Western washington farmer veterans are digging in, growing food, sharing stories and finding meaningful work at three regional incubator and learning farms managed by and serving military veterans:…

Western washington farmer veterans are digging in, growing food, sharing stories and finding meaningful work at three regional incubator and learning farms managed by and serving military veterans: garden raised bounty (grub)'s victory farm, veterans' ecological trades collective (vetc)'s 120 acre farm, and WA department of veteran affairs' veteran farm at orting. Our region, primed with rich farmland, natural resources, and urban centers, surrounds the 4TH largest military base in the US. Collaboration among current programs will give veterans access to resources, skills and connections, which successfully prepare and enhance their farming ventures. Our six month project, beginning farmer veterans growing skills on the land and cultivating a network of support in 5 western washington counties, will accomplish the following goals: 1) increase production, business skills, and connectivity of beginning and prospective farmer veterans through training, technical assistance and resources that improve farm viability; 2) coordinate, streamline and strengthen services for beginning farmer veterans through enhanced regional collaboration and networking among the existing organizations that serve beginning farmers and veterans; 3) generate a regional plan for increasing the number and success of beginning veteran farmers from 2021 - 2026. This project will provide a strong platform for long-term success of hundreds of beginning farmer veterans in western washington and serve as a model for expansion across the state and region.