Helping train U.S. military veterans in fruit and vegetable cultivation to improve their livelihood is among the extension efforts of UMES associate professor Naveen Kumar Dixit (far left). The horticulturist has been sharing his expertise with this special group of small and beginning farmers by presenting workshops over the past seven years at TALMAR horticultural center in Baltimore, Maryland. This year, a competitively selected group of 20 veterans traveled to Princess Anne for the inaugural UMES Veterans Ag Conference from Sept. 10-12.
“I’ve been focusing on learning the business part of farming since I’m in the beginning farmer phase,” said Kim Ford (far right), a U.S. Army veteran. “UMES’ conference has been very informative, learning the different aspects and how to increase revenue from the products you sell. Realizing the hidden costs of farming has been an important takeaway for me, like incorporating your time when planning your operating budget.”
Ford, who resides in Baltimore County, completed the beginning and advanced programs at TALMAR.
On the other side of the farming spectrum, Mary Martinez-Rigo (at left) of Virginia has been farming alongside her husband for more than 12 years. Both U.S. Army veterans, they are trying to answer, “How do we age gracefully in place?”
“We don’t want to give (farming) up, but need to restructure, redirect and remain fluid to survive,” Martinez-Rigo said. “Our granddaughter is 24 years old and can do everything on the farm, so we’re quietly building succession.”
Their small- to mid-sized farm operation includes vegetables, fruit, nuts, cut flowers and a herd of alpacas.
“At least she is going into farming informed and knows what it takes to grow clean food to help feed the community,” Martinez-Rigo said. “The challenges are always going to be there to overcome — staying healthy, keeping trustworthy help and honest contractors.”
Martinez-Rigo said she was impressed with the volume of information and the organization of the presentations over the course of the conference. There were sessions on smart farm budgeting, soil health and conservations, cover crops, value-added products, weed and pest management, state and agricultural agency grant programs, beekeeping and viticulture.
Agritourism topics were of interest to Tiffany McNeill (far right), who grew up in inner city New Jersey but was introduced to farming through family in North Carolina and her tours abroad with the Air Force.
The former helicopter pilot is exploring incorporating agritourism at her farm as a “way to give back” by creating a retreat for active-duty members and their families or as a “safe place” for veterans to reintegrate into society when they return.
“A farm can provide a space of calm and serenity to find solace and peace — a time to open up and release,” McNeill said. “You don’t know you’ve changed when you’re in theater until you return.”
The tour of UMES’ Small Ruminant Program proved beneficial for Sabina Shaub (at left), full-time operator and owner of a 10-acre farm in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. The small-scale farmer is looking for suggestions and possibly a site visit to help her integrate new sheep into her flock of 18 fine wool sheep. In addition to rotational grazing in a silvopasture system with her herd, the Air Force veteran grows specialty cut flowers for the florist industry, vegetables in a 100-foot high tunnel and has a hazelnut orchard.
Attending the conference provided insight into grants, soil and waste management and specialty crops like those Ricardo Hyacinth (below) of Dover, Delaware, visited during the tour of Dixit’s research high tunnels and field trials on Asian vegetables, raspberries and cut flowers. Ricardo raises chickens and ducks while his wife takes care of the rest of the farm. She came for the strawberry cultivation, as the couple are in the process of putting in a high tunnel.
“You have to attend things like this to get exposure or you won’t know what others are doing,” the Army veteran said. “My wife is diligent about learning more and finding opportunities. She’s attended the Small Farm Conference here before.”
Along with holding training workshops, Dixit, as the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education coordinator, also connects veterans and other small farmers to resources for grant writing and the Northeast-SARE Farmer Grant Program.
Gail Stephens, agricultural communications and media associate, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, UMES Extension, gcstephens@umes.edu., 410-621-3850.
Photos by Todd Dudek, agricultural communications, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, UMES Extension, tdudek@umes.edu.
