Progress 09/01/17 to 08/31/20
Outputs
Target Audience:SAVE is a 501(c)(3) public charity and non-governmental organization that provides training and mentorship for transitioning service members and veterans interested in careers in agriculture. Creating a pathway to farming for veterans and service members not only addresses an increasing shortage in the agricultural workforce, it provides a meaningful way of life and potential hands-on healing for traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The BFRDP and SAVE work as a collaborative unit to advance their collective and mutually supportive goals. Changes/Problems:A large challenge is the broad range of vision throughout the board of directors. SAVE was started with very ambitious goals that are not out of the realm of possiblilty, but without a priority of which should be accomplished first. Many board members are more than willing to provide assistance, but without prioritized goals, this effort went in several directions. Recently, the organization has created a strategic plan and has begun to more effectively focus on what the board feels are the most important pieces first. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?SAVE has created a website with information on admission and academics, as well as a published strategic plan for the organization. The organization is also very active on social media, and at community events. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The program has exceeded initial expectations of serving 30 service members and veterans per year with a total of 467 individuals having received at least one class. SAVE has started a successful company, Golden Prairie Honey Farm. Through the bee operation, honey processing, wood shop, and store front, students have an opportunity to work as apprentices while gaining valuable experience with trained Master Bee-keepers. Through this program, SAVE has sent 64 students through the University of Montana Beekeeping course, and 275 students have attended on-site Beekeeping Bootcamp.
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Progress 09/01/18 to 08/31/19
Outputs
Target Audience:SAVE is a 501(c)(3) public charity and non-governmental organization that provides training and mentorship for transitioning service members and veterans interested in careers in agriculture. Creating a pathway to farming for veterans and service members not only addresses an increasing shortage in the agricultural workforce, it provides a meaningful way of life and potential hands-on healing for traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The BFRDP and SAVE work as a collaborative unit to advance their collective and mutually supportive goals. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?In line with the above stated goals, SAVE Farm has begun using a 300 acre tract of land to conduct farming and ranching operations. This includes working to plant and harvest crops including corn, soybeans, and sorghum, as well as working a head of over 20 head of catle. A storefront and woodworking shop has been developed to allow students to learn the basics of bekeeping, and the skills necessary to build their own hives and equipment. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period, we plan to work to develop an educational model to allow students to continue their education and gain the necessary experience to begin operations of their own. We aso plan to develop a more sustainable financial model through tuition and donation funds. Through private funding, SAVE is working to purchase the land we have been renting to allow for more effecient operation and growth.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
SAVE Farm conducted several recruiting events including Ft. Riley Apple Days festival, Manhattan Veteran's Day Parade, and other job fairs in the area. There were more than 15 farm tours conducted across the state, that led to more than 10 students receiving college accredited education through Cloud County Community College.
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Progress 09/01/17 to 08/31/18
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience(s) reached by the efforts of SAVE (Servicemember Agricultural Vocation Education) is servicemembers transitioning from life in the military that wish to find a meaningful, fulfilling future career and lifestyle in farming and ranching. Coupled with appropriate integration of therapy and other therapeutic benefits, SAVE intends to be a bridge for the 1,500,000 veterans and 800,000 transitioning service members soon to become veterans; a significant number of them that wish to find farming or farm-related occupations after their time of service. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Multiple opportunitites for trainign and professional development have been provided due to this grant. Each of the objectives listed above have an opportunity for training and professional development, most specificially: Training of beekeeping and professional development of beekeeping courses Training and professional development of agricultural-related careers (farming and ranching-focused) through farm tours On-farm training and professional development through the creation of an intern program for mentor/mentee relationships with servicemembers and experienced agriculturalists How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results have been disseminated to communities of interest by a multiple-prong approach. While the program is still in its beginning phase, results have been shared via the SAVE website (www.thesavefarm.org), as well as through various publications of the organization. Ongoing communications and results have been shared with the Fort Riley Warrior Transition Battalion, USARMY MEDCOM, appropriate local mental health agencies, and Veteran's Affairs (VA). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period, we plan to work closely with all interested parties to continue the growth of the project. All objectives will be reviewed to determine areas of concern and success.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
During the fist year of the grant, the following long-term goals were achieved through the following objectives: 1) Provide hands-on experience establishing and maintaining healthy bee hives: The apiary and bee hive operation of SAVE (Golden Prairie Honey Farms) was expanded during Year One to provide this additional hands-on experience. Additionally, over 18 veterans and servicemembers were supported in taking Apprentice and Master-level beekeeping courses in order to gain necessary knowledge to tend and care for the growing hives over the coming years, as well as run their own successful beekeeping operations in the future. 2) Provide career orientation through organized farm tours focused on the development of skills and knowledge in animal husbandry, production agriculture, and farm business management: During the spring and summer of 2018, over 15 targeted "farm tours" were successfully carried out, each with an average participation of 20 individuls from Fort Riley and other intersted local area servicemembers. These tours were expertly planned to provide attendees with a wide-rance of farming and ranching career orientation, including visiting a local small niche farm, livestock market, agronomic test plot, traditional cow-calf operation, row-crop operation during harvest, and greenhouse, amongst others. 3) Expand the regional network of mentors and succession opportunities and build meaningful sustained relationships betwen beginning farmer veteran and experienced producers: While the program was just getting off the ground during Year One, SAVE was able to create nine (9) separate farmer-veteran mentor relationships, whereas the servicemember or veteran acted as an intern for the farmer or rancher. It is too soon to determine whether these relationships will be able to be sustained, but many individuals have contacted SAVE due to the fact that they are nearing retirement age or are intersted in having a quality, reliable workforce, as well as a targeted means for succession planning.
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