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$50,018.18 has been generously made as a matching donation pledge to us. This means if you donate $100, it's matched $100, for an increased impact of $200. Companies and people giving $10,000, matched $10,000 for $20,000 impact, etc. up to $50,018.18.

In Jewish tradition, the number 18, or "Chai," holds a significant meaning. Chai (חי), usually pronounced like the English word “hi” or “high,” which is a word and symbol that means “life.” In fact, a common Jewish toast “L'Chaim!,” which means, “To Life!” is often said at celebrations in anticipation of all the good things to come. And with your help, all good things will come to the Veterans Healing Farm!

THE VISION TO SUPPORT THE VISION OF AN END TO VETERAN SUICIDE

With your donations, this is the vision of the future the Veterans Healing Farm. Our mission remains enhancing the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of our nation's Veterans and their families. This new VHF physical model will allow us to program 12 months a year (currently, because we have no indoor space, we are forced to stop for December - February weather).

Twelve to fifteen acres. ADA accessible. Indoor/outdoor classrooms, indoor office space (including visiting therapists space), full kitchen, Veterans recreation area. Patio/deck cookout area. Buildings for the Medicinal Plants and Beekeeping squads; produce wash area, raised beds, year-round greenhouse operations. Veterans Memorial Garden.

Last year we ran 49 workshops for 477 participants; as examples but not all inclusive, equine therapy, canine therapy, art therapy, music therapy, agritherapy, neurofeedback, medicinal plants, etc., organic farming, beekeeping, medicinal plants, tomatoes, and flowers. Veteran centered events, e.g., Traveling Vietnam and 9/11 Memorials saw almost 4,000 attendees in 4 days, Veterans Resource Fair (the largest Veteran event in Western North Carolina) as well as wellness retreats, concerts, trips, and more.

We are a modern model for non-pharmaceutical mental health interventions for Veterans and families. We are only a few people away from making our new home a reality. Please make aware anyone you know that would want to help. Thank you!

Citizens Action Committee Forming - SAVE THE FARM

I was approached by some of our folks who want to start a group to help save the Farm. I believe their idea was for this group to write emails, letters, phone calls, to our political representatives as well as others who could potentially help. Possibly looking for grants. This can all be done from home. If you're interested in helping with this, please email me director@veteranshealingfarm.org and we can go from there. Faith plus action is extremely powerful.

3rd Annual Veterans Resource Fair, Saturday May 25, 11am - 3pm

(mark your calendars)

Save the date! The 3rd Annual Veterans Resource Fair is coming to Western North Carolina and it's the largest Veteran event in the area! With over 40 organizations providing free services to Veterans, this is an event you don't want to miss. Join us on Saturday, May 25th from 11am to 3pm. Best of all, it's completely free and everyone is welcome! Don't forget to share and repost to spread the word. This will be the last Veterans Resource Fair at our current location. Come celebrate and support the Veterans!

FOOD TRUCKS (suggest not eating at least 2 days before so you can gorge yourself from these delicious mobile chefs); North Meats South, Dreadlife Kitchen, Allie's Sweet Treats.

Musical Guests

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR VETERANS RESOURCE FAIR

We need folks to help out with parking, and working the VHF tent. We could also use a few hands at 3pm to help clean up. If you can give a few hours, please email Megan at veteranshealingfarm@gmail.com  Thank you!

Veterans Healing Farm Night

at McCormick Field - June 1, 6:05pm

The Veterans Healing Farm will be recognized at the Saturday, June 1, Asheville Tourists vs. Greensboro Grasshoppers game. We have a box behind the Tourists dugout with 20 seats. First pitch at 6:05pm. Come out, support the Farm and our home team! We can meet there or our 12 passenger van will be departing from the Farm at 430pm. Let us know if you'd like to join us!

SAVE THE DATES!

Buy a Veteran a Beer Fundraiser -

July 4 - 7 at various local breweries. We'll be posting all participating locations soon. More info to come.

WNC Car Show Fundraiser -

June 23rd 1pm to 4pm at the Farm. More info to come.

Our 2nd Stand-Up for Veterans Fundraiser -

An evening of comedy and music to support the Veterans Healing Farm. September 13, 630pm - 9pm. Point Lookout Vineyards. More info to come.

Therapy Dogs at Veterans Healing Farm

Veterans Healing farm will be offering spring Therapy Dog sessions for veterans to come together and connect with Appalachian Dog Training LLC's golden retriever Therapy Dogs. 

We are hosting a "learn more" event with Therapy Dogs on site. Join us to learn more about Therapy Dogs, their training requirements, and to learn what it takes to become a volunteer Therapy Dog Handler!

When: Tuesday, May 7

Where: Veterans Healing Farm

Time: 1pm – 2pm

Equine Therapy with Heart of Horse Sense

(First Responders are welcome to participate)

Most people may not realize the tremendous value that therapy/companion/comfort animals have for the purposes of easing the suffering of those with PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), particularly within the military. - Ken Wahl 

Equine Therapy / Animal-assisted Therapy is effective in treating people, including combat veterans and first responders, with PTSD, depression, anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and other issues.

Horses are highly reactive and respond to human emotions - inviting calm and non-reactive communications which promotes emotional awareness, emotion regulation, self-control, and impulse modulation. Working with horses in a therapeutic setting offers instant and constant feedback to participants and is highly motivational – combining to make an exceptionally effective rehabilitation environment.

The Veterans Healing Farm will be closed to all other activities during these sessions.

When: Saturday, May 18

Where: Veterans Healing Farm

Time: 10am – 4pm

Appalachian Dog Training



For our 1st training session we will be seeking volunteers to learn:

• differences between an ESA, Service Dog & Therapy Dog
• how to conduct a safe visit
• handler training
• dog training

When: Tuesday, May 21

Where: Veterans Healing Farm

Time: 1pm – 2pm

Botanical Sketchbook

Working from our local garden, students will learn to study the plants, flowers, and foliage around them to create realistic or stylized sketches and paintings. Bring your favorite sketchbook and we’ll supply the rest (various drawing and painting materials). If you don’t have a sketchbook, we have sheets of paper available.

When: Friday, May 24

Where: Veterans Healing Farm

Time: 10am – noon

Leather Cuff Making

Make your own leather cuff bracelet with Shining Rock Goods! We will bring straps of leather for you to choose your color and width. We will guide you to custom cut the strap to your preferred length. You can decide if you would like to add wording or designs (or both) to your cuff. We will lead you through the design process and you will stamp your creation into the leather with metal dyes and mallets. Finish your cuff by punching holes and adding a button stud closure. Go home with your own handmade custom leather creation at the end of class!

When: Tuesday, May 28

Where: Veterans Healing Farm

Time:10am – noon

Outdoor/Nature Based Community Adventure in DuPont State Forest



PIVOTPoint WNC and the Veterans Healing Farm are excited to team up to offer you therapeutic adventure programs that help you identify areas of strength and resilience. These experiences help develop relationships that support and maintain healthy living – with yourself and others. And it's fun!

When: Friday, May 31

Where: Meet at Veterans Healing Farm, will drive together to Dupont State Forest

Time: 11am – 4pm

For any questions or if you need any gear contact:mo@pivotpointwnc.com/828-785-2881

Herbal First Aid for Everyone with Special Guest CoreyPine

with Rebecca Vann, Director of Plant Medicine

Learn the basics of herbal first aid from an experienced “herbal first responder.” You’ll learn how to make your own first aid kit, and what herbal remedies to use for common issues such as wound care, poison ivy, bruises, sprains, allergies, shock, and more.

CoreyPine is a holistic clinical herbalist who has practiced herbal first aid for 30 years at events across the country. He is the director of the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine and the author of “Southeast Medicinal Plants” (Timber Press). Expect useful herbal information, personal stories, and maybe even a Taylor Swift reference.

CoreyPine Shane RH(AHG), founder and Director of the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine near Asheville, NC, has spent 30 years helping clients and teaching people by artfully blending Chinese and Western herbal traditions with a focus on local plants. His book “Southeast Medicinal Plants” teaches how to identify, ethically harvest, and use the wild plants of the Southeast US. CoreyPine has taught across the United States and in Europe, at many national herb conferences, and is a Professional Member of the American Herbalists Guild.

When: Friday, May 31

Where: Veterans Healing Farm

Time: 1pm – 4pm

Warrior Canine Connection (WCC) Info Session

Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) is a unique, No-Fail Mission that enlists Veterans like you to help train dogs for Veterans in need.

This info session will give you a better understanding of the positive power of the human animal bond and how you can join to help Veterans heal through animal assisted therapy

MBTR benefits you as much as it does the dog and their future “Furever Veteran.” Wounded Warrior Project Alumni encouraged to attend.

When: Tuesday, June 4

Where: Veterans Healing Farm

Time: 1pm – 3pm

Poplar Basket Making

We will be creating small poplar bark berry style baskets.

These baskets have become quite popular and are wonderfully designed. The finished baskets are great for berry picking or for decorating your home. They are extremely durable and last for many years if not left out in the weather.

We will discuss how, what, when and where to harvest poplar tree bark. We will also discuss other tree barks that could be used. Next we will start the basket making process. We will learn about the bark basket’s simple and ingenious pattern. Each student will acquire a poplar log and cut the bark in preparation to peel it. A flat headed screwdriver will help to loosen the bark. Once the bark is off the log the final pattern can be created and the form cut out with a utility knife, along with scoring the base. Carefully folding the bark will almost instantly create the basket. The second phase will be to sew up the sides and around the rim. Strips of bark are used to help stabilize the basket and to keep it from curling into itself. It helps to drill holes for the needle as you sew. A final rope handle is made to hang around your neck and is attached to each side of the basket.

When: Thursday, June 6

Where: Veterans Healing Farm

Time: 10am – 4pm

Air Dry Pottery

This introductory-level workshop is a fun way to explore the relaxing art of Clay Pottery. This 2 hour workshop covers basic hand-building clay techniques. All supplies included.

We will be working with special air-dry clay. Pottery wheel & kiln not required.

When: Friday, June 7

Where: Veterans Healing Farm

Time: 12pm – 2pm

1/2 Day Fly Fishing Trip 

Take a private, guided fly fishing trip while wading in some of the most beautiful rivers and streams in Asheville's mountains. Wade for trophy trout, and wild trout with a professional guide. All SAA trips include fly fishing equipment, waders, boots and more.

When: Saturday, June 8

Where: Veterans Healing Farm

Time: 7am – 11am

Crowd Breeding - Create your own tomato variety; the story of the Dwarf Tomato Breeding Project



Come to the Veterans Healing Farm so that Craig LeHoullier can tell you the story of how he and over 1000 volunteers from the world over created well over 100 new

varieties of tomatoes. As a bonus, he will take the group to the tomato straw bale row to demonstrate how you can create your very own tomato variety by carrying out a cross pollination. While there, we can take a tour of the various types of tomatoes that are growing and look at the diversity of leaves, heights, and tomato shapes and sizes, as well as do some possible diagnosis of any issues that show themselves.

When: Tuesday, June 11

Where: Veterans Healing Farm

Time: 1pm – 3pm

Mushroom Cultivation 102 (Log Inoculation) – Students go home with a log which should fruit for years to come

In this workshop, you will learn the process used to inoculate logs with mycelium plug spawn. We will cover wood selection, log preparations, spawn handling, inoculation, sealing, log storage and care. Join us and learn about the many mushrooms that can become part of your system through this method.

This will be a hands-on workshop and you will get to participate in the different steps involved in inoculating the logs. At the end, everybody takes an inoculated log home. Participants should be prepared to operate a drill, mallet, and carry their 2 foot long log to each table during class.

WHAT TO BRING:

• Closed toe shoes
• A cordless drill with charged battery and a 5/16” drill bit (either a spade bit or twist drill bit will be fine)
• A mallet or hammer (a rubber or wooden mallet may be better) 
• We will have tools you can borrow so don’t buy anything.

When: Friday, June 14

Where: Veterans Healing Farm

Time: 930am – 1230pm

Learn to Make Your Own Kombucha!

Learn how easy it is to make kombucha at home for a fraction of the cost of buying it at the store!

In this class you will:

• Understand what kombucha is and it’s benefits
• Learn to make your own SCOBY
• Understand the two phases of fermentation
• Receive troubleshooting tips and tricks
• Taste test several different kombucha recipes

Each participant will receive:

• Full written instructions on how to brew your own kombucha from start to finish
• A kit with everything you will need to start your first batch of kombucha which includes a gallon glass brewing jar, tea samples, an active SCOBY with starter kombucha and more!
• Sample recipes to start your kombucha journey
• A bottling jar to fill with your favorite kombucha variety

When: Saturday, June 15

Where: Veterans Healing Farm

Time: 12pm – 130pm

Caring for the Caregiver

Sponsored by AARP Mountain Region

This workshop will outline five key areas that family caregivers face; 1) discussing care-related issues, 2) identifying support, 3) planning for peace of mind, 4) finding resources, and 5) caring for yourself.

Each participant will receive a guide for information, glossary of terms to know, resources, and checklists to help organize and find the support that you might need.

When: Friday, June 21

Where: Veterans Healing Farm

Time: 130pm – 3pm

Wellness Retreat at the VHF

(please bring a Yoga mat)



Find tranquility at the Veterans Healing Farm and leave feeling relaxed, rejuvenated, and reconnected with your body, mind, and spirit. Yoga, Sound/vibration, and Meditation.



When: Saturday, June 22

Where: Veterans Healing Farm

Time: 10am – 1pm

4 Mile Kayak Trip with Lazy Otter Outfitter

Our Horse Shoe Bend paddle is a self-guided float from the public river access on Highway 64 at Cummings Road Back to Lazy Otter HQ, which will take 1.5 to 2 hours depending on your effort and water flows.

You'll come to Lazy Outter Outfitters (10 Banner Farm Rd, Mills River, NC 28759) to sign in and listen to the safety briefing, and they'll take you on a short, three-minute shuttle ride to the put-in. You'll padded your way around the Horse Shoe Bend, admiring the wildlife and beautiful trees and timber with no roads or buildings to spoil the view. You'll take out back at Lazy Otter HQ, where your car is waiting for you wit no need for another shuttle.

When: Tuesday, June 25

Where: Veterans Healing Farm

Time: 130pm – 3pm

Unbroken Spirit

The Veterans Healing Farm is partnering with Unbroken Spirit to empower you with training, support, and resources to unlock your full potential. Discover how their 3 Phase Transformative Program can help you become your best-self. This Veterans program is completely free.

2024 Programs are filling fast and space is limited. Apply Today!

Check out the video from our 2023 team on their wilderness experience. The team came as strangers and left as lifelong friends. For more information or questions, please email info@unbrokenspirit.org.

In this 20-minute weekly podcast, Marine and Air Force Veterans Al Yeck and Megan Landreth interview nonprofits throughout the country who offer help to our Veteran community. Remember to like and subscribe! Click on the image to listen.

Veterans Healing Farm Cool Stuff Shop