Veterans as Beginning Farmers

BFLN Conference, Latham NY

Norm Conrad NCAT NE Director

normc@ncat.org

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Veterans as beginning farmers

• NCAT’s experiences doing 6 years of BF projects specifically with veterans

• what makes vets’ unique as an audience

Now I’d like to switch gears. . . .

• I’d like to get an idea of this audience and some of your thoughts and motivations

• Why do I want to know this?

5

6

Have you served in the military ?

1 2

0%0%

1. yes

2. no

Has any member of your immediate family served in the military?( parent, child, spouse, sibling)

71 2

0%0%

1. Yes

2. No

NCAT’s program for veteran beginningfarmers is called Armed to Farm

• Began in our California office in conjunction with Mike O’Gorman & FV coalition

• host farmers who are vets

We listened & we learned . . . . career fairs for vets

evolution of Armed to Farm

• led by Terrell Spencer

• NCAT ag specialist & Afghanistan veteran

• evolved from a weekend event ( awareness level) to a weeklong residential event ( immersion level )

Goals of Armed 2 Farm

• Multiple enterprises

• Hands on

• Business planning

• Financial planning

• Networking with critical groups

• FUN !!!!!!

Multiple enterprises

Hands on

Business planning

Financial planning

Networking with other ag supporters

FUN!!!!!!!

What % of the population are vets?

1 2 3 4 5

0% 0% 0%0%0%

1. 21%

2. 14%

3. 10%

4. 7%

5. 3%

what makes vets unique as an audience?

vet’s personalities ?

• Myer’s Briggs ain’tworkin’

ISTJInspector

ISFPConservtor

INFJ counselor

INTJscientist

ISTPmechanic/crafter

ISFPcomposer

INFPhealer

INTP architect

ESTPpromoter

ESFPperformer

ENFPchampion

ENTPinventor

ESTJSupervisor

ESFPProvider

ENFJteacher

ENTJField marshal

Let’s consider archetypes

• Joseph Campbell

• cross cultural roles

• Pearson-Marr archtypeindicators

– warrior archetype

warrior archetype

• How they visualize issues - “defense of

boundaries”

• characteristics - plan well,

achieve goals,

honor (extremely important)

violence is not a risk to them

Warrior archetype

what calls out to the warrior

anything that is a great challenge

an obstacle

how the warrior respond –

defeat

to slay

to convert

Warrior archetype

What is their goal ?

to win, to make a difference

How do they see their task ?

to fight for what matters

What do they fear ?

weakness, impotence

working with vets

• the military never fully leaves them

• many wrestle with what they’ve become

• they have pride – rarely ho-hum

• strong sense of brotherhood with other vets and a desire to help their comrades

working relationships with vets

• the military is hierarchical

• as a service provider you are dominant

working with vets

• avoid generalities –

• institutions are grey areas to vets

• get down to the “us guy’s /gals level ”

working with vets

• veterans are high energy people

• they want high energy experiences

what we know works. . .

• peer teaching

• maximize any / all vet - vet relationships

• don’t teach ag in the belief that “farming will heal the veteran”

what we know that works

• nurture the vet and they will pass it on to others

(often to their #2’s)

• your first goal is to establish trust

• it should never be about you or your project

You said WHAT ! ! !

There is one question you never ask a veteran

What I’ve learned . . . .

Educational strategies that work better for vets

• intense week long immersion trainings

• solve the big question up front ?

• on line/world campus degrees esp. for active duty military

• 2 year associate programs

What doesn’t work well

• traditional 4 year bachelors programs

• unstructured internships