Veteran Organic Farming
Donation protected
My name is Ruben Ayala, I began my career in public service in the United States Marine Corps, and then as a Police Officer in Florida. After several years, I took a position working with the U.S. State Department where I was a member of a team tasked with protecting USAID and State Department people working on reconstruction and humanitarian work in Baghdad, Iraq. In my 7th year of performing these services, I was injured during the performance of my duties and was no longer physically able to do that type of work. Currently I’m disabled waiting for my third surgery for my left arm., and my recovery has been brutal and lengthy.
For a long time, I was very angry at myself and everyone else. I felt responsible and unable to help my team overseas, and I felt powerless to provide in a meaningful way for my family.
In a bid to reinvent myself and improve my quality of life while trying to figure out ways to provide for my family. We searched for a homestead where we could be more self sustainable and live a more natural and peaceful life. We know this would be a demanding endeavor, and there was a lot to learn, but the thought of good honest work that was creating something sustainable and beneficial for us and others was a powerful draw. In the summer of 2017 my family and I soon managed to buy a little house on 42 acres in Southwest Idaho. A piece of Fertile land upon which to build our new lives and bring our dreams of organic farming to life.
Unfortunately, we have encounter unforeseen obstacles in our Journey. We faced unexpected repairs and setbacks, typical and expected of an older home. But most importantly we came to learn that the funds we have been working so hard to save for our irrigation well was no longer going to be enough. The increases in raw materials due to new tariffs imposed steel and aluminum have caused the prices of drilling a well to skyrocket. Our dreams may not be realized if we can't get the water needed to irrigate the farm. Yet on my wife's income and my disability income these dreams seem too farfetched.
We are trying to raise $80,000 in order to get the water needed. Being able to develop the land will launch us on our new life, a life away from the violence of the battlefield, and one where I can watch our children grow alongside the crops that will go to feed other children in our community.
It is hard for me to ask friends and strangers for help, but this seems to be our final option. I have always been one to give when others needed it, I now find myself in need of help.
If you can assist with a pledge that will help us realize our dream, that would be appreciated. For those of you who can contribute, once our farm is established, we will repay each contributor with an organic fruit/vegetable baskets from our harvest.
Either way I thank you for your time.
For a long time, I was very angry at myself and everyone else. I felt responsible and unable to help my team overseas, and I felt powerless to provide in a meaningful way for my family.
In a bid to reinvent myself and improve my quality of life while trying to figure out ways to provide for my family. We searched for a homestead where we could be more self sustainable and live a more natural and peaceful life. We know this would be a demanding endeavor, and there was a lot to learn, but the thought of good honest work that was creating something sustainable and beneficial for us and others was a powerful draw. In the summer of 2017 my family and I soon managed to buy a little house on 42 acres in Southwest Idaho. A piece of Fertile land upon which to build our new lives and bring our dreams of organic farming to life.
Unfortunately, we have encounter unforeseen obstacles in our Journey. We faced unexpected repairs and setbacks, typical and expected of an older home. But most importantly we came to learn that the funds we have been working so hard to save for our irrigation well was no longer going to be enough. The increases in raw materials due to new tariffs imposed steel and aluminum have caused the prices of drilling a well to skyrocket. Our dreams may not be realized if we can't get the water needed to irrigate the farm. Yet on my wife's income and my disability income these dreams seem too farfetched.
We are trying to raise $80,000 in order to get the water needed. Being able to develop the land will launch us on our new life, a life away from the violence of the battlefield, and one where I can watch our children grow alongside the crops that will go to feed other children in our community.
It is hard for me to ask friends and strangers for help, but this seems to be our final option. I have always been one to give when others needed it, I now find myself in need of help.
If you can assist with a pledge that will help us realize our dream, that would be appreciated. For those of you who can contribute, once our farm is established, we will repay each contributor with an organic fruit/vegetable baskets from our harvest.
Either way I thank you for your time.
Organizer
Sty Low
Organizer
Wilder, ID
