meet our farm Education Staff

Mellanie Lerum

Mellanie joined Rocky Creek Farm as the Education Director in April 2024. Her love for the outdoors is directly influenced by all the places she has lived, including Germany and Montana. Her background includes outdoor and science education at places such as MOSS, Crosscut, and American Prairie. Though farming is new for Mellanie, she is excited to learn all it has to offer and apply her knowledge to the educational programs at the farm. She is especially passionate about animals and loves any opportunity to find skeletons! Here at Rocky Creek Farm, Mellanie hopes to instill a sense of appreciation for nature in students and connect them to the outdoors through farming.

Averie Wheatley

Averie grew up exploring the foothills of Appalachia, where she developed a deep appreciation for the wetlands and forests. For over ten years, she has been working with multiple organizations around the country that help folks foster an understanding of the delicate relationships humans share with our natural world. By developing engaging lessons and creating a safe learning environment, she hopes to instill a sense of respect and awe in young hearts for the cycles of reciprocity within agricultural education. When she’s not teaching, she can probably be found out in the woods with her big dog, Birdie.

Berkeley Finegold

Berkeley enjoys everything to do with nature, wildlife, and the outdoors. The past month working at Rocky creek farm she has found a love of farm work, from planting and harvesting flowers and vegetables to caring for the animals. Berkeley is currently a student at Montana State University earning her degree in Psychology and Human Development. She enjoys teaching and guiding children to be creative and is excited to show children what she has learned while farming. In her free time she enjoys mountain biking, fishing, rock climbing, and baking. 

Lucy Hollingsworth

Lucy has been a participant in many farm camps in the years past, and she is looking forward to her first year as an education instructor. She is excited to get to spend more time on the farm this summer, sharing her love of animals and the outdoors with kids. In her spare time, Lucy can be found adventuring in the mountains, or reading a good book in a hammock.

Ophelia Easton

Ophelia fell in love with farming when she first joined GVB in 2019 to work on the harvest crew. After recently going back to school to earn her Teaching Certificate, Ophelia is excited to return to the farm as an educator and share her passions for animals, plants, community, and food. Most of all, she is looking forward to teaching youngsters the importance of being connected to nature and knowing where their food comes from. When she’s not teaching or farming, Ophelia loves collecting rocks, preserving animal skeletons, gardening, cooking, and painting. This season, Ophelia is excited to impart a sense of fascination about all the ways things are connected to each other.

Emma Stout

Emma discovered a love for farming on a sunny blue bird day in the Adirondack mountains of New York.  After working on vegetable farms and in education settings across the country, she made her way to Gallatin Valley Botanical last summer. She is excited to return for another season and eat as many tomatoes as possible. Emma is continuously inspired by the curiosity that young people have for the world around them and hopes to keep learning alongside her students. Her favorite things to do on the farm are trellising tomatoes, making flower bouquets, and seeding in the greenhouse. This summer she’s excited to have adventures with students and create a community centered on a deep appreciation for the natural world. When she’s not farming, you can find her reading in a hammock and eating sugar snap peas. If you see her riding her bike to work give her a wave (or toss a snickers bar out the window). 

Will Bolach

My name is William Bolach, and I am a sophomore at Bozeman High School, I have three cats, named Hazel, Trout, and Pearl. I have worked with and in the Rocky Creek Farm education system since I was in the 3rd grade. I loved the outdoor and educational experiences and the active curriculum. When I heard that the group was looking for volunteers for the role of camp counselor, I jumped at the opportunity. I hope to share the memories I had at Rocky Creek when I was a kid with the new adventurers exploring today!