Agricultural "therapy" for veterans. What are your thoughts?

SPC Mathew Brady — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 12:35:05 -0500

How do many of you feel about the use of farming as a form of therapy for veterans with TBI and PTSD? My organization has been using bottle calves and other forms of farming to help struggling veterans for the last two years but always looking for advice to make it better and more successful. Our goal is to empower veterans interested in farming to know that they can farm on their own with proper knowledge and training. Nothing more satisfying to me than helping a fellow veteran follow their dreams

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 1 at 2014 8:12 PM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 20:12:47 -0500

SPC Mathew Brady, animals have long been used for therapy, so I'm not surprised to hear that you are using bottle calves to help struggling veterans. That sounds like a great idea!

My question would be this: Going from "therapy" with bottle calves to running your own farm seems to be quite a giant step. I'm sure I'm not the first person to think or say that. Do you have a program or a training plan to go from "therapy" with bottle calves to farming on one's own?

Response by SFC Boots Attaway made Dec 1 at 2014 8:51 PM

SFC Boots Attaway — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 20:51:42 -0500

SPC Mathew Brady for those who live in the city with a small yard teach them the Square Foot Garden method. I have been doing this for years and I love it. You do NOT need a garden tiller or tractor just some 4'x4'x1' boxes and good soil. 120 green onions will fit into 1sqft,1 bell pepper in 1sqft and so on. There is a book with this title by Mel Bartholomew.

Response by SPC Jack Hunt, JR made Dec 2 at 2014 4:57 PM

SPC Jack Hunt, JR — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 16:57:30 -0500

I have been told that the cultivation of marijuana is very therapeutic. Now on the serious side I have some both equine and K9 therapy and have to say when it's totally quiet and it's you and the animal working together that a sense of peace comes over you.

I am not certin if it just slows our minds and focuses us on something other than the norm or what but it is beneficial.

Response by SGT Joni Hughes made Apr 7 at 2017 2:38 PM

SGT Joni Hughes — Fri, 07 Apr 2017 14:38:13 -0400

This is an amazing thing that you are doing, definitely productive, and we definitely need more people in Agriculture today. We have way too many that want to focus on Technology/desk jobs, albeit some may be important. We still need those that are willing to take up the Agricultural fields as well....

Response by SGT Herbert Bollum made Apr 28 at 2020 4:18 PM

SGT Herbert Bollum — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 16:18:34 -0400

I have only 2.2 acres with 12 alpacas and enjoy it