A gardening workshop Thursday in Colorado Springs aimed to show ex-soldiers still grappling with the trauma of war how they can find solace in their own backyards.
Veterans and their families learned how to mix nutrient-rich compost into native soil, sprout microgreens in mason jars, arrange crops in outdoor planters and identify insects that could be harmful - or helpful - to their plants.
The event was held by Pikes Peak Urban Gardens and the local office for the Wounded Warrior Project, a national organization that serves veterans suffering from physical injuries or mental ailments.
Organizers hoped the workshop, held at the Urban Gardens' East Boulder Street location, would introduce local veterans to a healthy, productive activity. More and more research is demonstrating the positive effects of outdoor activities, such as gardening, on conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder, said Dani Larson, a physical health and wellness specialist for the Wounded Warrior Project.
"We're also teaching them to grow their own plants so that they can save money and they know where their food is coming from," Larson said.
Come the spring, the workshop's roughly two dozen attendees will be able to begin gardens of their own with the supplies they were given: a 15-gallon felt pot, two bags of soil, an assortment of vegetable seeds and a coupon for a free tomato plant at a local nursery.
Jessie Velasquez, an Army veteran who served two tours in Iraq, hopes the hobby will provide a relief for the post-traumatic stress that's plagued her in the years following her service.
"I've had problems in the past with finding things to keep me busy," she said.
According to the American Horticultural Therapy Association, gardening can aid recovery from surgery and other medical procedures, help people dealing with chronic conditions or addictions, decrease stress and depression, and improve cognitive abilities, alertness and social skills.
"For me, gardening is that place you can go to clear your head, clear your mind and just have a bit of peace in your life," said Larry Stebbins, director of Pikes Peak Urban Gardens. "It's a time for you to regenerate and fill yourself up with the outdoor experience and also do something very productive, like grow food."
Army veteran Bradley Keith, who was also twice deployed to Iraq, said he and his wife Jeri attended the session to learn more about gardening in the hopes of passing some of that knowledge on to their four children.
"I believe that everyone can grow their own food and be self-sufficient," Keith said. "It's a good skill to have."
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Contact Rachel Riley: 636-0108
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