Colin Archipley, a decorated Marine Sargent and Iraq vet, is proof positive that there is no such thing as a stereotypical ‘organic farmer’. Archipley and his wife Karen spent long periods apart during Colin’s multiple combat deployments to Iraq. Through those hard times, Colin and Karen were able to build Archie’s Acres, a successful organic hydroponic greenhouse operation in the hills of Escondido, California. Hydroponic farming produces higher yields in less time than conventional farming, with more efficient use of water and fertilizers.[^1]
The Archipleys observed the challenges facing the U.S. farming and veteran populations, and saw a way they could help. They created the Veterans Sustainable Agriculture Training (VSAT) program to help teach veterans how to do what the Archipleys do – farm! The VSAT program provides vets with an entrepreneurial training program in sustainable agriculture.
http://youtu.be/G3EnTt321mk
The Archipleys will be participating in Seedstock’s Sustainable Agriculture Innovation Conference on October 24, 2012 at UCLA Anderson School of Management.
For more information about the VSAT program and the Archipley farm, Archi’s Acres, see their website
For more on sustainable farming, see the following Sustainable America posts:
+ Growing a New Crop of Farmers
+ Veganic Growing
+ One Song Farm
+ The New Urban
+ Grow Biointensive
[^1]: University of Arizona College of Agriculture: Overview of Hydroponics
