Lincoln

Air force Veteran Sara Creech loves her property, Blue Yonder Organic Farm in North Salem.

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(Part two of three)

By Melissa Gibson

After September 11, 2001, nurse Sara Creech decided to apply her skills to helping those sacrificing to serve in the military. She joined the Air Force and worked as a surgery and trauma nurse in California for three years before suffering an injury and being medically retired, spending eight months in rehab for recovery.

Moving back into civilian life proved more difficult than Creech had imagined.

“At first, I had been struggling with PTSD and anxiety. I had a really hard time reintegrating and felt very disconnected. My husband was an Air Force pilot and things started improving for us. We lived near the water and I found that there was really something therapeutic for me in nature,” Creech said.

Just as things were looking up, Creech’s husband was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2010.

“We started researching nutrition and healthy diet. We started going to farmers markets and meeting different farmers; really feeling a connection to agriculture and food,” Creech said.

When Creech’s husband passed away in May of 2011, she said it was like starting life all over again. She spent six months sitting on the couch before things began to turn for the better.

“My sister lived in Indiana and I decided I wanted to buy a farm in the middle of nowhere. I ended up finding property in North Salem and made an offer sight unseen,” Creech said. “I moved up here, not really knowing what I was going to do. I bought a few chicks at the Tractor Supply, three bottle lambs and started planting fruit trees but I was really still researching. I couldn’t find information about farming programs and small-scale farming.”

After attending an Arm to Farm conference in Alaska, Creech had a plan.

Creech meets with Jarod Chew from the USDA to discuss farm growth, improvement and conservation practices.

“I came back to Indiana and immediately emailed our National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and told them I wanted to do a training farm for other veterans, I was just getting started and looking for help,” Creech said. “They came out and talked through some of my ideas, helped me dream but also, practically. It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship.”

NRCS is located in the office of the Hendricks County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and Creech met Jerod Chew, District Conservationist for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Bree Ollier, Natural Resource Conservationist for Hendricks County and Matt Williams, Resource Specialist for the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. “Sara is a very driven, dynamic, cool lady and this is what we do,” Chew said. “We set up a planning site visit, walk the farm and discuss what your goals are for the property and how we can help support you, whether that’s boosting production by installing certain practices or helping with cost share grants. For example, she has two high tunnels, similar to a greenhouse, which extend the growing season. We were able to help her gain access and apply for certain funding for things like that.”

The team at the SWCD also helped Creech with seeding to improve pastures, internal fencing, water systems, invasive species management and pollinators.

“I had vegetables and eggs at my first Farmer’s Market in Danville,” Creech said. “I realized and found over time that everyone loves food and it was a great way to rejoin society, start talking to people and meeting others. The Farmer’s Market is a not too intimidating way, of getting out there.”

Today, Creech raises beef, chickens and ducks. She has a half an acre of vegetables, processes honey, maple syrup and grows shitake mushrooms.

She’s also giving back.

“I started doing these Veteran training programs; some only one day but I’ve also done a week-long program. We started the Indiana Chapter of the Farmer Veteran Coalition which is the local organization since 2017. We offer training, resources and some social events like picnics throughout the year,” Creech said.

The combination of veterans and farming might not have seemed like a natural fit, but Creech can see the similarities.

“In the military you are very mission oriented. Everyone is supportive and it’s stressful but exciting. You feel like you’re making a difference and there’s a team and camaraderie that lasts a lifetime. Just like any other high-intensity, traumatic experience, there’s an automatic bond there that only the people who went through it can really understand,” Creech said.

The change from the military environment to the outside environment can be jarring and leave many asking, ‘What’s next’?

“You come home and the entire world is acting like there’s nothing going on. We have kids right out of high school joining the military and they’ve done amazing things during their service but they missed out on how to live on their own. The military provided their food and their schedule,” Creech said. “It’s hard to go from this huge mission and then work in an office. It doesn’t fit. I think that’s why we have such a high rate of suicide for veterans. It’s not just the things they’ve experienced, but they’ve lost hope.”

The act of farming, Creech has found, gives her the hope she was looking for and the practice of farming is similar to the practice in the military. For example, the feeling of helping others, supplying a need and the daily unknowns that happen on a farm. Farmers have to adapt and adjust throughout the day based on the course of events, similar to those in the military.

“Farming saved my life,” Creech said. “I felt hopeless and sad and didn’t know what I was going to do. My life was over at 32 years old and I had nothing to look forward to. Through this farm, I was able to find joy and connect with people. It’s stinky and dirty and hard work but there’s nothing else like it.”

For more information about Creech and her farm, visit www.blueyonderorganicfarm.com. Information about the SWCD can be found at https://www. hendricksswcd.org.

A veteran herself, Creech has a passion for inviting other veterans to her farm for training sessions, encouraging others to give it a try.

One way the SWCD supported Creech was finding funding for high tunnels, similar to a greenhouse to extend growth.

Creech got her start attending local Farmer’s Markets and continues to attend Carmel’s summer market each year.

This is the second in a three-part series about Veteran farmers in Hendricks County.

In part one, we spoke to the staff at the Hendricks County Soil & Water Conservation District..

Up next, we’ll speak to SWCD, Creech and a veteran making the most out of Porter Farm, a Danville farm used for training hundreds of farmers throughout the year.

Children’s Art Classes Offers Unique Curriculum for Yount Artists’ Exploration

Kirkeiner was excited to open Children’s Art Classes on Feb. 1 with a team of trained and professional art teachers.

By Melissa Gibson

Marie Kirkeiner has been teaching music for more than 30 years.

She’s long-since been a dedicated advocate for fine arts education, but became frustrated when COVID hit and she wasn’t able to go into her school for vocal coaching sessions.

“COVID had me rethinking my goals in life. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial side to me and it’s really ingrained in me to be a fine arts advocate,” Kirkeiner said. “I started looking at franchises and it was funny because the music ones didn’t really resonate with me but the art studios did.”

Part of the reason was because Kirkeiner believes the community has many opportunities for music, sports, dance and other activities, but art seemed to be lacking.

“I loved that Children’s Art is a newer franchise. I could see right away how wonderful the curriculum was and the founder has been teaching art for 45 years. She has a really high standard and unique methodology,” Kirkeiner said. “It was super exciting opening weekend. I already had 50 students enrolled; a healthy number and it confirmed there was a need here.”

On February 1, Kirkeiner opened her doors and began a 16-week session with students at her brick and mortar shop in Brownsburg.

In the fall, students will have the option of signing up for a nine-month program. Classes are for ages 3-18 and explore more than 40 different areas of art, including medias like ceramics and print making.

Once per week, students meet for 45 minutes to 75 minutes depending on age and every five weeks, the art topics change.

Every teacher receives training through Children’s Art Classes.

Kirkeiner has one teacher with a B.A. in Fine Arts and she was still required to attending training sessions, but with everyone on the same page, she hopes to attract those students that are serious about art as well as those ready to explore.

“We’re seeing some really great art. I’m still getting regular enrollment and kids are inviting their friends. They’re committed and the smiles on their faces say it all,” Kirkeiner said.

Summer workshops are now available and do not require year enrollment. Art workshops are a little different than full day camps and are only held for an hour and 15 minutes each morning but include a variety of focuses such as clay animal masks, printmaking, watercolors and many more.

Kirkeiner is also partnering with the Brownsburg Parks Department to host two full-day camps as well.

Children’s Art Classes is located at 578 W. Northfield Dr., Suite 1070, Brownsburg. For more information, visit https://www.childrensartclasses.com/location/brownsburg.

Students at Children’s Art Classes try their hand at painting in several different mediums throughout the course.