Swords to Plowshares with Farms Not Arms

The next planning meeting for THE SWORDS TO PLOWSHARES PROJECT

FARMS NOT ARMS, a national organization of farmers striving for a more peaceful world, is inviting the local farming community to meet at the Santa Cruz Veterans Hall, Sunday, June 10, with veterans, Gold Star Mothers, and other interested citizens, to discuss how the agricultural industry can help America's young men and women returning from war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The meeting will NOT be political. We ask that we all leave our opinions of the wars at the door.

The purpose will be to review a number of projects that can create employment, job training, and places to heal on our farms for these deserving citizens.

FARMS NOT ARMS has been collaborating with NOT THIS TIME VETS and VETERANS VILLAGE to organize this meeting and we urge all local farmers and farming organizations to come and participate. Participation will not be construed as endorsement of our group or any of the other groups in attendance.

A partial list of the veterans and their advocates that are planning to attend the meeting:

Nadia McCaffrey, founder, Gold Star Mother of Sergeant Patrick McCaffrey, Founder, Veterans Village, San Jose, CA;
Steve Edwards, ex-National Guard Iraq veteran, coordinator, Veterans Village, San Jose, CA;
Theresa Edwards, VP Public Relations, Veterans Village, San Jose, CA;
Michael Murray RA, architect for the Patrick McCaffrey Foundation, Veterans Village Farm-Project, San Francisco, CA;
Moctezuma Sanchez, Marine, Iraq veteran, Veterans Village, Stockton, CA;
Donna Jacobs, Not This Time Vets, Santa Cruz, CA;
Ramon Leal, Iraq Vet, VP Bay Area Chapter, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Berkeley, CA;
Matthew Hevezi, ex-Marine, Iraq Veteran, Founder of CampVet, San Diego,CA;
Dwayne Hunn PHD, Veterans advocacy, Peoples Lobby , Mill Valley, CA;
Amy Merriweather, coordinator Iraq Veterans Projects, Swords to Plowshares, San Francisco, CA.

A partial list of farmers and farm groups that will be attending:
Jim Cochran, Swanton Berry Farm, co-chairman Farms Not Arms, Davenport, CA;
Michael O'Gorman, Jacobs Farm/Del Cabo, co-chairman Farms Not Arms, San Diego, CA;
Jeff and Lori Fiorivich, Crystal Bay Farm, Watsonville, CA;
Reggie Knox, California FarmLink, Watsonville, CA
Mark Lipson, Molino Creek Farming Collective, Davenport, CA

TO RSVP, for more information, or to offer your assistance please contact:
Linda Speel, Farms Not Arms, 707-765-0196, info@farmsnotarms.org
Reggie Knox, Califronia FarmLink, 831-425-8145 reg4@californiafarmlink.org
Nadia McCaffrey, Veterans Village, 209-830-9955, nadiamccaffrey@gmail.com
Donna Jacobs, Santa Cruz Veterans Building, 831-338-7965, not_this_time_vets_2004@hotmail.com