Volunteer Spotlight: Barbi Troske
Barbi is retired from Haggen where she worked for 23 years, she is a master gardener, and is pursuing a degree in art history. She has been volunteering with GV for a little over two years now and I had the privilege to sit down and talk with her about her time here.
Q: How long have you been affiliated with GV?
A: “This is my second season. So, about two years.”
Q: How did you get involved with GV?
A: “I went to a plant sale at Bellewood Acres because they advertised organic starts and it’s hard to find organic plant starts for vegetables and I wanted some for my garden. So, I went and met a couple gals who were doing a booth (for GV) and I bought a bunch of starts, made a donation, and they gave me stickers that I put on my water bottle. At my job, and I cant remember if it was her nephew, I think it was Sean’s (the former Executive Director) aunt said, ‘Oh, my nephew works there.’ And I said, ‘Oh, that’s really cool! I haven’t really looked much into it, but I think I will.’ She mentioned that they always need volunteers and I said that I’d look into it because I love to garden and that would be a perfect spot for me. The day I was supposed to meet Sean was the day they shut everything down for Covid. So, I would have been here sooner, but I couldn’t. At the time, I was still working and I planned on coming out for a day, but it had to be put off and put off and finally he (Sean) called and said that I could come volunteer now. When I came out, it was winter time and it was always just me and Jered (then farm manager) here seeding and stuff because there was hardly any volunteers at that time because of Covid still.”
Q: What has been your biggest takeaway from volunteering here? What keeps you coming back?
A: “That’s a good question. I get a lot of dirt therapy at home so it’s not just that. Although, I love it. I love getting into the weeding, planting, seeding, and whatnot; but I think my biggest takeaway is the support I’ve received. I am not a veteran and I was really happy that they let me volunteer as a non-veteran because I thought it was just for people who had military backgrounds. I am opposed to the military in a lot of ways because I hate war, but that’s a whole different thing. I appreciate military personnel. I had two neighbors killed in Vietnam and, as a kid, I remember that. When I was about 9, I saved my money and bought a POW bracelet for a Vietnam POW. I still have it and I always wear it, especially around Veterans Day. I used to wear it all the time, but I don’t go anywhere anymore, so I don’t wear it very much anymore. The person I bought the bracelet for, I call him my POW. He was released and he came home and he still is alive. He lives in California. He was a Captain. I’ve always had a real strong feeling for people who have fought in wars. I had a couple uncles who fought in Korea and one in World War 2. So, there was respect for that. I don’t have a love for it though. But, I appreciate and I admire what people in the military do, as far as protecting our country, even if it’s not always in a time of war. I’ve always had a heart for them. So, for me, my support has been getting to know people and being able to share openly and not ever feeling judged or ever feeling less or different because I’m civilian and not military. Being at GV has shown that my pains are as valid as anyone else’s. Now I’m gonna cry… This was the very first place I came when my mom died and I felt so supported. There were a ton of people there that day and I walked in and Jered or Sean, I can’t remember who, said, ‘Hey Barbi!’ And all I could say was, ‘My mom died.’ People I didn’t even know were coming up and I just felt so loved and comforted. Hugs all the way around and it was very, very comforting. I will not turn away from this place because of what I feel like it has given me. I feel like I need to give back. GV has such a great concept: helping veterans get through things with dirt therapy and sharing personal stories. Very seldom are they actually about what their service was like. in fact, I don’t even know much about most people’s service. But we all have things all the time and it’s nice to know I have a place to go.”
Q: What do you like to do in your free time?
A: “I garden. I spend a lot of time in my yard. I make art. I paint and I sculpt and I’ve started to learn fiber arts. I make jewelry, and I dabble with metalwork and cement work. I make sculptures mostly out of cement. I’m learning how to make paper from natural fibers. I have two studios in our house. I had one and I just expanded to my husband’s office because he wasn’t using it. So, that’s the room where I paint now, I’ve got two easels set up. I like to take long walks on the beach. I actually do. I go down to the beach, at least once or twice a week, and I pick up garbage. Litter really bothers me. I won’t eat seafood because of what’s in the water in Birch Bay, where I live. It’s very disturbing to me. So, I go down and pick up garbage and meet people. I’ll pick up rocks and make jewelry out of them sometimes. I walk with friends often. I’ve met a lot of nice neighbors down at the beach. I like to swim. I go swimming several days a week for exercise. It keeps me strong. I also love to cook. I love to make something out of nothing. That’s one reason why I like to have a vegetable garden. This year, I’ve been doing a lot of fermenting. I made some stuff out of the peppers that were grown at GV this year. I had like eight gallons of stuff going. I made vinegar, apple cider vinegar, pineapple vinegar, and fire cider this year. I’ve been fermenting pepper and garlic like you wouldn’t believe. I don’t have a spare moment really. When I sit down, I’m done. Bring me a glass of wine, or a beer, and I’m done for the day.”
Q: Do you have a favorite memory from GV?
A: “I love the chickens. Anytime I get to hang out with the girls. Oh, I know! This is a fun memory and a fun story. One day when I was here and it was just Jered and I, the day that lives over here (the neighbor to the North of GV property) kept telling him that one of your chickens is in our yard and keeps coming up on our patio. Jered keeps saying that all of our chickens are all here. The neighbor asked if Jered could come get the chicken anyway. I was busy doing some seeding and he said, ‘Sure!’ After it’s been about a half-hour or forty-five minutes, I was thinking, ‘Where did he go?’ So, I went outside and I see him pop out of the hedge over there. Wondering what was going on, I started walking over there. I see him pop out of the hedge again and I see him chasing this chicken and he’s trying to catch it all by himself and the chicken is going in and out through all the shrubbery. It’s like a giant arborvitae hedge. I said, ‘Do you want some help?’ And he said, ‘Oh, that’d be great.’ So, I went out there, and still then, it took us twenty or thirty more minutes to try and catch this chicken. We finally caught her and brought her. This is when they were living in the hoop house and we kind of separated her for awhile. We named her Jackie. Because she was fast like Jackie Joyner-Kersee (a retired Olympic track and field athlete). That’s how she got her name. I just think of that day and going, ‘Where is he and why is it taking him so long?’ ‘What is he doing?’ You know? I was so confused and it was pretty funny. He did all the work and he was spent afterwards because he had spent a long time running and chasing her in and out. She must have been living there for awhile because she had laid some eggs and was causing a mess on the neighbor’s patio. That’s how we finally got her. We cornered her on the patio. She wasn’t happy at first, but she calmed down.”
Q: What would you say to someone if they were thinking about volunteering here?
A: “Just come for a day and see what you think. It’s open to anyone and you can do whatever you feel like you want to do. If you’ve got abilities or no abilities, you can either learn or just do what you feel comfortable with. You don’t have to have special abilities. You don’t have to be a gardener. But come and have camaraderie with people who are kind and open and want to be there. If it’s not your thing, you don’t have to; but you can still come out and wander. You can visit the chickens. visit the cat or sit and enjoy the view of Mt. Baker. We’ve got a beautiful view. Today, I must have taken five different videos of the geese in the field across the highway. There was at least a thousand of them out there. It was a huge amount. Even if you wanted to sit there and look at those, it’s such a great place to just be. If you only come once, I always recommend to come out. Some days, it can be really menial, but if you don’t like to do that sort of thing just visit. Come on Fridays for the coffee check-ins and just get to know people, especially if you’re a veteran, because there’s a lot of support in so many ways.”
Q: What is a fun or random fact about you?
A: “I’m a science nerd. My degrees are biology and chemistry and I will read quantum mechanics for fun. It’s interesting to me. I find it fascinating.”
It was a pleasure getting to know Barbi a little better and we’re honored Growing Veterans is a place she loves to come spend her time. It’s always a benefit having her at the farm. She is an amazing horticulturist and very knowledgeable about many different topics, but also a very compassionate person who would give the shirt off her back, no questions asked, if you needed it. We love having you at the farm, Barbi, and we hope you’ll stick around for many more years to come!
Veterans Day Hike Nov 10 ‘23
Join us for our annual Veterans Day hike! This year we will be hiking around Lake Padden located just south of Bellingham with Northwest Adventures with Veterans (NAV). We will meet at 11am on Friday, Nov 10th. This will not be a strenuous hike so all hiking skill levels are welcome. We look forward to seeing you there!
Come check out the Greenbank Farm Harvest Faire on Sunday, September 10!
The Greenbank Farm Harvest Faire is an iconic Whidbey Island event that happens every year in September to show off the bounty of Whidbey Island. The event is for the entire family including games, music, and lots of food! Our Greenbank outpost farm will be setting up a table at the event and conducting farm tours. We’d love to see you there! The event goes from 10am-4pm.
Hop Harvest!
Come out to the Lynden farm and help us with our annual hop harvest starting Monday, September 11. We will have Terramar Brewstillery out on Monday harvesting hops for our brew called No Hop Left Behind which is a Fresh Hop Oat Pale Ale and quite delicious! And then on Wednesday and Thursday, we’ll have Aslan Brewing Company out to harvest more hops for our partnered brews with them; which are the Charlie Foxtrot IPA and Fresh Hop Kolsch! We plan on having a barbecue and a great time harvesting. Everyone is welcome to come out and help! So, if you’re looking for an opportunity to get outside and do some “Dirt Therapy” this is the opportunity for you!
U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen visits GV!
On Friday, Aug 18, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen visited the Lynden farm. GV’s Executive Director, Jered Bocek, took him on a tour of the farm explaining the status of our current projects, crops, and veteran mental health awareness. He was impressed with how we’ve utilized the space and fully supports GV’s mission and vision. Rep. Larsen wants to help with exploring more federal funding options to enhance and expand our operations. It was a great afternoon and we look forward to having Rep. Larsen visit the farm again!
AmeriCorps Day of Service
At the beginning of summer, GV was able to host an AmeriCorps Day of Service organized by our AmeriCorps VISTA intern TJ Capps! If you aren’t familiar with AmeriCorps, it is the federal agency for national service and volunteerism with many different service components including a Conservation Corps and the Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program. GV partners with AmeriCorps VISTA, which is an anti-poverty program designed to provide needed resources to nonprofit organizations and pubic agencies to increase their capacity to lift communities out of poverty. The service terms are for one year, so each year GV gets a new VISTA to help increase our capacity and infuse new life and ideas into the organization. AmeriCorps VISTA is one of our three internship opportunities. We also partner with the Veteran Conservation Corps (VCC), VA Work Study program, and offer custom internships. If you’d like to look more into our internship opportunities, check out our website!
During the Day of Service, we had about 8 VISTA interns from various nonprofits and public agencies throughout Whatcom and Skagit counties come out to the Lynden farm and help complete our new raised garden beds and perform general farm maintenance. They were able to learn more about what GV is doing in its community and more about the veteran community at large. Most VISTA’s are not veterans and so it was a great opportunity for them to learn more about veteran/military culture and dispel any previously believed veteran stereotypes. They were also able to learn more about farming and agriculture and they can’t wait to come back and volunteer again! Overall, it was a great day and we were able to finish the raised garden beds, fill them with soil, and plant cucumbers, peas, onions, and lettuce. We ended the day by having lunch and we’re excited to host our next Day of Service!
Volunteer Spotlight: Jessi Border
Jessi is a US Air Force veteran. She is a mother of two, works in real estate, and healthcare in the field of radiology. Jessi has been volunteering with GV for over a year now and I got the privilege to sit down and talk with her about her time here:
Q: What has been your biggest takeaway from the last year of volunteering at GV?
A: “I think just the sense of community and definitely being able to kind of open up more and talk about my feelings. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a place where people can openly talk about mental health and it be okay and not like, ‘Oh, Just get it over it.’ That kind of thing. Then, of course, learning a lot about farming and a sense of community, for sure. This is the first veteran organization that I’ve really worked with. I was always nervous to join any of the other ones, thinking I wasn’t going to be totally accepted. This one (GV) was very open and welcoming and I definitely feel like I fit in here. Doesn’t matter if you’re a guy or girl, or whatever branch you were in, all that stuff. That’s probably my biggest takeaway.”
Q: How did you originally hear about GV?
A: “On Instagram. I was scrolling on Instagram when my son was in surgery and that was right when I was in kind of a very dark place and I was like, ‘Oh, what is this?’ And I looked into it and they (GV) were advertising their silent auction. So, I decided to bid on one of the items, which was a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) box and, when I came out here to pick up my certificate for it, I came in and I was initially really nervous to walk in; but everybody, including Sean, Jered, and Angela, was here and they were very welcoming and asked a little bit about who I am and then I asked about volunteering here. I think it was the next Friday I came out and started volunteering and then I’ve been here since.”
Q: What has kept you volunteering? What keeps you coming out to the farm?
A: “Just that sense of community. I feel like I can talk to people here about things that I don’t necessarily feel I can talk to people about in my own life. Kind of like what we talked about earlier (a previous conversation that Jessi and I had regarding how veterans can view things differently) how the veteran mindset is just a little bit different sometimes, and so, talking to my family, I just feel like they don’t get it, but talking to people out here everybody is like, ‘Yeah, I’ve been through that. I totally understand.’ So, definitely a place where I feel comfortable talking about things that I normally wouldn’t talk about to civilian people, you know?'“
Q: What do you like to do in your free time?
A: “I like to hike. I’m really into barbecue (I have tried Jessi’s barbecue and it’s absolutely delicious) and I like barbecuing for people. And so, I do that quite a bit. And then I play a little bit of drums. I’m not by any means a drummer, but working on it. I’m still learning all the basics, but I play mostly rock. It’s something I just kind of picked up in the last year. It’s a nice outlet. My great uncle was a drummer and he was actually in the military too, and so I think maybe it runs in the family. I like to workout and I really, really like doing anything outside and spending time with my family. Me and my daughter are really into ghost things and so we watch all those shows together.”
Q: Do you have a favorite memory with GV?
A: “I don’t know if I have one specific memory. I think just every week that I come out here is awesome. But probably my first day out here, because I had read on the website about dirt therapy and things like that and, I was thinking, ‘Okay, whatever.’ And I came out and I literally felt so much better. We were planting a whole bunch of kale and squash and all that stuff right in the front field and the whole time everybody that was out there was asking who I am and what I’m about. You know, that kind of thing and it just felt like everybody was super welcoming and friendly and just getting out there and working in the dirt and things like that. I seriously left feeling so much better, like energized and in a super good mood. I never leave here feeling sad, even if I’ve had a bad week or something. Once I come out here, and I’m out here for a couple of hours, I leave and I feel great.”
Q: What would you say to someone if they were thinking about volunteering at GV?
A: “Just do it. Just come out for a day and there’s no strings attached. You can just come out for a day and if you decide it’s not for you, fine, but I guarantee you’ll get something out of it.”
Q: What is a fun, or random, fact about yourself?
A: “I was a mechanic when I was in the military. That’s an interesting fact, I guess. I grew up on a ranch in California. I’ve worked in healthcare the past 10 years. I donated a kidney for my son. He’s 4. He had a kidney transplant last year. He overall is doing really good. he’s able to play and have the stamina to play just like all the other kids. That’s really cool to see. It’s always kind of a roller coaster because we’re always checking his labs and adjusting medications and sometimes we have to go in for infusions and stuff like that, but overall, he’s doing really good.”
It was a pleasure getting to know Jessi a little better and we’re happy that she was able to find GV and stuck around! It’s always a great time when Jessi is able to come out and volunteer and if you’re thinking about possibly coming out to the farm, in the words of Jessi, “Just do it.”
Volunteer Spotlight: Mike Hackett
Mike Hackett is a US Navy veteran, who served in Vietnam, and is a super volunteer because Mike has been with us since the very beginning of Growing Veterans in 2012. He attended the very first peer support training and has put in countless hours volunteering at the Lynden farm. I had the privilege of sitting down with Mike on a sunny afternoon and asking him about his experience since he’s been affiliated with GV:
Q: How long have you been with Growing Veterans?
A: “Since about the time it began. It was September about 11 years ago.”
Q: How did you originally hear about Growing Veterans?
A: “When I first heard about Growing Veterans it was in its infancy. Chris Brown asked me to come and have coffee with him at Starbucks and he told me what his idea was in forming this brand new organization; about dirt therapy and everything that we know now about what it does and that was his theory. He knew about my background in agriculture education and thought that it would help some people who are new to gardening and farming. I had never thought of myself much as a veteran that could be really helpful as a veteran. I got out of the service and just went to work, raised a family, went to church, and did all of the things you’re supposed to do. But I had kind of an emptiness going on, and some not good memories either from when I was in Vietnam. When Chris asked me to come to a showing of a video, it was a documentary called ‘Ground Operations.’ That’s what got me started because he was a student at Western (Western Washington University). So he was a student at Western and one of his instructors wanted to talk about veterans and how to help veterans that are transitioning into the civilian world from the military and Chris and she brought this premiere, showing ‘Ground Operations.’ It’s about the farmer-veteran coalition, which is a national organization. It’s kind of like what we (Growing Veterans) do, but it’s national. You can look it up online. They do a lot of really cool things. Anyway, they showed it at a theater at Western and then they had a question and answer period and Chris asked me to go up and talk about my impression of the video to the people that were there. There were probably around 40 people, there weren’t a lot of people that watched; but when I started talking about what the video did to me, it made me wake up. I said, ‘Oh! I’m a veteran. Oh! Oh! Maybe I can help.’ And then I just started talking about it and that’s how I got involved. From that day on, that evening onward, I’ve been with Growing Veterans. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but always connected to them.”
Q: What has kept you volunteering all these years?
A: “The reason I do it is I gain a lot from it. There are other veteran organizations, there’s a number of them. There’s the older ones, you know the established ones, like the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars), American Legion, and those, they just don’t speak to me. It’s not that they’re not good, I just don’t identify with some of what they do and they can get political and I don’t like to be political, one way or the other. I like to stay neutral and they tend to go certain ways sometimes and I just feel more comfortable here and I’m actually thinking I’m doing a little good, or at least I used to when I was more active and a growing part of the operation. So, that’s why I come.”
Q: What do you like to do in your free time?
A: ”I’ve got a 5 acre farm, a homestead, we grow a lot of our own vegetables and fruit. We (Mike and his family) have a small orchard. I’m pretty busy with all of that stuff. I’m active in a group called Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). I sponsor people who are trying to get sober. I myself have been sober 23 years. I used to use alcohol. I’m not proud of it, but I used to use it to numb out, you know, but I don’t do that. 23 years! Anyway, other hobbies, we like to hike and backpack and fish. We’ve actually done the trek to Mt. Everest base camp from Kathmandu. No, not from Kathmandu. We flew from Kathmandu to Lukla airport and then we trekked in 40 miles and then 40 miles back out over about 12 days and it was really cool. And then we climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa. 6 years ago, I think. Yeah, and we climbed Mt. Baker over here (Mt. Baker is the northernmost stratovolcano in the continental US located in Whatcom County, Washington), but we didn’t get to the summit because of bad weather and it was getting late and stuff, so we didn’t summit, but we got up almost to the crater. So we like to do those kinds of things. We also go on, there’s a schooner in Maine that I get on, called The American Eagle, she’s a 92-foot schooner. I’ve been on her 5 times now over the years and I love it. We sail up and down the coast of Maine. All around the islands and stuff. We’re not gonna do it this year because we’re getting on a schooner on the West coast of British Columbia going up to the Great Bear Rainforest for 8 days on a schooner. They’ll only be 6 passengers. So those are kind of my hobbies.”
Q: Do you have a favorite memory with Growing Veterans?
A: “Lots of them. Oh, I know what it is. Favorite memory was the first time, I think I showed you that (referencing a photo of Mike and the first peer support training class in the GV office). That was our first training for peer support. And the fellow in the middle is Slocanum (sic). He’s a Lummi Indian tribal member and Vietnam Veteran, he plays the violin. That’s him up there in that picture (same photo referenced). He presented a session in that peer support training. We did that on Lake Samish, I think, at the North end of the lake. It was an awesome training and we really got close. That bunch up there. I’m the last one of the originals. I just thought about that yesterday, I think. I’m the last one. I can’t leave now.”
Q: What would you say to someone if they were thinking about volunteering at GV?
A: “I love Growing Veterans. I feel at home here. Sometimes I’ve been like, you know you said you were kind of depressed (referring to a previous conversation Mike and I had), sometimes I can get a little bit depressed. I can get depressed too and sometimes I can get a little sideways about everything; stuff going on in the world and whatever. You know how it is, all the craziness, and so when I come here, it all melts away. You know we can talk about almost anything and not worry about offending anybody or maybe saying the wrong thing. We can just be who we are here. And most of us have been in the military and lived that military life, which is unique. It’s hard sometimes for a civilian to understand.”
Q: What is a fun or random fact about yourself?
A: “I love to grow tomatoes. I’m kind of obsessed with growing tomatoes. Heirlooms, mostly. We like to do wildlife watching too. We do that. Eagles, other types of birds, we have bird feeders at home and we try to identify birds. Peggy (Mike’s wife) has an app on her phone that has bird calls and you can put, when a bird is singing, you can put it up there and it’ll tell you what kind of bird it is. Kind of almost cheating, but it’s just for fun.”
It was a pleasure getting to know Mike a little better and we’re honored that he’s chosen to stay with Growing Veterans for so long. Mike is a cornerstone in the GV community and it definitely wouldn’t be the same place without him. Thank you Mike for all the years you’ve dedicated to Growing Veterans and we hope that you stick around for a lot longer!
Raised Garden Beds
Come check out these awesome raised garden beds we are currently working on building. We just finished building the second one and have two more to build! The wood is cedar and finished with linseed oil. Dimensions are 8 ft. L x 4 ft. W x 2 ft. H.
Meet AmeriCorps Vista intern: TJ Capps
Hi! My name is TJ. I am so excited to be working at Growing Veterans as an AmeriCorps VISTA for the next year!
A little bit about me: I am 29 years old and I grew up in a small village of 1,100 people in Southern Illinois. I served in the Army as an MP with the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii. I traveled abroad for 8 months as a missionary visiting various countries in Asia, Africa, and Europe and I have traveled most of the US with only 6 states left to visit. I am also a newlywed! My wife and I were married last May and moved to Bellingham in July!
I am very excited to serve with Growing Veterans over this next year!
Meet VCC intern: Hoa Tran
My name is Hoa Tran. I grew up in Fargo, ND. I served in the ND Army National Guard from March 2003-2015 and deployed with the 191st Military Police Company to Iraq in 2008-09. I received my undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice from ND State University. I am currently completing my last quarter in Master of Social Work at Walden University and planning to register for the horticultural therapy program this fall at the Horticulture Therapy Institute.
My name is Hoa Tran (pronunciation: “Wah”). I grew up in Fargo, ND. I served in the ND Army National Guard from March 2003-2015 and deployed with the 191st Military Police Company to Iraq in 2008-09. I received my undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice from ND State University. I am currently completing my last quarter in Master of Social Work at Walden University and planning to register for the horticultural therapy program this fall at the Horticulture Therapy Institute. In my civilian career, I have experience working with at-risk youth, homeless women and children, and individuals living with chronic mental illness.
I moved to Ferndale, WA in the fall of 2016 and never looked back. I enjoy hiking, camping, fishing, crabbing, snowboarding, exploring state/national parks, and going on walks with my dog (Rocky). Gardening and taking care of houseplants are other ways I connect to nature. My connection with nature has inspired me to pursue a career path that combines mental health services and plant-based activities to help people overcome their mental health challenges.
I am thrilled to be interning for an organization with a mission that aligns with my personal values and career goals. As a Veteran Conservation Corps intern with Growing Veterans, I look forward to soaking up a multitude of knowledge on organic farming, participating in dirt therapy, and being part of a community. In addition, I'll be able to build professional skills that I can take with me in future career paths.
New Chicken Coop
This month our laying hens got a BIG upgrade! After careful planning and many volunteer hours lead by Lynden Farm Manager Jered Bocek the flock has been moved into an all new and improved coop. The new coop features, improved wall mounted nesting boxes, feeders, and expanded fully fenced yard. The new coop has roughly twice the square footage of their old space which will also leave extra room for an expanded flock this spring. Materials to build the new poultry habitat were gifted to Growing Veterans by an anonymous donor.
Since moving to the new coop we are excited to announce we have seen a big uptick in winter egg-production, an excellent indicator of their satisfaction with the new digs.
Growing Veterans Mini-Documentary
We're excited to share our story and mission in this new mini-documentary!
Edited and filmed by Andrew Franks
Weekly Peer Support Group
This free and anonymous support group on Circles is open to vets and veteran allies! Led by Growing Veterans staff, this supportive space offers a place to develop peer support skills, ask questions, and create community. We’re looking forward to having you!
Thursdays at 10am PST on the Circles App
Getting Started with Circles
Tap the link here or search “Circles Support” on the App Store or Google Play to download the app.
Open the app and
tap “sign-up”
Select the topic you’re signing up for. If they don’t apply to you, feel free to pick whatever works best/or click through it.
(You’ll have access to the others, too)
Insert your details. You’re information won’t be publicized. This is just how Circles will notify you when your group starts
Tap allow to receive notifications
After the app is downloaded and you’ve done the initial setup, click here to be automatically directed to our group. The Voices rooms are completely free. You do not need sign up for their other services to participate.
If this link doesn’t work, or for more instructions, see below or reach out to me at beck@growingveterans.org
Getting Started with Circles
Welcome to Voices!
Along the top, you’ll see the topics Voices covers. You’re automatically taken to the “All” tab.
Find a room either by scrolling down the screen or scrolling across topics.
Our room is located in the “veterans” section all the way to the right.
If the room isn’t live yet, tap “Follow” to receive a reminder.
When you’d like to join a live room, simply tap “view” on the room card in the Voices lobby.'
Before entering the room, you’ll notice a page with the room’s details and guidelines.
Tap “Join” at the bottom of the screen.
You’ll see you’re listed as one of the participants. You’ll automatically join the room with your mic off.
To mute/unmute yourself, tap your microphone at the bottom of your screen.
Ready to leave the room?
Tap on the “X” in the top left corner.
If you accidentally tap this button, you’ll have a chance to cancel.
Meet Quinn, GV’s New Intern
“My time at Growing Veterans so far has been the most rewarding experience of my life”
I heard about Growing Veterans from my partner, who is a veteran himself. I looked into the programs offered online, and was inspired when reading about the community and mental health mission statement. I am currently in my last quarter at Western, majoring in environmental policy with a minor in political science. As one of my final graduation requirements, I was on the hunt for an internship that was fulfilling for academic purposes with an emphasis on great experiences.
My time at Growing Veterans so far has been the most rewarding experience of my life. I have gotten the chance to learn about organic farming, the art of a non-profit, and the true spirit of veterans and non veterans coming together. Most people come for a fun time and some dirt therapy, yet we leave as friends. I have always had a budding passion for growing food but was intimidated by anything involving agriculture. This community of wonderful people have helped me learn skills and confidence to tackle any project. I hope to continue down the road of agriculture in the hopes of spreading the knowledge that everyone has a place where they can grow.
It’s time to get dirty
Introducing our new drop in volunteer times!
No gardening experience required. Bring your enthusiasm and clothes you can get dirty in. Please register before dropping by.
Growing Veterans is strong thanks to volunteers like you.
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Our drop in volunteer hours are
11am-3pm
Monday
9am-3pm
Tuesday-Friday
6458 Martin Pl, Lynden, WA 98264, United States
Contact: Jered Bocek at bocek@growingveterans.org -
Whidbey Outpost Farm
10am-4pm
Friday-Saturday
765 Wonn Rd, Greenbank, WA 98253
Contact: Garrett Michael at michael@growingveterans.org
Seed Sourcing Guide
Seed shopping season is HERE and boy are we excited! Winter is the perfect time of year to begin planning your spring planting. Sourcing quality organic seed can be a BIG challenge for both home growers and farmers alike.
Growing Veterans is proud to grow using organic seed generously donated by the following companies, please say thank you by supporting those who support us:
1) Uprising Seed
Perfect for the NW climate: Uprising Seeds is a small family run certified organic seed farm and the culmination of years of fresh market farming, variety trialing, seed production and breeding work, and most importantly, a decades-long love affair with food and its power to bring people together. Their ideal vision of seed sustainability involves farmers and gardeners as the stewards of the varieties that they depend on. They are therefore committed to strengthening the public commons of seed genetics by working to preserve and improve open-pollinated varieties keeping biodiversity strong through adaptability and resilience.
2) Oborne Seed Co.
Osborne Quality Seeds is an independent family owned seed dealer located in the Skagit Valley of Washington State, specializing in innovative varieties and excellent customer service for over 35 years. Their selection includes vegetable, flower, herb, and cover crop seeds, including both hybrid and open-pollinated varieties, available as certified organic, untreated, treated, and pelleted. They Serve growers of all sizes across the USA and Canada.
3) Seed Savers Exchange
Seed Savers Exchange stewards Americaʼs culturally diverse and endangered garden and food crop legacy for present and future generations. They educate and connect people through collecting, regenerating, and sharing heirloom seeds, plants, and stories.
4) High Mowing
High Mowing Organic Seeds began in 1996 with just 28 varieties, & has grown into a thriving and hardworking community whose efforts everyday make organic seed available to home gardeners and commercial growers across North America.
With over 700 heirloom, open-pollinated and hybrid varieties of vegetable, fruit, herb and flower seed, High Mowing’s commitment to furthering organic agriculture continues to grow and in turn grows the organic movement. True to our roots, High Mowing Organic Seeds continues to source many of the varieties we sell directly from independent, passionate organic seed farmers.
5) Territorial Seeds
Territorial specialized in seeds, plants, garlic, and accessories, including organic and biodynamic varieties. This small producer has been a family owned business since 1979. It is their mission to Our purpose is to improve people's self-sufficiency and independence by enabling gardeners to produce an abundance of good tasting, fresh from the garden food, twelve months a year.
New Friendly Faces
Since our last update Growing Veterans has welcomed 3 new members to our farm team. Join us in congratulating 2 new members to our executive board of directors Casey Hanson & Ed O’keefe and 1 new farm staff member Gabe Beck.
STAFF ADDITION
COMMUNITY ENAGEMENT,
AmeriCorps VISTA
Gabe is a recent graduate of the Human Services program at Western Washington University. After finishing a year of AmeriCorps with the local food education non-profit Common Threads, he's excited to continue his journey in the food system with Growing Veterans! He's looking forward to a year of learning, community, and action.
Board Additions
CASEY HANSON, CPA
BOARD TREASURER
Casey stepped into the tax world after graduating from WWU with a degree in Accounting and Economics. After obtaining her CPA, her career grew into a corporate and international tax focus before she transferred to the private industry as a controller for a heavy civil construction company. Growing up in the “apple capital of the world”, she has worked with many local small farmers navigating the dips and turns of the agricultural industry. She strongly believes in supporting those in the community who need it most, whether that be through professional experience or volunteer hours.
Ed O’Keefe
BOARD MEMBER
Ed is a serial product innovator and new business growth expert. He’s established and grown successful business within 6 different industry sectors in his international career, often building large organization and attracting incremental investment. Most recently he successfully exited a SaaS company in the Marketing and Advertising space as a member of their exec team, growing the company from 140 employees to over 600. Ed is also a mentor for ACP (American Corporate Partners) where he mentors active duty members transitioning to the private business world and start-ups. He’s a proud son of a retired Colonel and Army Ranger and grew up in the military life all over the world.
A note from the farm manager
Growing Veterans Lynden Farm 2021 Report
Over the past year Growing Veterans Lynden Farm (GV Lynden) has accomplished a number of goals that often exceeded our expected results. We have successfully trained and facilitated 7 WDVA Work-study and Veteran Conservation Corp (VCC) interns, who are either furthering their higher education or pursuing careers in agriculture. We were able to raise over $1500 from sales made at our annual Mother’s Day Plant Sale. Over 20 food donations were made to the Bellingham Food Bank that consisted of all organic produce. Combined with Growing Veterans Whidbey, we were able to grow over 3.75 tons of organic produce. GV Lynden hosted four monthly Volunteer Orientation sessions to train and introduce new volunteers to the standard operating procedures of the farm. GV Lynden also hosted twelve community-based group volunteer days, with volunteer groups ranging from local high school classes to businesses located in Whatcom County.
A peek into 2022
One of the biggest goals GV Lynden has for 2022 is to continue on the momentous path we are on and continue to raise the bar of possibilities. We plan on incorporating different types of organic produce and two new varieties of organic hops into our farm plan, as well as expand both our produce and hop fields to increase crop yields. We will be reinstituting a partnership with the Environmental Science department of Whatcom Community College, where students perform various tests that will give us reports on the state of our soil composition and health. WDVA and VCC internships will continue to be available to local veterans interested in learning about farming. We will also begin to donate our organic produce to other food banks in the Whatcom, Skagit, and Island counties.
New Farm Manager
Please Join us in Congratulating our NEW FARM MANAGER Jered on his recent Graduation from WWU & promotion to full time farm manager at the Lynden Farm. With his knowledge and dedication we are on track to blow previous foodbank donation totals out of the water!
“Jered was born and raised in Bellingham and graduated from Bellingham High School in 2011. He joined the Marine Corps in January 2012 as an Engineer stationed in Camp Pendleton, CA. After his first two years of service, Jered volunteered to become an Embassy Security Guard for embassies overseas in response to the attacks at the U.S consulate in Benghazi, Liberia. After graduating from Embassy Security school at Quantico, VA, he served three consecutive years overseas at embassies in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monrovia, Liberia, and Shenyang, China. Jered was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in May 2017 with 5 years of service. After getting discharged from the Marine Corps, Jered enrolled at Western Washington University, where he graduated in Spring of 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management. During his time at WWU, Jered was a VCC intern and WDVA work-study with Growing Veterans for 3 years. He is now the Growing Veterans Farm Manager.”