by the most kind, genuine people I have ever had the privilege of collaborating with. Both my fellow interns and the leadership at four sisters/ppl are all people I could find myself talking with for hours. Every individual was always open to suggestions and willing to engage in conversation or answer questions. The vibe at the internship was laid back despite the hard work we were doing. There was never pressure to overwork ourselves, and it was stressed how important it was to listen to our own bodies and take breaks when we felt necessary. I really enjoyed the field trips we took. I don't think I would have ever discovered a majority of the places we went to if we hadn't visited them. Even several of the locations that are located in the Twin Cities. The hands on experience was extremely valuable to me, especially at those field trips. I've learned a lot about myself and what work I might pursue in the future. I can definitely see myself in this field.

soon. Since moving on from the Four Sisters internship, I've started at Summit Academy and its been a vastly different experience. After finishing this program, I hop to pivot back to something similar to the internship where I can work hands-on in the soil in a community environment because I miss it deeply. I looked forward to going to work every day with four sisters, even when ti was in the mid 90s and I know we would be out in the sun all morning. I will hold my experience at Four Sisters close to me for the rest of my life, and I'm so grateful that I was given this opportunity.

Plant Relative Worksheets from the Interns:

The interns were asked to reflect on a plant relative they felt very connected to this summer and document their curiosity and observation of their plant relative using the “Get to Know Your Plant Relative” worksheet from the IFN youth education curriculum. These are some of those examples.

Posted September 3, 2026
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