Army Veteran Turns Beekeeping Into Award-Winning Ag Business – AGDAILY

Army Veteran Turns Beekeeping Into Award-Winning Ag Business  AGDAILY

Army veteran Jim Hartman turned beekeeping into a thriving business that helps fellow veterans find careers in agriculture. After a decade in the U.S. Army and years spent training soldiers to survive roadside bombs, Jim Hartman found a new mission in agriculture. What began as beekeeping to help manage post-traumatic stress disorder has grown into a honey business reaching 27 states and a training ground for fellow veterans looking to build careers in farming. The North Carolina farmer and former Army major was recognized Oct. 27 with the Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence by the American Farm Bureau Federation. The award was presented during the Farmer Veteran Stakeholders Conference and recognizes military veterans who have made significant contributions to agriculture and their communities.

Before entering agriculture, Hartman served 10 years in the Army as a paratrooper and bomb disposal technician, including two deployments to Iraq. Following his military service, he spent another 14 years working as a defense contractor, training soldiers to identify and avoid improvised explosive devices. Eventually, Hartman turned to beekeeping as a way to manage the challenges of post-traumatic stress disorder. The hobby became a business in 2020 when he founded Secret Garden Bees. Today, the operation produces honey products sold in more than 180 stores across 27 states. The farm has also expanded into agritourism, welcoming