Within the coronary heart of Louisiana, a Coast Guard veteran is popping her ardour for beekeeping right into a mission to help fellow service members. Cheri Ben-Iesau, who served 25 years within the Coast Guard, now runs a 50-acre apiary and blueberry farm often known as Massive Department Apiary. Her work not solely promotes sustainable agriculture but in addition offers a singular path for veterans transitioning into civilian life. Via her involvement with Hives for Heroes, a nationwide nonprofit, Ben-Iesau is utilizing bees to assist veterans discover goal and group after navy service.
Beekeeping might seem to be an unlikely bridge between navy and civilian life, however for Ben-Iesau, the parallels are placing. A beehive is a extremely organized system the place every member has a job, not in contrast to the construction of the armed forces. Employee bees and drones function in concord below the steering of a queen, mirroring the coordinated efforts of navy models. This pure order resonated with Ben-Iesau, who discovered consolation and inspiration within the hive’s rhythm after retiring from service.
“It began with the bees. We solely have 27 hives, and we plan to slowly enhance that,” she defined. What started as a single hive in her backyard rapidly grew right into a full-fledged operation. “After I retired, I began gardening full-time. It’s a ardour of mine, and I made a decision someday to place bees out in my backyard, and it bought uncontrolled from one bee hive to 14.”
Her journey into agriculture and beekeeping got here after a navy profession that spanned greater than twenty years. Initially aspiring to serve solely 4 years, Ben-Iesau stayed for 25, drawn by the autonomy and challenges the Coast Guard provided. “There was at all times a problem, however with the Coast Guard, you’ve gotten a number of autonomy to handle your personal tasks,” she stated. That sense of duty has carried over into her post-service life, the place she now cultivates not solely bees and blueberries but in addition a way of goal for different veterans.
Ben-Iesau’s farm serves as greater than only a enterprise. It’s a sanctuary and a coaching floor for veterans in search of route after energetic responsibility. Via Hives for Heroes, she mentors different former service members, serving to them be taught the artwork and science of beekeeping. This system is particularly designed to help veterans throughout the usually tough transition to civilian life, providing them a brand new focus and a supportive group.
“Hive for Heroes was designed to assist, particularly, transitioning veterans, transition out of the navy into civilian life and provides them one thing to focus on,” she defined. The group connects skilled beekeepers with veterans, creating mentorships that foster each talent growth and emotional help.
I discovered this element placing: the easy act of working with bees can have a profound affect on an individual’s psychological and emotional well-being. Reporter Lauren McCoy famous how the apply can encourage veterans to beat fears and set new targets. The structured but calming nature of beekeeping presents a therapeutic outlet, one which calls for focus and persistence—qualities deeply ingrained in navy coaching.
Ben-Iesau’s story is a compelling instance of how ardour tasks can evolve into platforms for group service. Her farm isn’t just a administrative center; it’s a place of therapeutic and progress. For veterans grappling with the challenges of reintegration, applications like Hives for Heroes present a significant approach to channel their abilities and experiences into one thing constructive and rewarding.
Because the demand for veteran help providers continues to develop, modern approaches like Ben-Iesau’s provide a hopeful path ahead. Her dedication to each agriculture and fellow veterans exemplifies how private ardour can intersect with public service. By sharing her data and assets, she helps others discover their footing in a brand new chapter of life, one hive at a time.
For these all for sustainable farming, beekeeping for veterans, or veteran transition applications, Massive Department Apiary stands as a testomony to what could be achieved by dedication and group. Ben-Iesau’s work not solely nurtures the land but in addition cultivates resilience and goal amongst those that have served.
