Nature and nurture: Nova Scotia farm project fights insecurities among veterans
A farm in rural Nova Scotia, owned by two retired military veterans, aims to help support fellow service members through a host of horticultural programs.
Married couple Jessica Miller and Steve Murgatroyd started the Veteran Farm Project in 2018 as a way to keep themselves busy after retiring from the armed forces.
"This farm came up for sale. We came, and even though it was in ruins almost, we fell in love with it," says Miller.
That summer, Miller started growing vegetables. She heard through a friend that a senior couple, who are also veterans, were having food insecurity issues and asked for some of the extra produce.
"That's how the seed was formed, the idea of I can grow, and I can donate, this is great," says Miller.
The Veteran Farm Project seeks to be a safe, enriching, nurturing space, for veterans, mainly women, who are transitioning from the forces and have suffered indignities in service, says Miller.
The first year the project supported 10 families with food insecurities, growing to 40 families in 2020 and now 121 this year.
Murgatroyd says the project is a team effort, as Miller does the growing and he does the building.
"She tells me she needs beds built, I build beds. She tells me she needs a hoop house, I put up a hoop house," says Murgatroyd.
Murgatroyd also runs archery workshops on site. In 2017, the couple competed in the Invictus Games.
Miller says she's overwhelmed by the support the project continues to receive.
"The outpouring of love and generosity has been incredible. The community here has supported us now most of our Saturdays with our farm stand and our plant sale. All of those revenues that we generate go directly back into the project to keep it running," Miller says.
"It’s a never-ending project, which has completely fulfilled me. Going from being a medic and helping my fellow soldiers, I am now still feeling (like I'm)… helping my community."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.