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.
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Upcoming Events for Veterans in Agriculture
This calendar features events specifically being offered for veterans interested in agriculture. For more event that you…
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Veteran Scholarships
The Farm Ops project facilitates veterans’ access to agricultural education and training resources. Our scholarship program is…
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Project Resources
Cornell Resources Cornell Small Farms Program Resource Page. Current information is essential to manage your farm and…
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Veteran Farm Stories and Tours
Our Farm Ops project collaborates with established Veteran and Farming groups to create a network of organizations…
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Subscribe to Farm Ops Emails
The Farm Ops SITREP is a monthly email digest built for farmer veterans and designed to enhance…
Events
January 2027
Wednesday, January 6, 2027 · All day
Growing Uncommon Fruit Cohort
Virtual
Designed to support your journey into sustainable and diversified farming, this cohort provides technical guidance, peer support, and access to experienced mentors in a cohesive and friendly environment. Cohort members will: • Receive an opportunity for free enrollment into the…
Farm Ops News and Updates
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Farm Ops Scholarship: Mushroom Farming 101
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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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Empty Pockets Ranch LLC – A Veteran Owned Family Farm
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After 10 years in the Army, three tours in Iraq, and the responsibility of leading Soldiers, veteran Josh David, realized an office job was not for him, and through his wife, Lori, he found his path into agriculture. Laying down the leadership mantle is never easy, but what can be even harder is allowing your…
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Farmer Veterans: Starting at Square One
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Military service generates multiple transitions points for veterans, and these experiences can support a veteran’s transition into agriculture. The life transition into the military begins the day individuals raise their right hand. On that day, a person becomes one of a small percentage of Americans, who enter military service. Not to sound dramatic but just…
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Farm Ops Scholarship: Learning About Livestock Guardian Dogs
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Two farmer veterans recently attended a hands-on workshop at Empty Pockets Ranch to explore the benefits and challenges of using livestock guardian dogs (LGD) on their farms. Led by veteran spouse Lori Davis, the session provided an in-depth look at whether an LGD is the right choice for protecting livestock, covering topics such as breed…
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Farmer Veteran Allison Lavine’s Pathway to Farming
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Farmer veteran, Allison Lavine, recounts the path that led her from civilian life, to the military, to her current career as a farmer at ZiegenVine Homestead. Since 2014, Allison Lavine and her husband have owned and operated ZiegenVine Homestead in Savona, NY. The name ‘ZiegenVine’ is derived from their last names. ‘Ziegen’ means goat in…
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.
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.
