Vets finding farming a good fit
More and more farmers are making an effort to hire military veterans, as they may be well suited to farm work as a short-term job or a career, said Sam Blackstone, of Circle-B Farms.
Blackstone, an apple, blueberry and vegetable grower in Caribou, has employed several veterans in recent years and recently brought on a veteran who could be part of the farm’s regular crew.
“He’s very good, and I’m going to keep him as long as he’ll stay,” said Blackstone, whose wife Patty, co-owner of Circle-B, was herself a military servicemember during the 1980s.
Organizations like the United Farmer Veterans of Maine are looking to connect veterans with farming jobs, land and mentorship, said John DeVeau, president of group, who has helped local veterans find work opportunities at other farms,
Short-term or seasonal work can work well for veterans or others re-entering the workforce, as they figure out what they want to do, Blackstone said. And for veterans and others recovering from post-traumatic stress, farming and gardening offers “a very good fit,” he said.
DeVeau said the farm-link effort works well with other initiatives the group is working on.
The Caribou VFW and the United Veterans of Maine are in the midst of setting up a small emergency shelter geared toward homeless veterans in Caribou and DeVeau said they’re fundraising for a five-cabin supportive housing project in Caribou.
