Patriot Guardens builds resiliency for veterans and civilians across West Virginia, bringing them back to the land to heal themselves, and the economy.
Farms Across America visits Patriot Guardens in Charleston, West Virginia. Subscribe, like, and comment for more #MadeinAmerica stories.
For a state rich in natural resources, #WestVirginia is the sixth poorest state in America. The West Virginia National Guard’s Patriot Guardens program aims to change that through their joint initiative of agricultural and economic development. It’s their boots on the ground, all hands on deck approach to building infrastructure and everyone can do it, no matter where they live.
Despite having a high number of small family farms throughout the state, West Virginia is not known for its agriculture, but #PatriotGuardens sees a future where West Virginians grow and enjoy their own food on a small-scale community level, to feed the entire state and eradicate the problem of food deserts in Appalachia. Being a mountainous state, WV has to get creative about its agricultural production. So Patriot Guardens is teaching people to grow vertically, hydroponically, aeroponically, successfully. It’s the West Virginia way, centered in a long-standing heritage of self-reliance and innovation.
Farms Across America: Growing Hope In Appalachia With Patriot Guardens
Featuring:
MSgt David Whanger – C130 Avionics Section Supervisor, West Virginia Air National Guard
Brigadier General William Crane – Adjutant General, West Virginia National Guard
Melissa Stewart – Director of Patriot Guardens
Nancy Bruns – Co-Founder, Co-Owner JQ Dickinson Salt-Works
Dickinson Gould – President and Owner Buzz Foods
Ryan “Carrot King” Powers – Army Guard
Josh Raschella – Army Guard
Kathlyn Curry – Veteran
Morris Yule – Veteran
Warren Kelly – Veteran
Special thanks to Major Holli R. Nelson, Director of Strategic Communications and Governmental Affairs for Joint Forces Headquarters West Virginia National Guard and Commander of the 130th Force Support Squadron. Thanks also to the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, and to the West Virginia National Guard.
Directed by Eric Feigenbaum
Created by Conor Gaughan and Kate Tucker
Written and hosted by Kate Tucker
Produced by Consensus Digital Media in partnership with Remedial Media
Executive Producer – Kate Tucker
Executive Producer – Jessie English
Executive Producer – Eric Feigenbaum
Executive Producer – Conor Gaughan
Editor – Nicholas Nazmi
Assistant Editor – David Connelly
Director of Photography – Jared Watson
Camera Operator – Liza Gipsova
Sound Engineer – Tom Eichler
Super Swing/Gaffer/DIT – Isaac Rosenthal
Production Assistant – Justin Stebbins
Audio Mixer / Sound Design – Dillon Terry
Color Grading – Bilal Saif
Graphic Design – Stephen Lepsch
Made In America
Hidden away in small towns, on family farms, down winding roads, are uplifting American stories of innovation and strength – stories of what this country makes, and what makes this country great. We survive the toughest of times and we celebrate our victories. That’s the essence of being Made in America.
Farms Across America
Farmers. They put the heart and soul in the heartland. They build our economy from the ground up, rooted in honest hard work and hope for the future. In the words of Paul Harvey… “On the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, ‘I need a caretaker.’ So God made a farmer.”