There’s no shortage of advice online about farming.

Buy this tractor. Build this barn. Get these animals. Install this fencing. Start this business model. Scale quickly. Diversify immediately.

For many beginning farmers, especially veterans transitioning into agriculture, it can quickly become overwhelming — and expensive.

One of the most common conversations we hear from beginning producers is some version of:
“I wish I had slowed down before spending money on that.”

Agriculture has always required hard work, patience, and problem solving, but modern farming also comes with constant pressure to scale up quickly and invest heavily from the start. Equipment, infrastructure, livestock, land improvements, and marketing all compete for attention and resources.

The truth is that many successful farms were not built overnight. They were built one project, one season, and one lesson at a time.

That idea is part of the reason we are launching:

VetFarm Network Live

VetFarm Network Live is a new monthly virtual gathering hosted by the American VetFarm Network, a program of At Ease Orchard.

These sessions are designed to be practical, welcoming, and conversational — a place for veterans and their caregivers/spouses interested in farming and homesteading to ask questions, hear real experiences, learn about resources, and connect with others exploring agriculture.

This is not intended to feel like a formal webinar or lecture series.

Instead, VetFarm Network Live is meant to create space for honest conversations around farming, beginning agriculture, homesteading, and rural entrepreneurship. Some participants may already be farming full-time. Others may still be exploring whether agriculture is the right fit for their future.

Both are welcome.

Our first session will focus on:

What Beginning Farmers Usually Overspend On

We’ll discuss:

• equipment purchases
• infrastructure priorities
• livestock startup considerations
• scaling too quickly
• balancing farm goals with financial reality
• lessons learned from real-world experience.

The session will be hosted live on Zoom and will not be recorded, allowing participants to ask questions and participate more openly and casually.

As the American VetFarm Network grows, we also plan to continue developing:

• educational webinars with agricultural experts
• in-person gatherings and regional events
• technical assistance opportunities
• peer networking connections
• practical educational content focused on farming and rural entrepreneurship.

In March 2026, the network hosted its first major in-person gathering in Indiana with strong participation from veterans, beginning farmers, agricultural educators, and partner organizations. We look forward to continuing to grow those connections nationally through both in-person and virtual opportunities.

Join Us

VetFarm Network Live
What Beginning Farmers Usually Overspend On

Thursday, June 11, 2026
7:00 PM Eastern
Hosted Live on Zoom

Registration required:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/pYTb3Ej0QieMcRvmc0vTqA

Questions?
kate@ateaseorchard.com

Hosted by the American VetFarm Network, a program of At Ease Orchard.

This work is supported by the 2501 Program, project award no. GRANT14203436, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.