From Service to Soil: Hawaii’s Veteran Farmers
According to Emily, farming offers veterans transitioning from military service more than just a career—it provides a renewed sense of purpose and an opportunity to continue serving their communities.
By Zea Levine
Food Tank
Dec 23, 2024
Excerpt:
Ho`?la Farms, a small nonprofit on Hawai?i Island, aims to use agriculture to help veterans rebuild a sense of purpose in their lives.
“Agriculture is a powerful tool for personal healing and community building,” the farm’s co-founder Emily Emmons tells Food Tank.
When Emily’s husband and Hola Farms co-founder John Emmons returned from service, he struggled to reintegrate into civilian life while dealing with physical pain and PTSD. After starting a backyard garden with his family, he found that connecting with the land also fostered connections with his wife and children.
“We started experimenting and became more aware of how food could transform our lives—not only physically… but also by providing a renewed sense of purpose,” John tells Food Tank. This experience inspired the couple to found Hola Farms on Hawaii Island, hoping to share the transformative power of agriculture through therapeutic gardens, veteran farmer training programs, and efforts to strengthen the local food system.
One of Hola Farms’ first initiatives, the Victory Garden for Veterans program, brings the restorative power of gardening directly into veterans’ backyards. Through the program, participants receive a complete garden kit—including a raised bed, soil, plant starts, and care instructions. Delivered and set up by the Hola team, the gardens are designed not just to provide food, but to help veterans reconnect with their families, rediscover a sense of purpose, and experience emotional healing through agriculture.
Read the complete article here.
Source: https://cityfarmer.info/from-service-to-soil-hawaiis-veteran-farmers/
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