LYNDEN, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – As the sun beats down on a mix of growing crops in a small field in Lynden, Jered Bocek takes a short walk around the property with a chicken in his arms.

Bocek does not consider himself to be a farmer, although his office space is inside a large metal garage and in the rows of corn, beans and hops that take over the farmland around him. Bocek is a veteran, who served in the United States Marine Corps for five years after graduating from Bellingham High School.

These days, he works full-time as the Executive Director of Growing Veterans, a nonprofit mental health organization based in Lynden. Since 2012, Growing Veterans has worked with both veterans and civilians to end the isolation that leads to suicide.

“We do that by empowering veterans to cultivate purpose and belonging by growing food, community and each other,” Bocek said.

After finishing his time overseas in the USMC, Bocek moved back to Bellingham to be with his family and attend Western Washington University. He admits that he always imagined the transition from military to civilian life to be easy. But as he continued to find his way through the next chapter of his life, he found different stresses and hardships along the way.

While taking a leadership studies class at Western, Bocek was introduced to the team behind Growing Veterans. He quickly became an intern and an active member, finding a new place to call home and connect with other veterans who just needed someone to be with and relate to.

Bocek explained that many veterans struggle with the transition back to civilian life and at times shut themselves off from the outside world. To help this happen less, Growing Veterans offers an outdoor space to let veterans work on a sustainable and organic farm full of different crops, greenhouses and chickens.

Bocek explains the harvesting process of the hops grown by Growing Veterans. Every year, the nonprofit partners with Aslan Brewing to make a limited-run west IPA called “Charlie Foxtrot”. Photo by Sam Kristofferson

The group uses an innovative form of therapy Bocek called “Dirt Therapy”.

“We all love agriculture, and a lot of veterans find it therapeutic,” Bocek said. “None of us are farmers or master gardeners, we’re just some vets doing the dang thing.”

One of the main goals of Growing Veterans is to reintegrate veterans into the community. For that reason, the organization invites the public to join them at any time even if they have never served in the military. Bocek has worked with many civilians during his time at Growing Veterans, some of whom found a similar peace of mind as veterans do while on the property.

During the summer and early fall, Growing Veterans is cultivating a variety of organic crops like corn, beans, tomatoes, peppers, honey, eggs and even hops. Some of the produce grown on the property is used in different partnered products like hot sauce or beer while other food items are donated to food banks in Whatcom County.

Growing Veterans also houses multiple chickens that lay multiple eggs a day. The organization donates these eggs to local food banks. Photo by Sam Kristofferson

While on a tour through the rows of crops, Bocek explained how they are instituting a new way of farming this year. By learning traditional farming practices from the Nooksack Tribe, they have planted the “Three Sisters” together in multiple rows. The three crops are corn, bush beans and squash. Once the crops are ready for harvest, the organization will donate the produce to food banks utilized by the Nooksack Tribe.

Bellingham’s own Aslan Brewing has a longstanding partnership with Growing Veterans, where every year they release a limited-run wet hop IPA called “Charlie Foxtrot”. The beer is made from a mix of different hops grown on their property, with this year’s IPA consisting of cascade, chinook, crystal, centennial and cashmere hops.

Inside one of their indoor growing facilities is where they grow the ingredients for their hot sauce created by El Fuego called “Fire In The Hole”. This seasonal hot sauce is made with raw honey, organic serrano peppers and fresh garlic.

As Growing Veterans continues to evolve, Bocek made it clear that they are always looking for new ways to integrate veterans into the community. This year, they are hosting their first-ever pumpkin patch for community members to come out and learn more about the nonprofit while going home with their own organic pumpkin on a donation basis.

Pumpkin seedlings begin to sprout in preparation for the organization’s first-ever public pumpkin patch this fall. Photo by Sam Kristofferson

“We hope that people will come out, get a pumpkin and donate if you want to,” Bocek said. “The variety we are doing is called ‘Winter Luxury’ which is good for both jack-o-lanterns and for consumption. We’re trying to be very intentional with what we are doing.”

More information about Growing Veterans can be found on their website.