Who would have imagined that there would be a market for datil peppers, one of the hottest varieties ever grown. We’ve just returned from a visit to Veterans Farm in Jacksonville, Florida where we saw thousands of pepper plants flourishing in the greenhouse purchased by the Good People Fund this past Spring.
Adam Burke, Veterans Farm founder, was everything we imagined–a leader who radiates warmth and compassion to those around him. Adam returned from Iraq with severe PTSD, TBI (traumatic brain injury) and a Purple Heart. Despite those very serious injuries he vowed to help others and give back, if he made it home alive. Recovery was slow and difficult but when he returned to farming, something he grew up with on his family’s blueberry farm, a new calm and sense of well-being came over him. If working the land was therapeutic for him, why not for others?
Today, Veterans Farm grows not only those hot chili peppers, but also blueberries and other fruits and veggies. Working the land with Adam are several fellows who receive a stipend for a six month fellowship. We met a few of these vets and came away understanding just how effective and meaningful working the land can be.
With the ever-increasing number of soldiers returning stateside with severe emotional disabilities, Adam’s model offers a program that can restore a sense of well-being and calm. From our own few hours on the farm we would have to agree.
