Coffee & Chores: Cultivating Community Beyond the Field

Starting April 16th, we’re proud to partner with Project Victory Gardens for a new initiative: Coffee & Chores.

Being a veteran can be a uniquely isolating experience. Whether you served on active duty, in the reserves, or as a military spouse, there’s a shared understanding that doesn’t always translate easily into civilian life.

When I transitioned out of the military, I struggled to find spaces where I felt comfortable reconnecting. Traditional VA environments didn’t feel like the right fit for me. The veteran population is predominantly male—only about 11% are female—and my experience, simply by being a woman in the military, felt different from the start. On top of that, my background as a Med-Surg Trauma nurse made clinical environments especially uncomfortable.

So, for a long time, I stayed away.

It wasn’t until I found my way into the agricultural community here in South Carolina that something shifted.

There was no clinical setting. No fluorescent lights. No sterile hallways. Just open air, working hands, and quiet understanding. Even something as simple as the absence of that familiar, government-issued disinfectant smell allowed me to exhale in a way I hadn’t realized I needed.

We met outside—in the fields, in classrooms made of trees and dirt. We shared stories, worked side by side, and built connections rooted not just in service, but in purpose. Though many of us had been out of the military for years, we still carried a shared foundation—one that made it easier to connect, to understand, and to support one another.

Being accepted into the Agricultural Incubator Program through Project Victory Gardens in 2025 brought me into a community that I've come to enjoy and value. I’ve had the privilege of hosting an intern transitioning from active duty to civilian life, attending educational sessions, and forming relationships that have deeply strengthened both my mental health and my commitment to farming.

When Matt reached out about a study exploring how something as simple as working on a farm can ease loneliness and foster community among veterans, I knew I wanted to be part of it. I’ve experienced firsthand the power of a non-threatening, open-air environment to create connection, and I wanted to help make that same space available to others.

Even more importantly, I wanted to intentionally create a place where female veterans feel not just included, but genuinely welcomed—within a community that hasn’t always felt that way.

Coffee & Chores

It’s a simple idea: gather, share a cup of coffee, and work together. No pressure, no expectations—just a space to connect, contribute, and be understood.

To find out more or to sign up visit: https://www.projectvictorygardens.org/coffeeandchores