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The Agri-Tourist Podcast Rutters Ranch Project Victory Gardens

How Veteran Farmers Are Strengthening America’s Food System

February 10, 2026 Jennifer Ross

When Army veterans Matt and Kara Rutter retired in 2020, they didn’t slow down. They built fences. A lot of…

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Posted in: Veteran Farmers Filed under: agriculture, agritourism, care farming, confidence, farmers, farming, food, food security, knowledge, national security, opportunity, serving, veterans, victory gardens

Veterans Farmer Coalition Podcast Interview with Jeanette Lombardo

Mobilizing Veterans to Feed America: Farmer Veteran Coalition

November 20, 2025 Jennifer Ross

How one national organization is transforming lives, strengthening rural communities, and shaping the future of American agriculture. Click here to…

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Posted in: Feed America, Veteran Farmers Filed under: agcareers, agriculture, agriculture careers, agritourism, building resilience, care farms, farm careers, farmer veterans, farmers, feed america, health, land access, mental health, non profit

Recent Posts

In a Sea of Blacktop, They Chose Purple: The Lavender Pivot That Saved Hoshyla Farms
How One Community Garden Continues to Transform Food Access and Public Health
Food as a Bridge Between Farm and Community @ Assunta’s
From Farm Experience to Food System Change: The Power of Regenerative Agritourism
How Veteran Farmers Are Strengthening America’s Food System
Volunteer Travel: Turning Vacations Into Meaningful Global Impact
Everyday Plant Wisdom: Herbs, Food, and Home Remedies

heartbeetfarms

The Agri-Tourist Podcast, my journey back to agriculture! Join me to learn from agritourism farmers & entrepreneurs & help me build my farm strategy!

Yes, we ate farm to table every single day- veggie

Yes, we ate farm to table every single day- veggies, fruits, beans and grains- extremely delicious, extremely healthy. But Gianfranco had a craving for cannoli one night…I thought they would be small, normal-sized cannoli…and then these monsters were revealed….When in Sicily…..😉

When I think about my conversation with Susan and

When I think about my conversation with Susan and Nicole Asendorf of Hoshyla Farms, what stays with me most isn’t just the lavender — it’s the decision. The moment when selling the land felt easier… and they chose not to. On Long Island, once farmland is gone, it’s gone. Hearing Nicole say, “Once you sell something, you cannot get it back,” carries a weight that anyone connected to agriculture truly understands. This wasn’t just a business pivot. It was a stand for legacy.

What moved me even more was the dynamic of three women and an 84-year-old grandfather working side by side to reinvent their family farm. There was honesty in the conversation — about fear, about learning curves, about irrigation powered by generators and watering plants from the back of a tractor. It wasn’t polished. It was real. And that’s what preserving farmland actually looks like.

This episode reminded me that agritourism isn’t just about events or aesthetics — it’s about connection. Connection to land, to family, to community. Hoshyla Farms isn’t just growing lavender; they’re cultivating continuity. And in a region where blacktop spreads faster than crops, that matters more than ever.

Click on the link in the bio to listen to the full podcast with Susan and Nicole!

#lavender #lavenderfarm #lavenderfarming #longisland #farm

This cactus is Ficu di l’Innia, the prickly pear o

This cactus is Ficu di l’Innia, the prickly pear or cactus pear! Tastes so good!!!💗

a sneak peek at my return to Sicily….

a sneak peek at my return to Sicily….

Giany and the team at Carolina Human Reinvestment

Giany and the team at Carolina Human Reinvestment rescue and rehab plants that would have been thrown out in the garbage by various grocery stores. They nurture these plants back to great health and then offer them to their visitors in return for a donation to their non profit. I absolutely love this program...this is reusing and recycling at its very best! Think about what you can rescue, rehab and reuse in your own home....

Click on the link in the bio to listen to the full podcast episode!

When I first interviewed Giany, the Executive Dire

When I first interviewed Giany, the Executive Director of Carolina Human Reinvestment, in Episode 43, we talked about faith, food security, and the early days of building a community garden rooted in purpose. In this catch-up conversation, I found something different — not just survival, but momentum. He joined me from his greenhouse on a cold morning, surrounded by vibrant greens and reblooming orchids rescued from grocery store discard piles. That image felt symbolic. What he’s building is about second chances — for land, for food, for families.

Since we last spoke, his organization raised $96,000 at a farm-to-table fundraiser and paid off a $350,000 mortgage in one year. But what struck me most wasn’t the financial milestone — it was his clarity. “My goal is not to end up selling from the garden,” he told me. “My hope is to keep feeding the one that need it the most.” They’re serving nearly 200 families every two weeks, expanding school gardens, and now dreaming about a community hub with a teaching kitchen and space for nonprofits to gather.

There’s one line that stayed with me: “The kids will show up no matter what.” That’s leadership. That’s responsibility. This isn’t just a garden anymore — it’s infrastructure for community health. And as you listen to this episode, I hope you hear not just a story of growth, but a blueprint for what’s possible when agriculture is rooted in mission, dignity, and long-term vision.

Click the link in the bio to listen to the full podcast episode 87 with Giany! You can also visit our website to watch the video!

#foodaccess #foodsecurity #communitygarden #foodinsecurity #farmtotable

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HeartBeet Farms

2 days ago

Yes, we ate farm to table every single day- veggies, fruits, beans and grains- extremely delicious, extremely healthy. But Gianfranco had a craving for cannoli one night…I thought they would be small, normal-sized cannoli…and then these monsters were revealed….When in Sicily…..😉 ... See MoreSee Less

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HeartBeet Farms

3 days ago

When I think about my conversation with Susan and Nicole Asendorf of Hoshyla Farms, what stays with me most isn’t just the lavender — it’s the decision. The moment when selling the land felt easier… and they chose not to. On Long Island, once farmland is gone, it’s gone. Hearing Nicole say, “Once you sell something, you cannot get it back,” carries a weight that anyone connected to agriculture truly understands. This wasn’t just a business pivot. It was a stand for legacy.What moved me even more was the dynamic of three women and an 84-year-old grandfather working side by side to reinvent their family farm. There was honesty in the conversation — about fear, about learning curves, about irrigation powered by generators and watering plants from the back of a tractor. It wasn’t polished. It was real. And that’s what preserving farmland actually looks like.This episode reminded me that agritourism isn’t just about events or aesthetics — it’s about connection. Connection to land, to family, to community. Hoshyla Farms isn’t just growing lavender; they’re cultivating continuity. And in a region where blacktop spreads faster than crops, that matters more than ever.Click on the link in the bio to listen to the full podcast with Susan and Nicole! #lavender #lavenderfarm #lavenderfarming #longisland #farm ... See MoreSee Less

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HeartBeet Farms

(516)343-6247
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Recent Posts

In a Sea of Blacktop, They Chose Purple: The Lavender Pivot That Saved Hoshyla Farms
How One Community Garden Continues to Transform Food Access and Public Health
Food as a Bridge Between Farm and Community @ Assunta’s
From Farm Experience to Food System Change: The Power of Regenerative Agritourism
How Veteran Farmers Are Strengthening America’s Food System
Volunteer Travel: Turning Vacations Into Meaningful Global Impact
Everyday Plant Wisdom: Herbs, Food, and Home Remedies

heartbeetfarms

The Agri-Tourist Podcast, my journey back to agriculture! Join me to learn from agritourism farmers & entrepreneurs & help me build my farm strategy!

Yes, we ate farm to table every single day- veggie

Yes, we ate farm to table every single day- veggies, fruits, beans and grains- extremely delicious, extremely healthy. But Gianfranco had a craving for cannoli one night…I thought they would be small, normal-sized cannoli…and then these monsters were revealed….When in Sicily…..😉

When I think about my conversation with Susan and

When I think about my conversation with Susan and Nicole Asendorf of Hoshyla Farms, what stays with me most isn’t just the lavender — it’s the decision. The moment when selling the land felt easier… and they chose not to. On Long Island, once farmland is gone, it’s gone. Hearing Nicole say, “Once you sell something, you cannot get it back,” carries a weight that anyone connected to agriculture truly understands. This wasn’t just a business pivot. It was a stand for legacy.

What moved me even more was the dynamic of three women and an 84-year-old grandfather working side by side to reinvent their family farm. There was honesty in the conversation — about fear, about learning curves, about irrigation powered by generators and watering plants from the back of a tractor. It wasn’t polished. It was real. And that’s what preserving farmland actually looks like.

This episode reminded me that agritourism isn’t just about events or aesthetics — it’s about connection. Connection to land, to family, to community. Hoshyla Farms isn’t just growing lavender; they’re cultivating continuity. And in a region where blacktop spreads faster than crops, that matters more than ever.

Click on the link in the bio to listen to the full podcast with Susan and Nicole!

#lavender #lavenderfarm #lavenderfarming #longisland #farm

This cactus is Ficu di l’Innia, the prickly pear o

This cactus is Ficu di l’Innia, the prickly pear or cactus pear! Tastes so good!!!💗

a sneak peek at my return to Sicily….

a sneak peek at my return to Sicily….

Giany and the team at Carolina Human Reinvestment

Giany and the team at Carolina Human Reinvestment rescue and rehab plants that would have been thrown out in the garbage by various grocery stores. They nurture these plants back to great health and then offer them to their visitors in return for a donation to their non profit. I absolutely love this program...this is reusing and recycling at its very best! Think about what you can rescue, rehab and reuse in your own home....

Click on the link in the bio to listen to the full podcast episode!

When I first interviewed Giany, the Executive Dire

When I first interviewed Giany, the Executive Director of Carolina Human Reinvestment, in Episode 43, we talked about faith, food security, and the early days of building a community garden rooted in purpose. In this catch-up conversation, I found something different — not just survival, but momentum. He joined me from his greenhouse on a cold morning, surrounded by vibrant greens and reblooming orchids rescued from grocery store discard piles. That image felt symbolic. What he’s building is about second chances — for land, for food, for families.

Since we last spoke, his organization raised $96,000 at a farm-to-table fundraiser and paid off a $350,000 mortgage in one year. But what struck me most wasn’t the financial milestone — it was his clarity. “My goal is not to end up selling from the garden,” he told me. “My hope is to keep feeding the one that need it the most.” They’re serving nearly 200 families every two weeks, expanding school gardens, and now dreaming about a community hub with a teaching kitchen and space for nonprofits to gather.

There’s one line that stayed with me: “The kids will show up no matter what.” That’s leadership. That’s responsibility. This isn’t just a garden anymore — it’s infrastructure for community health. And as you listen to this episode, I hope you hear not just a story of growth, but a blueprint for what’s possible when agriculture is rooted in mission, dignity, and long-term vision.

Click the link in the bio to listen to the full podcast episode 87 with Giany! You can also visit our website to watch the video!

#foodaccess #foodsecurity #communitygarden #foodinsecurity #farmtotable

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