ABOUT
The Story of the Archipleys, the Birth of Archi’s Acres,
and the
Veterans Sustainable Agriculture Training
A partnership is created…
Colin Archipley and Karen Indreland met in San Francisco in 2001 through a mutual friend who worked at Fashion Matrix – Karen’s hat design company. As friends, Karen and Colin made plans to relocate to Los Angeles. But the day before they were scheduled to move, September 11th, 2001, changed their lives, forever.
In response to the terrorist attacks, Colin enlisted as a Marine.
Over the course of three tours with BLT 3/1 Lima Company, he was to engage in some of the fiercest fighting of the Iraq war. During his first deployment – he was part of the initial invasion and push to Baghdad as a combat replacement. On his second deployment, he led his unit in Fallujah. On his third and final deployment, as a squad leader for counter-insurgency operations,
Colin lead his team in securing the mountainous area of the Haditha Triad.
Launching the farm…
During Colin’s first tour, the two friends exchanged letters. The friendship evolved into a romantic relationship when Colin returned stateside. When he left for his second tour, they wrote each other every day. They married between his second and third tour and decided to purchase a farm. Karen’s fashion business had involved travel to Italy, where she fell in love with Tuscany and dreamt of owning a farm. But, when it came time to buy land, Colin wasn’t about to leave his country. He’d been away long enough. Thankfully, Escondido was California’s incarnation of Tuscany. They traded in Karen’s Venice bungalow
for a lyrical, somewhat neglected three-acre avocado farm north of San Diego. Finally, they had a wonderful piece of land to call their own.
But Colin had one more big mission to complete; his third deployment to Haditha, Iraq. He assumed responsibility as a squad leader for complex counter-insurgency operations. His Marines were charged with securing a mountainous area in the Haditha Triad.
Karen had her own mission as Colin headed back to Iraq - to revive the avocado trees.
All was well at the farm, until their first water bill for irrigating the avocado trees arrived. It was so exorbitant that the water company called in advance to warn Karen. As a military wife, she knew it was her duty to try to keep bad news like that to herself, not to take Colin off focus. But he saw the whopping $845 water bill online, anyway.
And here is where the Archipley’s innovation and determination triumphed over adversity. They immediately decided to make the necessary changes to become a sustainable farm. Between Colin’s dangerous missions, they discussed strategies for moving forward and the many tasks involved.
"From that time on, it was the long arm of Colin from Iraq," says Karen. "He would call me after a ten-day mission, and I’d been really worried about his safety. My first words were always, ‘Oh my God, how are you?’ His first question? `Did you get the permit for the well?'”
Colin separated from the Corps as a Sergeant in 2006. For his exemplary service, he was the recipient of two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals with Combat Distinguishing Device “V”, a Meritorious Mast for each of his three deployments, a letter of Appreciation and a Letter of Accommodation.
Back home together again, Colin and Karen developed Archi’s Acres into a working, hydroponic, organic farm that used 85% less water and harvested organic produce 17 times a year - twice the conventional yield. They learned how to make “liquid dirt,” and farm bacteria. They sold their living basil to Whole Foods markets, and Jimbo’s Naturally in San Diego. They also sold Siberian kale, lettuce, citrus and their avocados at the farmer’s market. They met their neighboring farmers and loved their new life.
Identifying a need …
Soon though, the time came for Colin’s fellow Marines to redeploy without him, and it was very difficult to accept that he would not be with his military family, taking care of his guys.
Karen understood that Colin felt tremendous loyalty to his brothers and sisters in arms, but she could not let him go back to the war zone. After three extremely dangerous deployments, she wanted him home with her on the farm. It occurred to her that they could continue to serve by giving his military family the training and the chance at a life that Colin had created for himself - a life with purpose and possibility. A mission to provide real food security, sustainably farmed, for his country.
Then and now, veterans need help transitioning to civilian life, beyond what the VA can provide. At any given time, there are a quarter of a million veterans living on the streets, in part due to combat stress, and/or the brain injuries that roadside bombs can inflict. That same number of veterans, 250,000, have requested mental health treatment. Sadly, veteran joblessness is twice the national average, at 17%.
“We felt the need to address this issue,” Colin says. “Job opportunities have been few and far between for everybody, and the skills many have learned in the military don’t always translate directly into civilian life. The veteran community is a unique resource,” he adds. “But many U.S. employers aren’t tapping into it. The military teaches great leadership skills, a solid work ethic, and a unique ability to think on your feet.”
Our country needs a million new farmers over the next ten years. According to a USDA 2007 report, 65.8% of small farmer operators are over 55 and only 4.1% percent are younger than 35.
Karen adds, “There’s also the challenge of high-tech crop production. Farming is not easy; you have to be able to stay flexible, stay with it, hang tough. Every day is different; it can be an adrenaline rush. Combat vets are really good at that.”
A concept becomes reality…
So, with the need for new energy in the agricultural industry and out of tremendous loyalty to Colin’s “guys,” Colin and Karen created the Veterans Sustainability Agriculture Training (VSAT). This unique program would recreate the closeness of the unit outside of the military and teach veterans all the farming skills the Archipleys had acquired.
There would also be the health benefits. Six weeks immersed in the VSAT program at Archi’s Acres provides the down time that facilitates a much smoother transition out of urban warfare.
Between the classroom and the greenhouses, veterans gather what they need to know to get started on their own. Trainees can interact with the public at Farmer’s Markets, and experience the positive
feedback and connection to their mission. Before they leave Archi’s Acres, trainees create market plans, checked out by business leaders.
Spreading the word…
To support graduate success in the booming world of small, organic, sustainable farms, Karen and her team identify grants and opportunities. Toro Irrigation, and John Deere Water have stepped
up to support the students as well as: USDA, Farm Service Agency, S.C.O.R.E., and Small Business Development Center. Whole Foods Market participates with commitments to purchase VSAT graduate produce.
Karen and Colin Archipley are dedicated to identifying the "Next Greatest Generation” as our veterans who will participate in the food security that our country needs.
On a recent trip (April, 2011) to Washington, DC to speak at the Organic Trade conference, the Archipleys met with Representative Bob Filner, Ranking Democratic Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, to discuss legislation that will support the veterans to farms movement. They visited the White House, to talk to Michele Obama’s Chief of Staff Matt Flavin about the VSAT program.
Ultimately, Colin and Karen are looking to recreate the success of the GI Bill, where some WWII vets went to college, never returning to the farm, and others used the bill to go to agricultural colleges and learn more about the new technologies in farming. There’s a Farm Bill coming up before this Congress and the Archipleys believe it is time for a bona fide veterans farm program.
Because they understand both the mission and the need, top military leaders, including Brigadier General David M. Brahms, Ret. and Air Force Cross recipient Major Neil Arthur Black Ret. have volunteered to serve on the Archi’s Acres/VSAT Advisory board.
For their efforts, the Archipleys are featured constantly in the media. They were the 2010 recipients of the Channel 10 Leadership Award and were recently also selected to be among Fast Company
Magazine’s 100 Most Creative People in business.
