Veterans Day | A Message from Joe Ricker, Founder of At Ease Orchard
Today was an emotional day for this old veteran.
Attending the USDA Veterans Day ceremony in Washington, D.C., and hearing Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and other federal leaders speak about the connection between veterans and agriculture was deeply moving.
Their belief in the skills, experience, and leadership that veterans bring to American agriculture meant more to me than I can adequately express.
At At Ease Orchard, we believe veterans have much to offer agriculture, and agriculture has tremendous opportunities for those who have served.
Our mission is to help veterans put their experience, determination, and commitment to service to work in agriculture.
If you're a veteran interested in farming, or if you have a need, resource, or opportunity that could benefit a veteran, please reach out to our team. We want to hear from you.
Service doesn't end when the uniform comes off. We're here to help veterans continue serving through agriculture.
On this Veterans Day, thank you to all who have served.
Joe Ricker Founder, At Ease Orchard
VetFarm Network Live | Thursday, November 12, 2026 | 7 PM Eastern
You're at a farmers market, and a customer asks why your chicken costs $25 when they can buy one at the grocery store for $8.
You've been invited onto a podcast, and the host opens with, "Tell us a little about your farm."
Or you're sitting across from a lender, trying to explain why your farm expansion deserves financing.
Three very different situations, but they all require the same essential skill: the ability to explain what you do, make a convincing case, and get to the point.
For farmers, knowing how to communicate about their businesses is every bit as important as knowing how to produce what they sell. A good product doesn't always sell itself. A worthwhile project doesn't automatically receive funding. And an interesting farm story doesn't necessarily make a compelling interview.
Sometimes, the difference is knowing what to say when the opportunity presents itself.
Think about how differently you might describe your farm to a customer, a lender, or a newspaper reporter.
A customer wants to know what makes your products worth buying. A lender wants to understand whether your business is financially sound and how you plan to repay a loan. A reporter wants to know what's interesting about your farm and why readers should care.
Your farm hasn't changed, but what you choose to emphasize should.
Knowing your audience is the first step toward being persuasive.
It's also important to recognize that what feels ordinary to you as a farmer may be fascinating to someone else. The way you manage grazing, raise livestock, grow crops, or solve problems on your farm may be exactly what catches a customer's attention or gives a reporter an interesting story.
The challenge is recognizing which details matter, communicating them clearly, and knowing what you want the conversation to accomplish.
Farmers are often good at explaining what they're doing or describing the challenges they face. But there's another important part of communicating effectively: knowing what you want the other person to do next.
Are you hoping a customer will place an order? Do you want a lender to consider financing your project? Are you asking a legislator to support a particular policy? Would you like a podcast audience to visit your farm's website?
A good introduction should do more than make an impression. It should help move the conversation forward.
On Thursday, November 12, at 7 PM Eastern, the American VetFarm Network will host Your Farm in 30 Seconds, a 30-minute interactive Office Hours session focused on helping farmers communicate more effectively.
We'll work on three essential skills:
Know your audience. Understand what matters to the person you're speaking with.
Make your case. Use specific, credible information to explain your farm's value.
Make your ask. Be clear about what you'd like to accomplish.
We'll explore real situations farmers encounter, from farmers market conversations and podcast interviews to grant applications, financing discussions, and meetings with legislators.
You'll also have the opportunity to develop and improve your own 30-second farm pitch.
Have paper and a pencil handy! We'll be doing a few short exercises throughout the session, and you'll get the most out of it by working on your own introduction as we go.
Whether you're operating an established farm or still developing your farm business, this is a skill worth building.
VetFarm Network Live: Your Farm in 30 Seconds
Thursday, November 12, 2026 7:00 PM Eastern 30 minutes | Live on Zoom
Open to veteran farmers, service members, and military spouses. Send kate@ateaseorchard.com and email or use the VetFarm Network app to sign up. We hope you can make it!
Tell Your Story. Make Your Case. Open Doors.
The American VetFarm Network is a program of At Ease Orchard, supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture's 2501 Program.
Veterans, service members, and military spouses interested in starting or growing a farm or ranch business are invited to participate in Boots to Business Reboot for Farmers and Ranchers on September 15, 2026.
The one-day virtual course is part of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Boots to Business program and is offered in partnership with USDA. The agriculture-focused session is designed for participants who are exploring or developing farm and ranch businesses and want a stronger foundation in business planning and entrepreneurship.
The class will run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern and is offered at no cost to eligible participants.
Boots to Business Reboot for Farmers and Ranchers will cover key topics involved in developing an agriculture-based business, including evaluating a business opportunity, conducting market research, selecting a legal structure, understanding the economics of agriculture, developing a business plan, financing a venture, and identifying SBA and USDA resources that may be available.
The course will also include speakers from USDA, veteran farm business owners, SBA resource partners, and other industry experts.
The program is open to active-duty service members, including National Guard and Reserve members, veterans of all eras, and military spouses.
The September class is being offered through VetBizCentral, a nonprofit organization that has supported veteran entrepreneurs since 2005. VetBizCentral serves military personnel, veterans, Guard and Reserve members, and their families through no-cost entrepreneurship training, business counseling, and small business development assistance.
VetBizCentral also operates as part of the Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) program, which provides support to transitioning service members, veterans, and military families who are interested in starting, purchasing, or growing a business.
More information about VetBizCentral and its programs is available at:
https://www.vetbizcentral.org/
Registration for the September 15 Boots to Business Reboot for Farmers and Ranchers class is available through the SBA Boots to Business program:
https://bootstobusiness.sba.gov/s/class/a00SJ00001MtXW9YAN/vetbiz-central-inconline20260915reboot
For questions about the course, contact:
Mark Clement Boots to Business Manager VetBizCentral 810-767-8387 mark@vetbizcentral.org
Veterans interested in additional farm-specific resources, educational events, and connections can also visit the American VetFarm Network, a program of At Ease Orchard:
https://www.ateaseorchard.org/VetFarm-Network
At Ease Orchard is trying a new way to help veterans and military-connected farmers find good information, useful opportunities, and people who understand agriculture.
The VetFarm Network is an At Ease Orchard program for veterans, currently serving military members, military spouses, and the people and organizations that serve the military and veteran community through agriculture.
As part of that work, At Ease Orchard has built a new web app that works right in your browser, so there is nothing to download.
And it is still very much a work in progress.
The goal is to create another place where the military and veteran farming community can ask questions, find resources, learn about opportunities, and connect with people who may be able to help.
Farm questions have a way of becoming urgent.
Maybe cold weather is coming and you suddenly need to know the best way to get a chicken coop ready for winter. Maybe you are trying to understand a fencing problem, looking for financing, or figuring out which USDA program might apply to your farm.
Sometimes you do not need an entire course.
You need a useful answer now.
The VetFarm Network gives participants a place to ask those questions and get a quick response or be pointed toward a resource that may help.
It also gives experienced veteran farmers another way to contribute.
Running a farm is demanding. Not everyone has time to host a formal mentorship, travel to a conference, or take on another major commitment. But someone may have five minutes to answer a question about poultry housing, grazing, equipment, markets, or another subject they know well.
That kind of exchange can be valuable.
One of the biggest pieces already inside the VetFarm Network is the Field Guide.
It includes more than 200 agricultural resources from Extension, universities, USDA programs, nonprofits, and agricultural organizations.
The idea grew in part from At Ease Orchard’s free one-on-one farm support.
A farmer might ask one question, and the follow-up could include an Extension publication, a USDA program, a business planning tool, and the contact information for another organization.
All of those resources might be useful, but they can also become a lot of links to keep track of.
The Field Guide gives those resources a place to live so farmers can come back and find them again.
Topics include farm business planning, financing, livestock, crops, marketing, land access, production, and more.
Facebook and other social platforms are still useful places for farmers to connect and share information.
But feeds move quickly. A good resource shared today may be difficult to find later, and a useful conversation can easily get buried.
The VetFarm Network is an experiment in creating another kind of space.
It has some of the feel of a group workspace like Slack, where people can ask questions and share information, while also incorporating features that will feel familiar to people who use online groups.
It is not meant to replace social media.
It is simply another place for the military and veteran farming community to connect.
The web app also includes an Exchange.
Farmers are good at reusing things, and farms have a way of accumulating equipment, materials, shelters, tools, and supplies that may still have plenty of life left in them.
Maybe you have something another farmer could use.
Maybe someone else has exactly the thing you have been trying to find.
The Exchange gives members another place to make those connections and keep useful farm items in use.
The VetFarm Network is also intended for the many people and organizations serving veterans through agriculture.
Extension professionals, universities, veteran farm incubators, nonprofits, government agencies, agricultural organizations, and other cooperators can share events, educational programs, resources, and opportunities through the network.
There is already a tremendous amount of good work happening around the country.
Often the challenge is simply helping the right veteran hear about the right opportunity at the right time.
Creating another way to make those connections is an important part of what At Ease Orchard hopes the VetFarm Network can become.
The VetFarm Network is still growing.
At Ease Orchard is testing it, learning from how people use it, and figuring out which parts are most helpful.
Veterans, currently serving military members, military spouses, and the people and organizations that serve this community through agriculture are invited to explore the app, ask questions, use the Field Guide, share events, and offer feedback.
Explore the VetFarm Network: https://www.ateaseorchard.org/VetFarm-Network
Veterans IN Farming members Steve and Ethel Baker of IrishMudd Farm are featured in the latest episode of the VetFarm Network Podcast.
You may have met Steve and Ethel at the Veterans IN Farming conference earlier this spring. Their Indiana veteran-owned farm began in 2014 and has grown to include KuneKune pigs, laying hens, heritage turkeys, pheasants, peafowl, and sheep, including Valais Blacknose and Lincoln Longwool.
In the episode, they share how IrishMudd Farm got started, how the operation has developed over time, and the animals and farm products that are now part of their work. They also talk about their involvement with Veterans IN Farming and what it has been like to build a diversified farm in Indiana.
Indiana has a long agricultural history, and veteran farmers continue to be an important part of it. Veterans IN Farming began in Indiana to help veterans involved in agriculture connect with one another, learn about available resources, and take part in educational events.
That work is now connected to the American VetFarm Network, a national program of At Ease Orchard funded through USDA NIFA’s 2501 Program. The network provides educational events, one-on-one assistance, agricultural resources, referrals, and opportunities for veterans, service members, military spouses, and people who work with veterans in agriculture to connect and share information.
The VetFarm Network Podcast is one part of that work. Episodes feature veteran farmers and agricultural professionals discussing topics such as grants, farm financing, production, training opportunities, agricultural programs, and the day-to-day realities of building a farm business.
This latest episode brings the conversation back to Indiana and features fellow Veterans IN Farming members sharing the story of a farm many in the community may already know.
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@vetfarmnetwork
Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vetfarm-network-podcast/id1804665275
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7eAYsXhaJnBqqatG8IoI0R
The American VetFarm Network continues to grow as a place for veterans, service members, military families, and agricultural partners to connect with farming education, resources, and support.
This month, we have several updates to share, including our next VetFarm Network Live office hours, beta testing for the new American VetFarm Network app, and several recent podcast conversations now available online.
Our next VetFarm Network Live office hours will be held on July 9 at 7 p.m. ET. This month, we’ll be talking about growing Christmas trees with George B. Tucker Jr. of Tucker Family Tree Farm in Ludlow, Vermont.
George is a fourth-generation farmer helping guide the next chapter of his family’s farm by establishing a Christmas tree operation. While relatively new to Christmas tree production, he has spent the past five years planting and developing the farm’s first generation of trees. He brings the perspective of someone building a new operation from the ground up while learning from experienced growers along the way.
This conversation is a good fit for anyone beginning to think about trees as a farm enterprise, whether that means Christmas trees, another tree-based enterprise, or simply exploring how long-term perennial crops might fit into a farm plan.
Register in advance here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/pYTb3Ej0QieMcRvmc0vTqA
After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link.
We are also beginning beta testing for the American VetFarm Network app, a new online space we are developing to help veterans, service members, military families, and partners connect around farming and agricultural work.
The app includes a Field Guide with trusted resources, a Network discussion area, an Events calendar, and an Exchange for sharing farm-related opportunities, equipment, products, jobs, land access, and other listings.
The app is still in development, and we welcome early users who are willing to test it, explore the features, and share feedback.
Request access here: https://vetfarmnetwork.lovable.app/welcome
Over the past month, the American VetFarm Network podcast has featured conversations with farmers, lenders, state agriculture leaders, veteran-serving organizations, and military-connected farm families.
Recent episodes include discussions on farm financing with Farm Credit Mid-America, veteran farming support in Alabama through Operation Grow, veteran agriculture resources in West Virginia, community-based veteran support with America’s Warrior Partnership and Indy Warrior Partnership, and building a veteran-owned family farm with IrishMudd Farm.
These conversations are designed to help veterans, service members, and military families hear real stories, learn from different parts of the agriculture community, and think through possible next steps in farming.
Watch recent episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@vetfarmnetwork
The podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts/iTunes and Spotify.
The American VetFarm Network is a program of At Ease Orchard supporting veterans, service members, and military families who are exploring farming or getting a beginning farm business started.
Through VetFarm Network Live, one-on-one farm coaching, the Field Guide, podcast conversations, and the developing app, we are working to make farming resources easier to find and easier to navigate.
This work is supported by USDA NIFA 2501.
The next Next Acre cohort will begin in October.
Next Acre is a strategic business acceleration program for farm and food entrepreneurs who are ready to take a closer look at their business, strengthen their systems, and plan for growth.
The program guides participants through a structured process of evaluating, strengthening, and scaling their businesses. Through facilitated workshops, individualized advising, peer learning, and practical planning tools, participants develop a comprehensive Strategic Growth Roadmap and leave with a clear action plan for implementation.
Next Acre may be a good fit for farmers and food business owners who are asking questions like:
Where is my business headed next?
What systems are holding us back?
Are we ready to scale?
What needs to change before we grow?
How do we make stronger business decisions?
Participants do not just leave with ideas. The goal is to help each business owner create a clear roadmap they can use after the program ends.
Past participants have shared:
“Next Acre has really inspired me to hone in on the systems that are keeping us from moving to the next level of success. It has also given me a lot of confidence to make the necessary changes that I know will lead to real growth.”
“I’ve definitely gained perspective in my business from the program so far. It has caused me to pause and clearly think about where we are going and where we need to go from here.”
If you are a farm or food entrepreneur thinking seriously about your next stage of growth, this is a good time to learn more.
Learn more about Next Acre: https://www.ateaseorchard.org/Next-Acre
One of the most common requests I hear through American VetFarm Network is help finding farm funding.
USDA programs through FSA and NRCS are often a good place to start, but they are not the only tools available. There are also nonprofit grants, private funding opportunities, cost-share programs, and funding libraries that can help farmers find options that may fit their farm goals.
Before applying for most grants, it helps to have a few basics in place:
Where you are farming
What you plan to produce
Who your customers are
How you plan to market or sell your product
What the grant would help you accomplish
You do not need a perfect business plan, but having a simple plan will make most applications stronger. Many grants are designed to fund a specific project, not a general idea, so it helps to be clear about what you need, why it matters, and how it fits your farm.
Many grant programs also have narrow application windows. It is worth checking funding resources regularly and planning ahead so you are not trying to pull everything together at the last minute.
Here are a few places to browse:
Ambrook has a searchable farm funding library where you can filter by funding type, location, project type, and more. This link is filtered for regenerative agriculture opportunities:
https://ambrook.com/funding?tag=Regenerative
MAD Agriculture has a guide focused on government funding sources for regenerative farmers in the United States. It can be a useful reference for farmers trying to understand where public funding may fit into their farm plans.
https://stage.madagriculture.org/assets/files/sources-of-government-funding-for-regenerative-farmers-in-the-usa.pdf
Farm Aid’s Ag Funding Library includes grants, loans, and relief payment programs for farms, ranches, and agricultural businesses. It is a good place to browse current opportunities.
https://www.farmaid.org/our-work/resources-for-farmers/ag-funding-library/
Food Animal Concerns Trust, also known as FACT, offers Fund-a-Farmer grants for livestock and poultry farmers working to improve animal welfare and humane farming practices.
The next Fund-a-Farmer grant cycle is expected to open in November 2026, so this is a good one to keep on your radar if you raise livestock or poultry.
https://www.foodanimalconcernstrust.org/blog/facts-fund-a-farmer-grants-are-now-open
Grant listings are a starting point, not a guarantee of funding. Always read the eligibility requirements, check deadlines, and make sure the opportunity fits your farm’s actual goals before applying.
If you are working on a grant application and would like another set of eyes on it, I am happy to review applications or talk through whether an opportunity looks like a good fit.
— Kate VetFarm Network Project Director
Kate@ateaseorchard.com
It has been a busy month at At Ease Orchard and the incubator farms.
At Porter Farm, our recent rain barrel class was a success, with 20 people in attendance. Thank you to everyone who came out to learn more about water conservation and practical ways to support gardens and small farms. Hendricks County Soil and Water Conservation District also shared a fun video recap from the class on their Facebook page.
At Ease Orchard also donated 32 whole chickens to the Gathering of the Queens food pantry in Anderson, Indiana. We are grateful for the opportunity to support local food access and help get farm-raised food into the community.
We are continuing our presence at the Pendleton Farmers Market in Pendleton, Indiana. The market is also looking for more produce growers, so local farmers who are interested in another market outlet may want to reach out and learn more.
At Joe’s farm, the high tunnel is shifting into warm-season production. Cucumbers and green beans are starting to produce, and plenty of tomatoes are on the way.
Thank you to everyone who continues to support At Ease Orchard, our incubator farms, and the farmers working to grow food for their communities.
— Christina Magers Farm Manager, At Ease Orchard
It may be July, but Christmas tree season starts long before December.
For farmers thinking about adding a seasonal enterprise, Christmas trees can be an interesting option. They can fit into a diversified farm, create a strong local customer experience, and offer both wholesale and direct-to-consumer opportunities. They also require planning, land, patience, and a clear understanding of the market before planting.
That is why our July VetFarm Network Live office hours will focus on Christmas tree farming, including wholesale logistics and you-pick operations.
This session will look at Christmas trees as a farm enterprise and help participants think through some of the early questions that matter, including:
This session is for veterans, service members, military spouses, and others interested in farming, homesteading, or rural business.
You do not need to already be growing Christmas trees to attend. This is a good fit for people who are exploring farm enterprises, comparing options, or wanting to better understand what goes into this type of seasonal farm business.
VetFarm Network Live is a monthly virtual office hours session hosted by American VetFarm Network. Each month focuses on a different topic related to farming, farm business, homesteading, or rural life.
These sessions are informal and discussion-based. They are not recorded so participants can ask questions more freely.
Christmas in July: Christmas Tree Farming Office Hours Date: Thursday, July 9, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM Eastern Location: Online via Zoom
Registration is required to receive the Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/pYTb3Ej0QieMcRvmc0vTqA
American VetFarm Network is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s 2501 Program.