Brett Gemberling Apprenticeship @ Springhouse Farm

Brett Gemberling was a passionate chef, gardener, disc golfer, hiker, and fantasy football enthusiast. He was also a loving son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin, coworker, and friend. Sadly, Brett died unexpectedly at age 39 on June 30, 2022.

To honor his memory, Brett's family has decided to raise funds to support the Brett Gemberling Apprenticeship Program at Springhouse Farm in Vilas, N.C. As a longtime resident of Boone, N.C, and former chef at the Red Onion Cafe, Brett came to Springhouse in 2016 as part of a partnership where he grew vegetables for the restaurant in exchange for his help around the farm. He worked there for around two years before moving to Charlotte in late 2018. He absolutely loved his time at Springhouse, cultivating lasting friendships and creating incredible farm-to-table dishes using the fresh produce he grew himself.

We know that Brett would want to help young people interested in the food production/service industry gain the skills and experience needed to succeed and a better understanding of and appreciation for the work involved. As a result, the funds raised will help offset Springhouse Farms' costs in hosting a dedicated, passionate apprentice for the farm's production season (April-October). We hope to provide annual support to Springhouse in perpetuity, beginning with the farm's 2023 season.

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Springhouse Farm owner Amy Fiedler has shared the following:

Some facts about our internship:

Information about Brett and his connection to Springhouse Farm:

Brett came to my farm around six years ago. His passion as a chef rivaled mine as a farmer, and our friendship grew and strengthened over the years. My dad always told me that the only person who worked longer hours for less pay than a farmer was a chef, so we already had a lot in common. Brett regularly came to the farm to volunteer and buy the vegetables he served at the restaurant he worked at, The Red Onion. He also made everyone lunch from our fresh veggies on more than one occasion, which was always a treat. After paying his dues working on the farm, I gave Brett his own plot, where he grew vegetables for the restaurant. He dutifully tended to his garden, often squeezing in time to take care of it between his work shifts, and I could see his passion for cooking spilling over into his love of growing food. I would go over to his plot at the end of my workday to just sit and talk with him while he weeded and harvested.

There was a lot of back-and-forth knowledge sharing - I would teach him how to control pests and when the optimum harvest time was, while he would tell me the best way to prepare the vegetables. He LOVED Sungold tomatoes; his garden was always full of them. He loved being involved with vegetables from the beginning until the end, and he took pride in his garden and preparing the veggies for others to enjoy. He was definitely not afraid of hard work, and he thrived here.

Our love of food brought us together for a project we were working on for 2022, Springhouse Farm Slow Down Farm-to-Table Dinners. I would grow the vegetables, he would concoct an amazing menu, and we would have a grand time together, farmer and chef. We were actively working on our plans when I heard the news that he had passed away. I grieved not only for his loss but also for mine. We were SO excited about reuniting this summer, and really, he was one of the few people I connected with who got as carried away talking about preparing food as I do when I talk about growing it. Our first dinner back in June was going to have Kohlrabi I harvested as an ingredient, and I still have that box of Kohlrabi marked “Brett” on the bottom shelf in my walk-in cooler… I just can’t seem to throw it away.

My intention with this apprenticeship in Brett’s memory is just that: a way to keep his memory alive here on the farm that meant so much to him. Anything you can donate to cover the cost of bringing an apprentice onto the farm in 2023 will be impactful. I believe Brett would definitely approve! I’ll leave you with this blurb Brett wrote about himself that I was going to use to promote the dinners:

“Love story of a dishwasher who climbed the ladder to become a chef. Brigade-system cooking combines the skills I had with ones I didn’t know I had. Nearly 20 years later, I’ve gained the skills only time can teach. The best part is that I still learn something new almost every day, just like I did when I worked at Springhouse Farm and was active in Watauga County agriculture. What I truly would like to see accomplished is a greater understanding of how complicated it is to execute all aspects of culinary arts and the story behind how that delicious meal ended up on your table in a remarkable 20 minutes or less.”

To learn more about Springhouse Farm and our internships/apprenticeships (and to see pictures), please visit our website www.springhousefarm.net.

To learn more about Brett, please visit his obituary.