Linnea Covington
Audio By Carbonatix
Dine out at participating restaurants on Thursday, November 10, to support the Veterans to Farmers program. This nonprofit teaches Colorado veterans how to grow crops, manage a farm, repair equipment, harvest and more, all related to local agriculture.
“Everyone who goes to this event can know they are supporting a program by vets and for vets, as well as supporting training in agriculture,” says Taylor Drew, the executive director of Veterans to Farmers. “We had a great 2022 season, and the vets are amped up about getting into agriculture, so I see that as a big success.”
Founded by Richard Murphy, a third-generation Air Force veteran, the program officially launched in 2013. Drew became the executive director of Veterans to Farmers after his restaurant, LoHi Steakbar, closed for good in June. The chef had already been managing Forever West Farm for the restaurant and farmers’ market, a skill he learned by going through the Veterans to Farmers program himself in 2017. While he still works the farm, now on his own property in Yampa, being able to support the nonprofit has fueled him further.
Taylor Drew (right), at one of the farms he ran before his restaurant closed down.
Linnea Covington
“There are 450,000 vets in Colorado, and we have some work to do to train them all,” says Drew, who was in the Navy until 2004. “We have more applicants every year than we can get through the program.”
Currently, Veterans to Farmers brings around twenty vets into the fold each year. So far, 180 people have gone through the program, which involves working a season at Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield Farms and/or taking an urban farming course hosted by Altius Farms and co-founder Sally Herbert, also an Air Force veteran and boardmember of Veterans to Farmers.
“It’s awesome, because the urban type of edge shows people what you can do with space constraints,” Drew notes about Altius, a vertical farm in RiNo. “It’s been great inspiring these guys as they come through the program, and showing them they can take care of themselves.”
Beekeeping at Chatfield Farms with Veterans to Farmers.
Linnea Covington
The money raised from Thursday’s Dine Out for Veterans goes to support the overall program, including the training of veterans and a stipend for their work, which, adds Drew, is the main cost. Then there’s equipment and helping graduates get what they need to work their own land when applicable. Chatfield Farms also provides a lot of the supplies and tools for the hands-on training.
“Overall, we haven’t found a lot of people for whom the goal is to go out and be a professional farmer,” says Drew, who notes that about half the vets involved are looking to learn about farming and connect to other veterans. “It’s more just the process, it’s therapeutic, and a lot of our students are already land owners, and they’re able to get started working their acres after taking our class.”
On November 10, 10 percent of the whole day’s sales from each participating restaurant will go to Veterans to Farmers. Options include Milk Market, Officers Club, North County, Billy’s Inn in Berkeley, Sloan’s Bar & Grille, Teller’s Taproom & Kitchen, Pizzeria Forte, The Glenn Bar & Grill, Edgewater Beer Garden, Lowry Beer Garden, Green Vally Ranch Beer Garden and the Mister Oso locations in RiNo and Washington Park.
Find more details and a complete list of participating restaurants at veteranstofarmers.org.
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