About Me:
My name is Andrew Wiegand and I am a senior at Hiram College. I'm majoring in Religious Studies, and am currently enrolled in Field Biology 101. This page will serve as an active log of my travels/trials (and maybe some tribulations) throughout the course.
Career Goals:
In the future I hope to find myself working in advertising and public relations. More specifically, I would like to work with companies that have an interest in reconnecting the landscape to its inhabitants. As a throw-it-away culture we have estranged ourselves from the products and services that are naturally provided. An example of this would be in working with grocery chains to supply locally manufactured products, or even working within the community to establish areas that support active lifestyles.
Community Service:
When assessing the sustainability of Bonney Castle it was easy to see that much of the stone work around the side of the house needed a great deal of maintenance. Large sections of the stone were falling away from the foundation, while other stones were causing some erosion of the soil. The first step in alleviating the problem was to remove the previously laid stone so that we may dig a trench in which we could place a new limestone foundation. This foundation would serve as a good anchor to keep the stone in place while still allowing for the transportation of water into the soil. The removal of this stone also allowed us to remove some of the invasive plants that had begun to thrive in the area.
Being my first experience in stone masonry, I was able to learn a myriad of new skills and understanding. I was able to gain an insight of the locally based economy and its products. In working with stones from the early 1900s I was able to keep my hands on the rich history of Portage County while actively supporting it’s future. A major component in the bridging of this historical gap was the protection of the stone. By making sure that the stone stayed intact we were retaining its sustainability while honoring the work of those individuals who processed the stone.