Groundwater Protection « OSU Extension Internship Program

Hello again!
I’m Taiva Steed, and this summer has been busy and exciting. It’s hard to believe it’s already
coming to an end!

Some of my favorite moments this summer came from working at farmers’ markets, where we
offered free nitrate screenings and shared resources about wells, septic systems and
groundwater. Each market was different and came with its own obstacles and highlights.
Tangent was full of energy, with live music, NASCARs and the excitement of a brand-new
market. However, not every day went exactly as planned. In Coburg, we showed up on the
wrong day, and in Cottage Grove, our canopy broke on a hot morning. But facing those
challenges helped show me how important the work we’re doing really is! Not only did I see
community members stepping in to help make these opportunities happen, but I also saw
people go out of their way to learn about their health, even when we did not make it the
easiest. Seeing these efforts from strangers was one of the most rewarding aspects of the
internship!

Another highlight from this summer was going on a septic systems field trip in Lincoln County. It
was interesting to see the more technical, hands-on side of the work I’ve been talking about
with community members all summer. We also had the chance to get some good quality time
with the team and be by the beach!

I also had the chance to explore other parts of Oregon State University Extension. Having
worked on a farm before, visiting the North Willamette Research and Extension Center had me
feeling close to my roots. We went to a Blueberry Field Day and their Open House. These were
other standout moments because I got to meet new people within Oregon State University
Extension and learn how different programs reach out to their community. We even managed
to squeeze in a few nitrate tests there, too.

This internship has been full of learning, problem-solving and connecting with communities;
and I’m grateful for every moment.

Jessalyn Horton

I’ve settled into a nice groove here at the Benton County Extension Office working with well water. I’ve spent time at several farmers markets testing water samples for nitrates and talking about treatment options, health impacts, causes of high nitrates in water and other potential contaminants with folks. I have made it out to Brownsville, down to Harrisburg for Summer Sounds, up to Stayton and more.

A selfie of a girl sitting at a farmers market booth in OSU gear. — Jessalyn at the Philomath Farmers Market on June 29th. Photo: Jessalyn Horton

When I’m not out testing water, I’ve mostly been in the office creating and mailing advertising materials for our testing events. Lately I’ve been cleaning up the mailing addresses we use from old well logs using ArcGIS and my mad Microsoft Excel skills. That stuff is all necessary but not very exciting. What’s more exciting is when I get to go out on field trips.

I’ve been able to join Crystal Kelso, who works with Small Farms and Forestry here at Extension and also coordinates activities for local Veteran farmers, on a few of the Veteran events she’s organized. So far I have attended a beekeeping event at OSU’s apiary at the Oak Creek Center for Urban Horticulture and a farm tour out in Albany. The beekeeping event was particularly interesting since I was coming from a level of zero knowledge. I got to get up close and personal with one of the hives. By the end I was very ready to get some personal space back! I really liked the farm tour as well, I got to provide some information on an updated Oregon law that should help the farmer out and enjoyed listening and learning all about his land and the different things he’s trying out. These events provide a great opportunity to not only share resources with one another, but to help build community among people who have shared experiences. I look forward to continuing to attend these events even after my internship is done.

A girl in a bee suit holding a frame from a bee hive covered in wax and bees. — Jessalyn Horton is beekeeping at the Veteran Farmer Beekeeping Workshop on June 27th. Photo: Crystal Kelso

I also went up to the North Willamette Research and Extension Center’s (NWREC) Blueberry Field Day in late July. My fellow intern Taiva and I learned a ton about blueberries, best strategies for common pests and machine harvesting and saw some exciting research from PhD students. It’s an event that’s tailored to Oregon blueberry growers, so the information was fast and furious, but I appreciated being a sponge and seeing firsthand how OSU Extension bridges the gap between research and farmers. This week I’ll be attending a similar field day more locally on organic agriculture, heading back up to NWREC to offer nitrate testing at their open house, to the West Salem farmers market (more testing) and finishing up the week strong posted up at the OSU Extension information booth at the Polk County Fair on Friday evening. I’m excited to keep learning all summer long!

Hi everyone, Jackie Ruff again!

It has been a very busy summer in the Groundwater Education Program! We have only done about a third of our events but have done over 150 nitrate screenings of well water. Our goal is to do 500 nitrate tests by the end of the summer. This goal definitely seemed a bit ambitious at the beginning of the summer. But being this far along already, and with most of our bigger events still to come, I am confident we can reach this goal.

So far, we have had events in Linn, Benton, Marion, Lincoln and Polk counties. We have gone to farmers markets, community festivals, fairs and concerts in the park. Our busiest event so far was the Tri County Business Expo & Harrisburg, where we did about 70 tests! This event was a ton of fun. I got to talk to so many people about their wells and enjoy a lovely concert while doing so. Talking with community members is one of my favorite parts of this internship. I love when I can help people find the answers to their questions on wells and just hearing about so many different peoples’ experiences. At the Tri County Business Expo & Harrisburg Summer Sounds, we talked to almost 250 different people! We stayed very busy the whole event, but it was so much fun.

A girl talking to 2 community members infront of a booth outside — Jackie talking to community members at the Tri County Business Expo & Harrisburg Summer Sounds. Photo: Chrissy Lucas

I am definitely looking forward to doing more events over in Lincoln County on the coast. Although the drive there from Corvallis can be a bit long, the coast is one of my favorite spots. And we do not get to do a ton of events out there during the rest of the year.

I am also looking forward to the Corvallis neighborhood screening we scheduled for early September. Usually, we attend events that are already happening, such as farmers markets, to do nitrate screenings. For this event, we were invited by a homeowner to host a pop-up screening at her home. It has been a very different experience planning the screening with her directly. I am excited to see the turn out we get, since I have never done a neighborhood pop up like this before.

Hello!

My name is Taiva Steed, and I’m heading into my third year as a natural resources
student with an emphasis in communications and conflict resolution at Oregon State University. I
am originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, but Oregon won me over with its mountains,
oceans and huge trees!

Taiva Steed working at the Brownsville Farmers Market. Photo: Jessalyn Horton

In the future, I hope to work as an environmental mediator, someone who helps people
come together to solve environmental and social challenges. I’m particularly interested in
working internationally and for people’s voices that are often underrepresented in these
conversations. This is why working for OSU Extension is perfect for me because it allows me to
connect with different communities and learning from people with all kinds of perspectives.

This is my first summer as an intern for OSU Extension, and I am working for the
Groundwater Protection Program out of Benton County. So far, I have been traveling to farmers
markets across Oregon, offering free nitrate screenings for well water and sharing educational
materials to community members about healthy drinking water, wells and septic systems. It has
been such a fun way to spend time outdoors, meeting new people and learning more about
Oregon! I have only been to a handful of events so far, but I already feel how meaningful this
work is, and how much I still have to learn.

When I am not working at a screening clinic, I am helping plan future events. This
includes figuring out where we will go next, making social media posts and designing postcards
and flyers to help advertise these events. I also spend time in the office learning about all things
groundwater, wells and septic systems. Coming from a city background, most of this is brand
new to me, and it has broadened my scope of the different ways people live and how those
differences can impact someone’s health and daily concerns.

I’m excited for what’s ahead and can’t wait to explore what OSU Extension has to offer. I
have plans to explore the other OSU Extension programs like Small Farms and Master
Gardeners. I’m looking forward to more farmers markets, more community conversations and
continuing to learn why it’s important to protect our water!

My name is Jessalyn, and I am an Oregon State University Extension Service Groundwater
Protection intern based in Benton County. I am currently working on my second bachelor’s
degree from Oregon State University, double majoring in soil science and sustainability. I’m
excited to spend my summer engaging with local communities and learning more about
groundwater and public health. I spent the past decade moving around the United States while I
was in the Air Force and am now enjoying being back in Oregon, close to where I grew up in
McMinnville.

Jessalyn Horton at the Sweet Home Farmer’s Market. Photo: Jessalyn Horton

I first got an idea of the role Extension plays in my Soil 101 class this past fall, and thought it
sounded like an incredible community resource. I’ve got some teaching experience from my
military career, and I’m really interested in the intersection of soil and water. Working with
Chrissy Lucas-Woodruff, my supervisor here in charge of outreach, is something I knew I wanted
to do after she came to speak to a different class I took this past winter, on environmental and
agricultural predicaments. I’m very excited to be building on the knowledge I’ve gained during
my studies so far through water testing and education.

I’m less than a week into this internship, but I’ve already had an opportunity to test water
samples from local well owners for nitrates at the Sweet Home farmer’s market. I had a great
time with Chrissy and my fellow new intern, Taiva — learning the ropes, engaging with the
public on well and septic maintenance and talking about nitrates and arsenic. We spent the rest
of our time during the first week learning about groundwater, wells, septic systems and
common contaminants. We also got to put together our own lab kits and prepare the gear we’ll
use at other events all summer long, where I’m looking forward to lots more learning and
engaging conversation.

Hi everyone!
My name is Jackie Ruff, and I am a 4th-year environmental science major with an option
in chemistry and a minor in education. This is my 2nd summer doing the Extension internship. I
am working with the Groundwater Education Protection Program this summer, and I have been
working with them for a year and 8 months now. I have done many projects with them and other
programs, including water testing, educational classes and even helping plan the annual Small
Farms Conference.

Jackie Ruff doing nitrate screenings at the Stayton Farmers Market last summer. Photo: Chrissy Lucas

Over the past couple of months, we have been running our well testing program. In this
program, I have gotten to go throughout Benton, Linn, and Clackamas counties, meeting
different well owners, testing their water and providing free educational materials on wells and
septic systems to them. With this program, we were able to provide free well testing to 200
households in Benton County, 150 households in Clackamas County, and 100 households in
Linn County! I have really enjoyed working in this program as it directly relates to my career
goals in science education. I am still figuring out what my exact career goals are, but working for
Extension Service has given me so much experience and many opportunities that I am so
grateful for.

I have also been working on scheduling many free nitrate screenings for us to do this
summer. Over the summer, we visit farmers’ markets and community events across 6 counties
(Linn, Lane, Benton, Marion, Polk, and Lincoln). At these events, we provide free nitrate
screenings to well water owners. We also have a ton of free educational materials at these
events. I have been busy scheduling, mailing and advertising for these events recently, and now
we have a bunch on our calendar! Last summer, we did around 20 events. This summer, we
already have 15 events scheduled, and we are not done scheduling them! I am hoping we can
get around 25-30 events on the calendar this summer. Doing these screenings was my favorite
part of last summer’s internship, so I am very excited to have even more to do this summer.

My name is Elias Stroock, and I’m an Oregon State University Extension Service Groundwater Protection intern in the Willamette Region. This summer, I’ve been actively involved in community events, educating residents about private wells and septic systems, and conducting nitrate water tests.

Elias Stroock at the Toledo Farmers Market. Photo: Elsa Buchholz

A focal point of my personal project was creating a map to visualize areas with high engagement and turnout for water testing. I enjoyed visiting new towns in Oregon and interacting with people from diverse backgrounds. Through these interactions, I gained a deeper understanding of the personal connections people have to their land. I felt confident in my ability to gather necessary information and assist residents with their water system concerns. Additionally, I utilized our publications as a tool to educate people about various aspects of their groundwater systems.

I was pleased to collaborate with other Extension programs, such as the Master Gardeners, at these events. These interactions allowed for more in-depth discussions about how different Extension programs benefit the community. My interactions with senior Extension employees also gave me a different perspective into the interpersonal skills necessary to communicate scientific information in a tangible manner. In addition, I was able to attend staff meetings for Linn, Benton and Marion County Extension offices. These meetings gave me an opportunity to share the work I have been doing with a wide array of people I otherwise wouldn’t have interacted with. I was also able to field questions about mapping technologies and think about how broadly applicable my skills are in relation to all the different parts of Extension.

One challenge I faced during this internship was time management. At an event in Cottage Grove, I was the sole representative and, due to poor planning, arrived unprepared. To my disbelief, many people had shown up early in hopes of getting their water tested, this caused me to start feeling a great deal of pressure. I had to quickly seek assistance from the market organizer and other vendors to get set up and start testing. This experience taught me the importance of staying organized and maintaining a confident demeanor when presenting crucial information to the public. I hope to continue practicing humility and seeking help when needed, especially in demanding professional situations.

Hi everyone! My name is Jackie Ruff, and I’m thrilled to share a bit about my journey and the work I’ve been doing. Currently, I’m in my third year of undergrad at Oregon State University, majoring in environmental science with a concentration in chemistry and the environment and minoring in education. It’s been a fantastic ride so far, blending my love for science with a passion for teaching.

Rocks painted by intern Jackie Ruff for the community garden in Marion County. Photo: Jackie Ruff

I’m based out of the Oregon State University Extension Service office in Benton County, but my work takes me across various counties through the Groundwater Quality Education Program. This program is an amazing initiative that aims to protect and improve our groundwater quality. Since starting in October, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to engage with communities and make a tangible difference in people’s lives.

One of the key aspects of my role is organizing outreach events throughout different counties. These events provide free well water screening for nitrate and offer education on wells and septic systems. It’s a rewarding experience to see how these efforts help ensure the safety and health of our communities. Many people rely on well water for their daily needs and educating them about potential contaminants and how to maintain their systems is crucial. It’s not just about testing water; it’s about empowering people with the knowledge they need to protect their families and the environment.

Another project that we have been working on involves painting inspiration rocks. These aren’t just any rocks — they’re little pieces of art and hope. We donate them to the Marion County Juvenile Department to inspire visitors to maintain positive outlooks on life. It might seem like a small gesture, but sometimes a bit of color and a few encouraging words can make a world of difference to someone going through a tough time. The process of painting these rocks is therapeutic and fun, and knowing they bring a smile to someone’s face makes it all the more special.

Balancing my studies and this work can be challenging, but it’s incredibly fulfilling. My education in environmental science, particularly with a focus on chemistry and the environment, gives me a solid foundation to understand the complexities of groundwater issues. Meanwhile, my minor in education helps me effectively communicate and share this knowledge with the community. It’s a perfect blend that prepares me for a future where I can continue making a positive impact.

Hi everyone! My name is Elsa Buchholz, and I am currently going into my fourth year as an undergraduate student at Oregon State University. If everything goes according to plan, I will be graduating this coming fall. I am majoring in Public Health with an option in Health Promotion and Health Behavior, as well as a minor in Environmental and Occupational Health and a certificate in Medical Humanities. I am based in the Corvallis OSU Extension office as an intern for the Groundwater Protection Program. Although I do not have a set career path at the moment, my main passion is in environmental health. I am particularly interested in climate and reproductive health, and I want to research the intersection between the two if possible. I plan to continue my education in graduate school to explore these areas further. This internship over the summer is my first experience working with the OSU Extension Service.

Elsa Buchholz at the Tri-county business expo in Lane County — Elsa Buchholz at the Tri-county business expo with OSU Extension in Lane County. Photo: Kelci Free

This summer I hope to learn more about community outreach and the efforts that are required to make a positive impact on the health of the community and the environment. I am particularly looking forward to the opportunity to schedule, plan, and participate in my own events. While I have had the chance to help create and send out postcards for events, advertise them online, and participate in them during my internship so far, I am excited to take on the responsibility of organizing multiple events from start to finish. I have been brainstorming several project ideas that I believe will both contribute to the goals of the OSU Extension Service, as well as relate to my personal interests in the field of public health. One of these ideas is to design and implement a survey or questionnaire that gathers important information from community members. This survey would aim to better understand how people discovered the Groundwater Protection Program, and the OSU Extension Service in general, how they heard about our events, whether they had their water tested for nitrate at our events, if they received any publications on well water or septic systems, and what changes, if any, they made after attending our events. Collecting and analyzing this data would help us to better understand the impact of our efforts and identify any areas for improvement. This project would help us refine our outreach strategies, as well as ensure that we are effectively addressing the needs of the community.

A woman sit at an outdoor table covered with a black Extension Service tablecloth and gives the thumbs up sign. — Ava Cordle at the OSU Extension booth.
Photo credit: Olivia Jacobs

Hello everyone! I am already in my last week of my summer internship with OSU Extension’s groundwater protection program. I have really enjoyed getting to learn more about well water and getting to go out in the community to test water for nitrate. I have had the opportunity to grow by planning and attending events throughout the summer. It has been exciting to attend events, since I had been working on planning some of them back in May and June!

A rack of test tubes filled with water. — Testing well water for nitrate.
Photo credit: Ava Cordle

Some of the different events I went to this summer were Harrisburg Sounds of Summer, Silverton Farmers Market, the Corvallis farmers market and more! At these events we set up a booth where we offer free nitrate testing for people in the community to bring in their well water. To run a test, we take a bit of their well water and we use reagents that change the color of the water depending on how much nitrate is present. At a clinic I did at the Lacomb Grange I did 59 tests in just three hours! We also offer publications and information on well water and septic systems, and a lot of people stop by just to ask questions. Attending these events was my favorite part of the internship. I found it rewarding after spending a lot of time planning them.

Overall, some of my favorite parts about this internship was meeting and working with the other groundwater interns, talking with community members and getting to attend events all over Benton, Linn, Lane, Marion and Lincoln counties. I have learned so much about well water over the past few months. Coming into this internship I had never had well water and did not know much about the care of well water. I also gained skills in community outreach, creating flyers and postcards, and got to learn about the 4-H program by volunteering to help at Extension booths at fairs.

– Ava Cordle

OSU Extension Internship Program

Category Archives: Groundwater Protection

OSU Extension intern sees the impact in imperfect days

Exploring Oregon agriculture one event at a time

From festivals to front yards: a summer nitrate testing journey

OSU Extension intern builds a path toward environmental mediation through local action

OSU Extension intern returns to Oregon with a passion for natural resources

OSU Extension intern connects with communities through clean water

OSU Extension internship builds essential skills

Intern empowers and inspires the community with OSU Extension

OSU Extension intern seeks to make a positive impact on community health

Opportunities to grow by planning and attending events

Contact Info