Elma veteran receives farm project money

May 30, 2018 1:30 am
(Courtesy photo) Elma veteran Zachary Geesaman, left, was awarded a $1,000 shopping spree at Tractor Supply for his farm.
(Courtesy photo) Elma veteran Zachary Geesaman, left, was awarded a $1,000 shopping spree at Tractor Supply for his farm.

Tractor Supply Co. and the Farmer Veteran Coalition honored Zachary Geesaman of Elma as part of a national Armed Forces Day event May 19.

Geesaman was one of 50 veterans across the country to receive a $1,000 Tractor Supply donation through FVC’s Farmer Veteran Fellowship Fund, a grant program that offers assistance to veterans in the early stages of their farming operations.

Geesaman, a U.S. Army veteran, owns and operates Swale Orchard Farm in Elma.

This year’s honorees were selected by a team of seasoned agriculture industry professionals. Criteria included farm training and experience, personal investment in their farm business, a clear need for assistance, and their vision and goals for the future of their farm business.