A new agricultural training initiative launching at a historic Boise park aims to give military veterans in Idaho the hands-on skills and resources needed to build careers in farming. The University of Idaho Extension’s Harvest Heroes program, backed by a $744,000 USDA grant, will serve approximately 45 veterans over three years at Spaulding Ranch Park — a 20-acre Boise site with roots stretching back to 1896.
A Historic Setting for a Modern Mission
Spaulding Ranch Park, owned and managed by Boise Parks and Recreation, was originally homesteaded by the family of Dr. Mary Spaulding, recognized as Boise’s first female surgeon. The property now serves as the anchor for the Harvest Heroes program, which combines monthly intensive workshops, online instruction, veteran farmer mentorship, and guest presentations into a season-long training experience.
Enrolled veterans and their families gain access to an on-site orchard, a beekeeping apiary, accessible garden spaces equipped with adaptive technology, and a weekly farmers market held at the park. Enrollment is free. After completing the community plot season, graduates move on to manage their own incubator plots independently — a step toward full farming operations.
The City of Boise is also investing in the site, adding a new parking area, restroom facility, and a pack-and-wash station to support the expanded agricultural use. The partnership between UI Extension and the city was formalized through a memorandum of understanding signed in 2020.
Why Veterans and Why Now
Idaho ranks seventh in the nation for veteran population, and program leaders say agriculture represents a natural transition for many who have served. Ariel Agenbroad, a UI Extension educator in Ada County and the grant’s principal investigator, noted that “for some, agriculture is a good fit for their considerable skills and desire to continue serving their country.”
The three-year grant, awarded in March under USDA Award No. 2025-48804-45405, funds greenhouse infrastructure, storage sheds, push tillers, and other small-scale farming equipment needed to support participants. Produce grown through the program will be shared among participants and channeled to organizations serving food-insecure veterans.
Harvest Heroes is not entirely new territory for UI Extension. A prior version of the program ran from 2019 to 2022 in Nampa, providing a proof of concept before the Boise expansion. That effort is part of a broader educational framework — the Cultivating Success program — which has offered farming education and mentorship for more than two decades.
Key Partners Behind the Program
The initiative draws on a coalition of local and state partners. The Farmer Veteran Coalition of Idaho, the Idaho Veterans Chamber of Commerce, and the Idaho State Department of Agriculture’s Idaho Preferred Program are all collaborating to support veterans through the effort. Connie May, a UI Extension colleague and retired U.S. Air Force member, represents the Farmer Veteran Coalition’s Idaho chapter — bringing both personal and professional credibility to the mission.
Iris Mayes, an Extension educator based in Latah County, and Jeffrey Mason, an assistive technology consultant from the University of Idaho Center on Disabilities and Human Development, round out the program’s technical and educational team. The adaptive gardening technology available through the program reflects their focus on making farming accessible to veterans with physical limitations or disabilities.
Mindi Anderson, founder and executive director of the Idaho Veterans Chamber of Commerce, described the program as an opportunity to bring stakeholders together. “Extension is creating a space for discussion about how we can support veterans in farming,” she said.
Lisa Duplessie, the City of Boise’s foothills and open space superintendent, is also among the partners coordinating the park’s development to support the program’s needs.
What Comes Next
Veterans and their families interested in enrolling in Harvest Heroes or learning more about eligibility and the upcoming workshop schedule can contact the University of Idaho Extension office in Ada County. The program is open at no cost to veterans and family members, and the first full cohort is expected to begin working the community plots this season.
For Ada County residents looking to support food-insecure veterans, the produce distribution component of the program offers a direct local connection between the farming effort and community need. Further details on partner organizations, including the Farmer Veteran Coalition of Idaho and the Idaho Veterans Chamber of Commerce, can be found through their respective official channels.