In 2023, 42 Veterans were able to successfully complete beginning and/or apprentice beekeeping certification courses through our partner, the Washington State Beekeepers Association (WASBA).
GRuB worked one-on-one with Veteran beekeepers and farmers to meet their goals and hosted workshops and events where veterans and their family members were able to be in community and share their stories and knowledge with each other.
We now have four community apiary sites in Western Washington where our beekeeping cohort is able to gather and learn through hands-on experience working with bees. In 2024, we have plans to add another apiary site north of Seattle, and we are looking forward to helping establish a state-wide Veteran Beekeepers club!
Whether it’s through building a garden bed, growing food, working with a hive full of bees, or providing food for their families and communities, there is a strong connection so many Veterans experience when they are able to channel their deep sense of service through working with the land. The same drive and sense of duty to our communities that gave us the courage to sign up for military service still propels us as we transition into the world of agriculture.
We thank the Veterans in GRuB’s community for their amazing service before, during, and after their time in the military and hope they feel welcomed home.
