Veterans
EquiCenter offers a variety of equine and horticulture programs to individual veterans and veteran groups seeking relief from wounds both seen and unseen.
Heroes & Horses
This program offers adaptive riding and unmounted horsemanship as an effective tool for improving muscle stimulation, strength, coordination, flexibility, posture, and balance for veterans with physical injuries. In addition to these benefits, therapeutic equestrian activities help with less visible wounds experienced by veterans, including Post-traumatic Stress (PTS) and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI).
Mission Mustang®
The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management and EquiCenter partnered to develop a national model called Mission Mustang.® This program’s purpose is to document the process of gentling and training wild horses and burros for eventual placement into loving homes, including integration into other therapeutic equestrian programs designed to improve the health and well-being of veterans suffering from Post-traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injuries, and other physical and mental wounds.
Veteran Farm & Wellness
Our weekly customized Veteran Farm & Wellness program includes therapeutic horticulture lessons, cooking classes, and community meals. With facility improvements, including the construction of a 96-foot greenhouse, we've improved capacity and expanded the offerings for our participants, including the addition of Maple Syrup Production program offerings throughout the winter months. All horticulture programs are offered to veterans at no charge.
Cooking with Heroes
Cooking with Heroes is run by veterans for veterans and is taught by military veteran Ellen Adams, a chef and former contestant on the Food Network cooking show "Chopped!" Ellen teaches participants how to prepare a nutritionally complete, cost-efficient, and delicious meal using fresh produce, partially sourced from the EquiCenter Farm.
Seasonal Horticultural Learning
The changing seasons brings opportunities for unique and changing programming:
Maple syrup production—Harvesting the natural sweetener produced by maple trees is a great way to learn about forest ecology, indigenous foodways, and modern syrup production. Through nature walks in our maple forest and demonstrations of tapping, boiling, and candy making, participants gain practical knowledge while experiencing the therapeutic benefits of outdoor programming.
Bees and Honey—Without pollinators, we couldn’t grow food and our ecosystem would be paralyzed. Honeybees are one of many pollinators that help our Farm thrive. By partnering with these incredible insects, we can learn about their essential function, share in their delicious honey, and learn about the history and science of beekeeping.
Food preservation—This six-part series offers hands-on workshops in food preservation, teaching participants diverse methods to extend the life of fresh ingredients. Topics include making fire cider, drying and freezing herbs, pickling, fermenting, and both water bath and pressure canning. Participants take home the preserves they make.
Farm & Garden Design—Participants learn to select and set up an at-home growing space of any size in this 3-part workshop series.
In Part 1: Site Selection, we'll focus on all the things to consider when picking out the location of your new growing space. In Part 2: Plant Selection, we'll cover considerations for selecting plants that will thrive in your unique growing space. And in Part 3: Design & Layout, we'll introduce design theories and layout practices that can be used to maximize your growing space.