384: Rachel Petitt on Military Veterans who Farm.
Assisting our food-growing veterans who feed their communities.
Rachel worked on small-scale farms for six years after earning a degree from UC Santa Cruz in community studies with a focus on food systems. During her time in the field, she learned the intricacies of harvesting okra without getting itchy, collecting 600 eggs without cracking any, and bunching kale with one hand. Rachel currently manages the Fellowship Program at the Farmer Veteran Coalition.
The Fellowship Program enables veterans to invest in the infrastructure and tools they need to feed their community. Here, Rachel administers grants that support veteran farmers in their new careers.Don’t miss an episode! Click here to sign up for podcast updates
In This Podcast:
Rachel Petitt is part of a group that has the mission to help veterans who want to be farmers. This has translated into several grant and resource projects that are empowering veterans to build their farms. She tells about how she started and what the organization is offering veterans all across the country.
Listen in and learn about:
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- Working on a flower farm to earn money while in college
- Finding the Farmer Veteran Coalition
- Having a hunger for farming
- More about what the Farmer Veteran coalition and how they help veterans all over the university
- Building connections within the coalition
- The beginnings of the organization
- The vision of Michael and his goal for the group
- Some key aspects of the fellowship fund
- The committee that reviews the applications and some of the winners
- Some of the resources that the organization can offer to veterans
- Home Grown by Heroes certification
- Meeting John Nashy and being on their farm
- Some of the other activities the organization does to support farmer veterans
- How she harvests okra without getting itchy
- How she collected 600 eggs without cracking any
As well as:
Her failure – The dinner that she made for a veteran where she mistakenly sautéed cucumber instead of zucchini
Her success – Working at the flower farm and meeting the challenges and learning enough to feel like a contributing member of the team
Her drive – thinking about all the gifts that inspire her to be a good steward to the planet
Her advice – treat each challenge as a growth opportunity and remember that at the other end is personal growth
Rachel’s Book recommendations:
Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods, 2nd Edition
How to reach Rachel Farmer Veteran Coalition:
Website: www.farmvetco.org
Email: support@farmvetco.org
Phone: 530.756.1395
UrbanFarm.org/veteranfarmers
Note: You can also find these books mentioned above at one of our favorite local independent bookstores and know that you are supporting a small business.
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