Starting soon, fans of locally sourced products will have a new way to connect with the farmer behind their food.
The "Homegrown By Heroes" program operates in 43 states. In Indiana, the program is an offshoot of the state's "Indiana Grown" initiative, and it gives eligible veterans and active-duty National Guard members the right to use a special logo for their marketing and products.
Sara Creech raises poultry, fruit trees and vegetables on her Blue Yonder Organic Farm in Hendricks County. A retired Air Force nurse, she earned the designation well before the Department of Agriculture brought it to Indiana.
"By putting on the logo of 'Homegrown By Heroes,' you literally are putting your story out there, saying, ‘Listen, I'm a veteran, I've served this country and now I'm continuing that service by growing this healthy food for my community,'" Creech says.
The new initiative is a small part of a much larger push to recruit veterans to the business of agriculture. So far, seven farmers, including Creech, are enrolled in the program.