America Needs A Million New Farmers, Veterans Want the Job!

Joined by filmmaker Dulanie Ellis, in honor of the Veteran’s Day holiday, Santa Barbara Permaculture Network hosts a film showing of “Ground Operations: Battlefields to Farmfields, a inspiring documentary describing a national movement to connect veterans to agriculture.

In a world full of problems, Ground Operations is a story about solutions. The transition from combat to civilian life is a challenge for many veterans. But farming provides not only employment but physical respite and a means for therapeutic recovery. As the U.S. is losing farmers to retirement and the USDA is calling for one million new farmers to fill the gap, can agriculture’s problem become our veterans’ solution?

Farming and ranching offer a place to de-escalate from war. Ground Operations champions a growing number of veterans who are reclaiming their lives with new careers in sustainable agriculture.

Sharing why they joined the military, how the war experienced changed them, what the daunting return to civilian life has been, how they struggled to find a positive pathway forward and ultimately, when they found sustainable agriculture to be an answer to a dream. Their stories are as inspiring as they are pragmatic as they find their next mission, food security for America.

Following the film, there will be a discussion about the role veterans can play as farmers, ranchers and artisan food producers. Please join us!

~In honor of the Veterans Day holiday, all donations will go to the Ground Operations Campaign~

The event takes place on Sunday, November 9, 7-9pm, at the downtown Santa Barbara Central Library, Faulkner Gallery,40 E. Anapamu St, 93101. Donation $10, no reservations required. More info: www.sbpermaculture.org, margie@sbpermaculture.org, 805-962-2571.

Hosted by: Santa Barbara Permaculture Network
www.sbpermaculture.org

Co-sponsors: Santa Barbara Food Alliance, SB Independent, Fund for Santa Barbara, Edible Santa Barbara Magazine, Isla Vista Food Coop, Hopedance Media, SOL Food Festival, Sojourner Cafe, Santa Barbara, Foodbank of Santa Barbara County and Slow Money Santa Barbara

More Info:

Ground Operations: Battlefields to Farmfields is a social action campaign featuring a Documentary Film, a companion E-Book, and a National Tour, with a goal to strengthen the veterans-in-agriculture network and increase their resources, so that they can create healthy new lives for themselves and sustainable food security for us all. Learn more: www.groundoperations.net
Film Trailer on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZskF1VwvZSU

Homegrown by Heroes Brand:
Homegrown by Heroes is the USDA certification for agricultural operations owned by veterans: www.hgbh.org

The Farm Bureau Resource Guide to Assist Veterans in Agriculture
http://mdfarmbureau.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/FBVetGuide_LR_Final1-2014.pdf

Farmer Veteran Coalition Facebook & Website
https://www.facebook.com/farmerveterancoalition/

From Santa Barbara Independent – Oct. 7, 2014

http://www.independent.com/releases/2014/oct/07/ground-operations-battlefields-farmfields