Tag Archive for: Armed to Farm

Goat milking Photo courtesy Scott McClenahanPhoto courtesy Scott McClenahan

Applications Open for Armed to Farm New Mexico

The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is partnering with Holistic Management International (HMI) to bring its Armed to Farm training to the Southwest. Armed to Farm will take place March 28-April 1, 2022, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Participants will attend classroom sessions and travel to local farms for hands-on learning experiences.

Alumni Spotlight: Tammi and Stephen Bell, Waterline Farm

Tammi and Stephen attended the Armed to Farm held in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in 2018. They operate a diversified small farm in Pryor, Oklahoma. Tammi recently sent us an update on their farm: “Sometimes it seems that we haven’t made much progress, but as we reviewed how much we have grown and learned since ATF it has been an amazing journey."
Cleveland high tunnelNCAT

NCAT and Ranchin’ Vets Partner to Make Armed to Farm Trainings Accessible to More Farmer Veterans

The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and Ranchin’ Vets have teamed up to offer a new level of support for military veterans interested in sustainable agriculture training opportunities. Ranchin’ Vets will fund a one-time transportation stipend directly to veterans selected to participate in NCAT’s Armed to Farm training program.

Episode 224. From the Air Force to Alpacas

Alvina Maynard credits a commercial she happened to see on television…
Cleveland high tunnelNCAT

NCAT Programs Help Service Members Succeed in Agriculture

Do you know what 11% of U.S. producers have in common? It’s not that they grow tomatoes or sell at farmers markets—it’s that they have served or are serving in the military. And do you know who offers training and networking opportunities specifically for military veterans interested in sustainable farming operations? NCAT does!
By Margo Hale, Southeast Regional Director and Livestock Specialist
ATF website screenshot

New Digital Home for NCAT’s Armed to Farm

The National Center for Appropriate Technology has launched a new website for its farmer veteran training program, Armed to Farm. The site, ARMEDTOFARM.ORG, features program news, promotes upcoming training opportunities, and connects alumni with sustainable agriculture resources and other farmer veterans. 
By Robyn Metzger, Armed to Farm Coordinator
Modern Farmer

‘Modern Farmer’ Features Armed to Urban Farm Alum

Armed to Urban Farm alum De’Keither Stamps is featured in the latest “Meet the Modern Farmer” section of the online magazine Modern Farmer. A veteran of both the Marine Corps and Army, De’Keither returned to his native Mississippi after 12 years of military service.

Episode 212. Forty Years Later, Mr. Burch is Back on the Farm

In this episode of Voices from the Field, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture…
Person crouching down and picking Strawberries at Appel Farms

NCAT’s Armed to Farm Returns to In-Person Training

In January 2020, NCAT’s Armed to Farm team was busy making plans to host eight workshops, including one in Fayetteville, Arkansas, in June 2020. However, by late April it had become clear that we would not be able to meet in person for some time. After a year of waiting and hoping and Zooming, we were thrilled to finally host the 25th week-long Armed to Farm in May 2021 at Mount Sequoyah Retreat Center in Fayetteville. We were so happy to be back with a group of military veterans eager and ready to learn about sustainable farming.
By Robyn Metzger, Armed to Farm Coordinator

USDA Programs Can Help Farmers Succeed

Part of my role as an NCAT Agriculture Specialist is to connect farmers to the resources that they need, so I always include USDA agencies in our Armed to Farm trainings for military veterans and other educational events we organize. The USDA has dozens of agencies and programs to help farmers—as depicted in the graphic below—but for this blog I will mention just a few.
By Margo Hale, NCAT Southeast Regional Director, Armed to Farm Program Director, and Agriculture Specialist