BattleGround to Breaking Ground Starts 5th Cohort

Thirty-five veterans and beginning farmers and ranchers were accepted into the 5th cohort of the BattleGround to Breaking Ground Project.
The 3 day basic training was held at Millican Reserve outside of College Station.

Cohort 5 participants at basic training welcome.
Photo credit: Makenzie McLaurin Thomas

Millican Reserve is training and incubator farm in partnership with the BattleGround to Breaking Ground Project. They host hands-on workshops to help beginning farmers and ranchers get experience. Millican Reserve is a 1200 acre conservation with a farm, farmers market, and tons of open space. Once cohort participants complete the program, they gain access to land for lease, established markets, and equipment from the incubator farms.

Hands-On Learning

Andrea Merritt from Millican Reserve taught participants about starting and transplanting.

Andrea Merritt from Millican Reserve teaches cohort participants about starting seeds and transplanting.
Photo credit: Makenzie McLaurin Thomas

Participants were able to get their hands dirty, plant seeds, transplant, and practice starting seeds.

Participants work together to transplant greens into larger pots

Kingman Teaches Farm Safety

Doug Kingman, Texas AgrAbility farm assessment coordinator and agriculture engineer, presented a farm safety presentation to cohort members. Texas AgrAbility not only focuses on individuals with disabilities and health conditions, but also provides education on farm safety and preventing secondary injury.

Doug Kingman, Texas AgrAbility farm assessment coordinator and agriculture engineer, presents agriculture safety to cohort participants.
Photo Credit: Makenzie McLaurin Thomas

Sweet Genevieve Farm Tour

Cohort 5 members also toured Millican Reserve’s Farm and Sweet Genevieve Farm in Bryan. The tours gave them an opportunity to see how other veterans and beginning farmers produce and sell their product.

Sweet Genevieve Farm, a local grass-fed beef, pastured poultry, and bee operation toured participants around their farm and shared their experience in the BattleGround to Breaking Ground Program and being veteran beginning farmer/ranchers.
Pictured above – cattle working pens and setup at Sweet Genevieve Farm, Bryan, Texas
Photo Credit: Meagan Orsag

Millican Farmers Market Tour

Participants toured the Millican Reserve Farmers Market, connected with vendors, and learned some of the policies and procedures behind selling at farmers markets
Photo Credit: Meagan Orsag

Cohort 5 will spend the next 15 weeks building their business plans. Once they have a complete plan, they will move to the production courses and hands-on mentorship.

If you are interested in hands-on training in sustainable ag practices, check out our events calendar here for upcoming hands-on events!