For four SUNY Morrisville horticulture alumni, the path from the college’s greenhouses and growing fields to a career at Tap Root Fields has been a natural fit.
Kate Bolen ’25, Curran McGowan ’25, Kannon Kuhlmann ’26 and Ella Williams ’26 are all SUNY Morrisville graduates who have found their way to the sustainable, regenerative farm in Skaneateles, NY. There, they are putting the knowledge and hands-on experience they gained at Morrisville to work in a professional growing operation.
What began as individual career paths has created an unexpected Morrisville connection at Tap Root Fields, a farm that focuses on soil health, biodiversity and local food and cannabis production. Its emphasis on sustainable growing practices and regenerative agriculture aligns closely with the education students receive through Morrisville’s horticulture programs.
At Morrisville, students work with plants, growing systems and equipment while gaining experience with the day-to-day responsibilities of a professional horticultural operation. This immersive approach creates skills and experiences they can take directly into the workplace.
For Tap Root Fields, that preparation has proven to be a strong match.
“Morrisville students and graduates show up ready to work the way we actually farm,” said Jamie Hunt, director of operations at Tap Root Fields. “They’ve already been in the barn, the greenhouse and the field — not just the classroom — so they understand soil, seasonality, and what it takes to get a crop from the field to the customer.
“At Tap Root Fields, we need people who can move between production, quality and visitor experiences without losing the regenerative thread,” Hunt said. “That hands-on, problem-solving mindset is exactly what makes Morrisville students a perfect fit for our farm.”
For the four alumni, this has turned into new opportunities to build additional skills and grow their careers while working alongside other Morrisville graduates.
“Having the ability to not only learn and grow more as a horticulturist but also help this farm and company grow is an extremely rewarding and fulfilling position to have and I cannot wait to see what is next,” McGowan said.
McGowan said Morrisville’s horticulture program gave him exposure to a wide range of careers and the experience needed to adapt to different roles within the industry.
“The horticulture program at Morrisville provides a wide range of exposure to the different careers within the industry, with most of these classes being very hands-on, giving me the necessary skills to work in many different parts of the horticulture world,” McGowan said.
“Morrisville prepared me for 24/7 adaptability on a farm,” Bolen said. “To be comfortable in the field means you can do pretty much anything at the drop of a hat. We face days where we must pivot because of weather, field or harvest conditions, but being comfortable and capable in all of that is what made acclimating to my role at Tap Root so easy.”
The connection between Morrisville and Tap Root Fields continues to create opportunities for interns and graduates. The farm regularly seeks employees with agricultural and horticultural experience, creating opportunities for graduates to put their skills to work in a professional growing operation.
“Any student looking to get into regenerative agriculture would gain valuable hands-on experience here, whether growing fruits and vegetables in the fields or cannabis in the greenhouses,” McGowan said. “Tap Root also gives students the opportunity to explore cutting-edge technologies and practices that make it a unique place to work.”
