Generations of dreamers
Written by Sydney Kleiman
In January, I found myself sitting on the edge of my bed, resting on a rose-embroidered quilt, puzzled by an unexpected call from Asheville, North Carolina. It rang twice before I remembered applying, on a whim, for an internship at the Biltmore Estate a few weeks prior. After all, I’ve always been a dreamer. My jaw dropped when they offered me a position in the Historic Rose Garden—one of the most renowned gardens in the country—for a summer internship. Glancing down at the rose quilt my late grandmother “Nina” had lovingly crafted, I knew it was a sign and accepted.
Coming from a proud lineage of farmers and gardeners, I was naturally drawn to pursue a degree in Horticulture at Purdue. My dad currently runs Kleiman Farms, a small grain operation in Elberfeld, IN, and I am honored to be the sixth generation in our family to continue the tradition. Some of my fondest memories are riding in the tractor with my late Papaw Ron, listening to his stories while marveling at the beauty of the land. Each evening, we’d race to the garden, gathering extra strawberries, knowing my Nina would inevitably “sweeten” them with lots of sugar and love. Similarly, my mom’s parents’ garden seems to grow a little bigger each year, following in the footsteps of my Great Grandpa Al. In his prime, he tended to multiple gardens by asking his neighbors if he could grow in their yards, simply because he loved it. These days, I especially cherish the moments spent snapping green beans with my Mamaw Karen and Papaw Morris. His dedication was evident when, after a liver transplant, he was back tending to his garden within weeks. Sometimes we share laughter and live music, while other times we’re engrossed in home videos or a sports game that my Mamaw is far too invested in, all while we snap the beans into Walmart bags.
From the Foothills of Southwestern Indiana to the Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina my family’s love and dedication towards the agriculture industry has taken me farther than I could have imagined. Throughout my internship at Biltmore, I worked four days per week in the Historic Rose Garden and one day a week was able to rotate to a different sector of Horticulture on the estate, including arboriculture, landscaping, and floral design, among others.
Despite the incredible opportunity, I found myself feeling lost and lonely, more depressed than ever, even in the midst of living out my dream. It was during these difficult weeks—filled with tearful Facetimes with my mom—that I began to build meaningful connections with my coworkers and the local community. This experience taught me that even in the midst of great success, personal struggles can emerge. It is through connections and inner resilience that we find strength. I had to reconnect with my “why”—a love for the land, a dream carried forward by my family’s legacy—and persevere, just as they had before me.
Sydney Kleiman
Written by
Purdue senior in Horticulture