Story by Mary Martin. Photos by Kirsten Chilstrom.
Something is growing in a parking lot just west of Deep Ellum. Kale, jalapeños, okra, and Armenian cucumbers are finishing out the summer season at F.A.R.M. (Farmers Assisting Returning Military), a nonprofit focused on connecting military veterans with the therapeutic and sustainable work of urban agriculture. Leading the charge are founders and veterans Stephen Smith and James Jeffers, along with executive director, Hyiat El-Jundi. The work at F.A.R.M. is deeply personal, as Stephen and James have faced the struggles associated with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injuries, and Hyiat came into the farm to table movement after a season filled with grief and substance use disorder. Together they are making it possible for Dallas-area veterans to not only find a new career in agriculture, but also find a fresh start for mind, body, and spirit.
“I grew up in Oak Cliff and my family is from Lebanon. I was never Arab enough and never American enough. Coming into the veterans space was the one time I could be unapologetically me—and was welcomed with open arms.” —Hyiat El-Jundi
Most of F.A.R.M.’s programs are on hold during COVID-19, but the team is still working to build out the farm downtown and have opened an online farm store that connects the producer to the consumer and educates people about the value of the local farm.
The downtown space is typically open to the public, employing veterans while offering classes on nutrition, and sustainability. Future plans include a commercial kitchen for teaching people how to cook and after school programs. Other local agriculture programs also use the F.A.R.M. space, including Turn Compost.
In 2019, the Nasher Sculpture Center held a community BBQ dinner at the downtown F.A.R.M. space with local nonprofit Break Bread Break Borders. The organizations have the mission of seeing the community come together and creating a safe space for people to be there and understand where food comes from.
“When I was in this dark space after a lot of death in a short period of time. I resorted to drugs, but I was still functioning. In 2014 I was a rep for a farm to table distillery and donated some of the alcohol to F.A.R.M.’s fundraising events. After that I started volunteering and became friends with Stephen and James. They invited me to their pilot program internship in partnership with Grow North Texas with 30% civilians and 70% veterans. I loved it and it saved my life. I found my purpose and my mission.” —Hyiat El-Jundi
“Food is what I knew—some of my fondest memories were sitting at the dinner table breaking bread with my family. After my internship with F.A.R.M, I was still working the distillery job, but wanted to be completely immersed in the agricultural world.” —Hyiat El-Jundi
“The camaraderie they talk about is real—even being the only civilian and only woman, it was never an issue. We may not see eye to eye, but they are my family now and I would take a bullet for them.” —Hyiat El-Jundi
“It’s been a learning process to see how veterans have been failed by the American system. F.A.R.M., as an organization, has a holistic approach to healing, then we add training. We feel it’s a way to have veterans contribute and serve the community by helping the distressed food system. Veterans also easily transition into farming. It is hard work, regimented, and structured; everything they lack coming back from the military into civilian life. It is also interesting that 1% of the United States population are military and 1% are farmers.” —Hyiat El-Jundi
When F.A.R.M. was founded in 2015 they were just one of five organizations in the country working with veterans and agriculture. Now there are over 260 organizations like this, and F.A.R.M. has joined the Farmer Veteran Coalition.
If you are interested in learning more about F.A.R.M. or purchasing local produce and products from the online farm shop, visit farmvet.org.
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