Farming offers a meaningful learning, healing, and work opportunity for US soldiers returning to civilian life and their communities.
Thousands of US military veterans return home to find it difficult re-integrating into civilian life and find meaningful work. In fact, veteran unemployment is higher than our national average – but there is a growing movement in agriculture to change that.
On today’s episode, we meet veterans who are building successful careers as farmers and helping others do the same. Chef Nathan puts together a fresh, summer cantaloupe salad – the perfect lunch for cooling off and nourishing the body on these summer days!
For more information:
- Veterans to Farmers Coalition
- Veteran’s Farm (the farm featured in this episode)
- Web Exclusive Video: Occupational Therapy Tips
- American Occupational Therapy Association
- Jacksonville Farm Helps Vets Heal
- Career Resource Guide for Veterans
- Chef Nathan’s Cantaloupe Strawberry Salad Recipe
About GGWTV
Growing A Greener World is a national gardening series on Public Television that features organic gardening, green living and farm to table cooking. Each episode focuses on compelling and inspirational people making a difference through gardening. This gardening series covers everything from edible gardening and sustainable agriculture to seasonal cooking and preserving the harvest.
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Joe, I’ve watched the Veteran’s Farm episode several times. Are they still active?? Their website has a 2018 copyright but the contents appear dated. Hoping the mission still continues.
Marty,
As far as we know they are still active and offering Fellowship funds as stated on their website. The application deadline is March 1, 2018. Their mission is important and we feel confident their work continues.
I loved watching the Veterans Farm episode!!! I so wish that I could help Mr. Adam Burke bring his phenomenal and therapeutic Program to veterans across the state, across the country. Your program absolutely Rocks Mr. Burke!!!!
Thank you Susan! And we are doing another episode to lift up our veteran farmers in spring, 2017. It’s already filmed and we worked with the fabulous organization, the Farmer Veterans Coalition, http://www.farmvetco.com. We’re really excited to continue the story of the great work people and organizations are doing to support our veterans through farming. Thanks for writing Susan.
Obviously I’m a gardener and whole heartedly believe in the therapeutics. There should be more programs like this Nationwide for the Vets! Love this idea
Really enjoyed watching this episode and seeing OT in the spotlight, and in such a cool way.
I’ve tried to find the segment in this show using a pulley system to lower and raise hanging plants but have no luck. Would you please tell me where on the site the information about how to create this system is?
Thank you.
Hi Beverly. You were on the right episode to find this. But I don’t believe we had any written instructions on how to make it. It was just demonstrated on the episode. Here’s the link to the episode which includes the segment using the pulley system: https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/veteran-farmers/
My son-in-law recently retired after 15 years service to his country, the last 10 on the front lines in active war zones in the Middle East. He has been unable to find a job that will give him the physical space he needs to deal with his PTSD and yet support his family. The only psychological and emotional release he has found has been in farming the tiny back yard in their home in drought-stricken New Mexico. He loves to work outside and I can hardly wait to share this episode and the information on the Veteran to Farmer Coalition with him. If he could turn his love of gardening into a means of making a living as well as giving back it would mean everything to our family. Thank-you PBS & GAGW.
Thanks Chris for your kind note. We’re so happy to hear that your son-in-law has found an outlet. Gardening /farming has amazing healing powers indeed.
I know the economy is tough but no one who has served this country as a Veteran should ever beg for food nor live on the streets.
Thank you all for taking the time to watch our story about the Veterans Farm http://www.veteransfarm.com .I know it means a lot to our guys/gals working on the farm to see peoples appreciation for the hard work they do to bring fresh food to our communities. Feel free to contact us with any questions or a time to come out and visit. Regards, Adam Burke, Purple Heart, CEO/Founder of Veterans Farm
I love all episodes of the Greener World. Especially the episode 308 touched my heart.
There should be more job trainings involving green farming for our veterans regardless of their injuries. What a great way to get therapeutic treatments by working with nature. My heart goes out for the us soldiers/veterans.
Absolutely love the Episode number list of topic w/titles showing -saves taxing my memory and time spent researching one that I want to review –GAGW plays on MPT here each afternoon, but being able to catch it on the internet if I’ve been “diggging in the dirt” when it was airing makes life so enjoyable