Farm Ops

Veterans in Agriculture

Project Lead: Nina Saeli
Veterans Assistant: Tess Noble Strohm

There are approximately 19 million U.S military veterans, representing less than 10% of the total U.S. adult population. New York State is home to over 800,000 of that military veteran population. Not commonly known and understood, military service members have unique skill sets, which easily transfer to several agricultural or horticulture vocations.

Farm Ops provides the means for veterans, active duty service members, reservists, and members of the national guard to explore agricultural and horticulture avenues. These individuals may be seeking prospects to be their own boss, paths to connect with the soil or with nature, ventures to continue to serve the community in which they work and live, or just opportunities to connect with other veterans. Whatever their interests, Farm Ops aims to serve and support the men and women of NYS, who dedicated their lives in service and support of our nation.

Mission & Vision

To support military service members and veterans who desire to explore and/or pursue agricultural vocations.

  • Provide a framework within which veterans can connect with their community, other military veterans involved in agriculture, and resources including targeted programs, information networks, and organizations oriented towards helping veterans transition to agricultural vocations.
  • Grow the relationships between Farm Ops and the NYS military/veteran communities.
  • Assist in synchronizing the efforts of veteran service/support organizations and farmer-oriented service organizations to gain efficiencies and better align services to farmer veteran needs.

Farm Ops Resources

Join our email list to hear about new resources as they’re added.

Events

Events

Today

  • Air Pruned Raised Beds for Tree Seedling Production

    Dilmun Hill Farm 705 Dryden Rd, Ithaca, United States

    Join the Cornell Small Farms Program for a hands-on workshop introducing Air Pruned Raised Beds (APRBs) from construction to implementation. This session will cover APRB design, build, materials, growing media, […]

Farm Ops News and Updates

  • NYS Farmer Veteran Training and Support Needs Assessment Survey

    by

    Nina Saeli

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    Dear NYS Farmer Veterans, In an attempt to determine the training and support needs of farmer veterans in New York State regarding the Food Safety Moderation Act, Good Agricultural Practices Certification, and the writing/updating of Food Safety Plans, we have developed a short survey. If you are a farmer veteran producing fruits or vegetables, we ask…

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  • Farm Ops hosts Stress & Pain Reduction with Aromatherapy and Self Massage Workshops

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    Rich Mattingly

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    Farm Ops recently hosted two workshops designed to support farmer veterans in managing stress and improving well-being through holistic self-care techniques. Led by licensed massage therapist Bec Groves-Haley, these sessions introduced participants to the benefits of aromatherapy and self-massage as accessible tools for maintaining physical and mental health. The first event was a virtual seminar…

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  • Farm Ops and Clear Path Collaborate on Self-Care for Veterans

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    Sarah Bassman

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    In a recent collaboration between Farm Ops and Clear Path for Veterans, a hands-on self-care workshop provided veterans with an opportunity to create personalized wellness products while learning about holistic self-care. Led by licensed massage therapist Bec Haley, the workshop invited participants to Clear Path for Veterans in Chittenango, N.Y., to craft their own collection…

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  • Veteran Workshops: Foraging for Color and Botanical Printing

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    Sarah Bassman

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    Farm Ops recently hosted two workshops in collaboration with fiber artist Sarah Gotowka, aimed at introducing farmer veterans to the possibilities of value-added enterprises through natural dyeing techniques. These events showcased how growing and processing dye plants could complement flower and herb farming businesses. The first workshop was a virtual event where Gotowka led an…

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  • Farm Ops Scholarship: Mushroom Farming 101

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    Rich Mattingly

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    Farm Ops provided four scholarships to farmer veterans to attend a hands-on mushroom cultivation event hosted by farmer veteran David DeLaMater and his wife, Mary, at their Dough Haven Farm. The event offered participants an opportunity to learn about sustainable farming practices, mushroom cultivation, and the health benefits of incorporating mushrooms into a balanced diet.…

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See the full archive from Farm Ops

nina-saeli-sfp-staff-headshot

About Nina Saeli

Nina joined the Small Farms Program in 2020 after five years of collaboration with the program as a beginning farmer.  She works to support both current and future farmer-veteran programming efforts. Nina’s transitioning from almost 20 years of military service into the civilian community helps to inform the program on how of some of the physical, social, and psychological challenges veterans face. Nina’s work aims to help transitioning veterans find solace in aspect of agriculture that supports that veterans health, self sustainability, community inclusion or other life goals.

Tess-Noble-Strohm-sfp-headshot

About Tess Noble Strohm

Tess joined the Small Farms Program in 2025 as a veterans project assistant with Farm Ops. Her love of the outdoors began by hunting for insects in her Brooklyn backyard as a child. After studying environmental science at Bard College, she worked on a small farm in the Hudson Valley, and then went on to study soil science at Colorado State University. Tess moved to Ithaca, NY, to work as a Research Support Specialist at the Cornell Soil Health Lab before joining the Farm Ops team where she helps veterans thrive in agriculture and ensures they have the tools and resources they need to succeed.

Subscribe for Updates and Opportunities

The Farm Ops SITREP is a monthly email digest built for farmer veterans. Emails will share upcoming events and training/educational opportunities, external news, curated agricultural articles, stories about fellow farmer veterans across New York State, and more.

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