Several months back, we heard about an organization that was helping veterans become farmers. The mission of the
Farmer-Veteran Coalition (FVC) is to mobilize the food and farming community to create healthy and viable futures for America’s veterans by enlisting their help in building our green economy, rebuilding our rural communities, and securing a safe and healthy food supply for all. The coalition seeks to simultaneously assist the farming community by developing a new generation of farmers and to help our returning veterans find viable careers and means to heal on America’s farms.
We were impressed by all of the work this group was doing so we contacted them through
Facebook (social media is pretty amazing) and started discussing the possibility of working with them. With Brett's Army background and the work we are doing here, they thought we would be a good candidate. Our official application was sent in early January and in late February we have been named a Newman's Own Innovator in Agriculture Fellow within the FVC Fellowship Fund program!
So what exactly does this mean? In the short term, this means they are purchasing us a 48-foot-long Gro-Max Gothic High Tunnel from
FarmTek, a sponsoring partner of FVC. This is huge because it will allow us to gain year-round growing capabilities as well as fast-track our poultry and rabbit operations.
One-third of the structure will be used in Joel Salatin's (from
Polyface Farm) "rabbits over chickens" function stacking method where breeding rabbits are kept in cages over laying hens. The rabbits are fed waste greens from the hoop house, the rabbit droppings fall through the wire cages to carbon rich wood chips beneath them, the hens scratch through that eating the worms and bugs that flourish in the nutrient rich compost adding their own manure. The overall aged mixture is then rebroadcast over the fallow growing beds which feeds the next plant crop. The protected growing area will also give us a place to harden off seedlings and transplants and provide a cushion if we get another wet spring like last year.
In the long term, being a FVC fellow will mean a place for support, mentoring, and networking with other veteran farmers across the country.
This is an awesome organization and we are incredibly grateful for their assistance. If you've got some extra cash, consider supporting this great non-profit organization. They're helping to heal America's veterans
and America's food system.
We'd also like to take a moment to thank everyone who was a reference for us including our awesome customers Mark and Meg Rentler, fellow farmer Joe Bozelli, Brett's mom Christine Lane, and
PASA Member Services Manager Leah Smith. You guys rock!
Sooo....now that we're getting an awesome, large high tunnel -- anyone out there want to come help put it together?
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