Kevin Miller | Farmer Veteran
Kevin Miller served in the U.S. Army for 15 years. He was medically retired in 2013 after sustaining injuries in Afghanistan that led to a leg amputation. Since retiring, Kevin has been working at Sheffer’s Grassland Dairy of Hoosick Falls, NY.
Kevin grew up in a suburban area with his grandfather’s chicken farm being his only exposure to agriculture. Chicken farming didn’t require the use of large machinery like dairy farming does, so he has enjoyed the challenge of learning how to drive big tractors and farm equipment. He shares that it may be a little more difficult as an amputee, but it’s still fun.
Being in the military taught Kevin to have a good work ethic which is essential when it comes to working on a farm. Life on the farm can be unpredictable and challenging at times, but the work doesn’t go away. Kevin shares that failure is a part of farming and admits that he has failed numerous times, but you just have to learn from it. In a video by The Farmer Veteran Coalition, he says, “You can’t be shy to ask for help, especially from farmers that have been doing it for a while”. The Farmer Veteran Coalition has provided all of the tools and resources necessary for Kevin to be successful. Through the coalition, he has met a network of people from across the country willing to give advice and suggestions.
In the video by The Farmer Veteran Coalition, Kevin suggests to other veteran farmers to start off slow as you would in the military. There is nothing wrong with starting small and building from there. Since farming, he has started raising pigs at his own house and each year he expands it a little more. “You are always learning as you go with farming,” he says.
