Sep 14, 2022
Sarah and her parents on a hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
Editor’s Note: Get to know the amazing team at Agritecture! This interview features Sarah Jordan, Digital Media Associate at Agritecture Consulting.
Meet Agritecture’s newest team member: Sarah Jordan!
We’re proud to introduce our new Digital Media Associate, Sarah Jordan. A former beekeeper and a granddaughter of a farmer, Sarah’s interest in food and sustainability is lifelong, and she is eager to combine these interests with her marketing skillset in support of Agritecture’s mission of accelerating and empowering the transition to smarter and more resilient agriculture.
Sarah and her dad suited up to check on their beehive.
Sarah grew up in Alexandria, Virginia, providing her easy access to both rural and urban settings:
“Growing up in Virginia, I really loved having a chance to be close to nature. Although I lived really close to Washington, D.C., my parents always made an effort to bring me and my brother out to the countryside to experience nature. One of my favorite activities growing up was picking apples in the mountains in western Virginia.”
She currently resides in Hoboken, New Jersey, and is excited to be so close to so many CEA operations.
“I am really excited about the work that Oishii is doing in the industry. They are a CEA company that uses vertical farming to grow Japanese strawberries, and they’re delicious! I love specialty foods and consider myself to be a huge foodie, so being able to try these unique berries was a really special experience for me. I love the fact that CEA is making these types of experiences more accessible.” says Sarah.
Where did Sarah get her start?
Sarah studied English at The College of William and Mary and discovered her interest in digital marketing while working for several small businesses to support herself as a student. After graduation, she decided to move into it full-time.
“I started managing social accounts for my aunt’s custom framing business when I was 16. I grew up alongside social media, which has come naturally to me as a career path. I continued managing accounts as a freelancer during college for various companies, and once I graduated, I began working full-time in digital marketing.”
Prior to Agritecture, Sarah worked as a digital marketer for Kim’C Market, an online market that sold premium foods imported from Korea. She designed graphics, filmed content, managed social accounts, monitored their online presence, and adjusted the social media strategy.
Why is Sarah drawn to the CEA industry?
The German countryside, where Sarah was able to tour multiple renewable energy plants as a teen.
“I’ve been interested in sustainability from a very young age. I am a huge reader (her current recommendation is The Intersectional Environmentalist by Leah Thomas), and I began learning about climate change when I was about 10 years old (thanks to 1001 Ways to Save the Earth by Joanna Yarrow). I was intrigued by the concept of sustainability and lowering my carbon footprint, and ever since, I’ve made an effort to have a positive impact on the environment.”
While CEA is not a perfect solution, Sarah is inspired by the technical advances of the CEA industry and its ability to provide fruit and vegetables to communities that would not otherwise have access to freshly grown foods, such as in desert environments.
What are Sarah’s visions for the CEA industry?
Sarah hopes that in the next five years, the industry will have new ways of integrating renewable energy sources into extensive agriculture operations.
Time spent in nature is very special to Sarah, especially time spent at the barn with her favorite horse, Peanut.
“I love the work that Agritecture does to encourage transparency between farmers and the larger consumer market concerning energy and water usage, specifically their work on the Global CEA Census. This information could drive UA and CEA farmers to embrace more sustainable practices and innovate to lower their carbon footprints.”
The 2021 Global CEA Census report revealed that the CEA industry is susceptible to excessive greenwashing. Sarah feels transparency is essential in the transition towards sustainability and hopes to see the industry become more open regarding energy and water usage. In her role, she’ll play a vital role in highlighting key trends and achievements in the CEA environment to encourage positive industry growth.
Sarah is happy to connect with anyone interested in chatting about all things agriculture and digital marketing. Feel free to reach out with any questions about urban agriculture, social media, beekeeping, or even just to talk about your favorite houseplants.