Questions about the farm

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit farm in Mills River, North Carolina, founded in 2013 by John and Nicole Mahshie. Our mission is to enhance the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of our nation's veterans and their families, and our vision is an end to the veteran suicide crisis.

We do that through farm-based therapy (agritherapy), pottery, therapeutic workshops, and community events, in a safe, peaceful place to heal.

• Our mission & farm
• Our programs
• Stories from the farm

Our programs are for veterans and their families. Some, like Clay & Camaraderie pottery, are also open to active-duty service members and VHF volunteers, and our suicide prevention classes are open to everyone in Western North Carolina.

You don't have to be a veteran to volunteer. Our community is veterans, families, caregivers, and anyone who just wants to help.

• See programs
• Volunteer

Yes. We serve veterans and their families, and family members are welcome in our programs, workshops, and events. Caregivers and family members are also welcome to join a volunteer squad.

Our programs are at no cost to veterans and their families. In 2026, everything the farm provided was free to veterans, from workshops to produce, flowers, and herbal products (see our 2026 impact).

One small note: some workshops, including pottery, register through Regpack, which adds a $1 system charge. Cancellations there must be made at least 72 hours ahead.

• Find a workshop
• Help keep it free

Our programs center on brain health and healing through hands-on work and peer connection. Some workshops are actual therapies (equine, canine, art, music, and neurofeedback), and others are therapeutic experiences like blacksmithing, canning, herbal medicine, and pottery. See the full list under Workshops.

The farm supports care but doesn't replace it. For clinical help, the VA's free mental health apps and the Veterans Crisis Line are good places to start.

138 Kimzey Road, Mills River, NC 28759, in Western North Carolina. It's also our mailing address.

• Get directions
• Map & contact details

Tuesday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm. Saturday hours vary, so please call ahead at (828) 595-6111. We're closed Sundays and Mondays.

• Farm hours
• Event calendar

Yes. Tours are by appointment. Call (828) 595-6111 or email us to set up a time.

• About the farm
• Photo galleries

It depends on what you're coming for:

• Workshops and events: some ask you to sign up ahead. Open the event on our calendar and use its Register button if it has one.
• Volunteering: start with our short volunteer form, then come out during farm hours. There's no set schedule.
• A tour: by appointment, so contact us first.

• Agritherapy: the vegetable and flower gardens, beehives, and medicinal herbs, tended together.
• Clay & Camaraderie: pottery with our resident potter, Sophia Lauterbach.
• Workshops: therapies and therapeutic, hands-on experiences.
• Events: remembrance, outings, and community gatherings.

• All programs
• Upcoming dates

Everything is on our event calendar, where you can filter by workshops, volunteer groups, wellness, and community events, and register. You can also add our calendar to Google Calendar so new dates show up on your phone.

Regular groups, like the Garden Group and Herb Volunteer Group, are listed under regular gatherings.

No. Beginner workshops need no experience. Clay & Camaraderie starts with a 4-week beginner hand-building workshop, and past students can come back for open studio. Seasonal workshops, like our two-part holiday ornament workshop, need no pottery experience either.

• See pottery dates

Yes. We offer life-saving suicide prevention classes, open to everyone in Western North Carolina, and Mental Health First Aid is among our workshops. Watch the calendar for the next class, or contact us to ask.

It's all given back. Our produce, flower bouquets, honey, and herbal products go to our veteran community and local organizations, including the Charles George VA Medical Center, the Veterans Restoration Quarters in Asheville, IAM Food Pantry, Hendersonville Rescue Mission, the Storehouse, and SafeLight Women's Shelter.

In 2026 that was 2,683 lbs of produce and more than 500 bouquets (from our 2026 Year-End Report).

• About agritherapy

Three steps: fill out our short volunteer form, pick a squad, and come out to the farm during farm hours.

• How to get started
• Volunteer page

There's no required time and no experience needed. Come when you can, help with what interests you, and learn as you go. Every squad teaches as you go.

• Garden Group, with Maddie McCann: vegetables and flowers, including the bouquets we give out at the VA.
• Medicinal Herb Squad, led by Rebecca Vann, Plant Medicine Director.
• Bee Squad, with our Lead Beekeeper.

You can join more than one. All of them are on the Volunteer page.

Yes. Volunteer committees run the back end of the farm: marketing, social media, events, membership, website development, fundraising, and community outreach. New members are welcome and needed. Email us to join one.

• Committees

We'd love that. See sponsorship and partnership, or email us to talk about working together.

Online gifts are handled securely through PayPal, one time or monthly. You don't need a PayPal account: you can pay by card.

• Donate today
• Ways to give

• Pick supplies from our Amazon wish list, and Amazon ships them to the farm.
• Give your time on a squad or committee.
• Wear your support with gear from our online shop.
• Businesses can become a sponsor.

Veterans Healing Farm is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Our IRS Form 990s and our North Carolina charitable solicitation license are public. For advice on your own taxes, please check with your tax advisor.

• Form 990s
• Solicitation license (PDF)

We have a very small staff, many of them veterans, and 411 volunteers in 2026, so most grants and donations go straight into the farm, its programs, and events. Your gift supports agritherapy, workshops, and events.

• Our 2026 impact
• 2025 Year-End Report (PDF)
• Form 990s

A small staff led by Executive Director Alan "Al" Yeck, many of them veterans, and a volunteer board of veterans and community professionals.

• Our team
• Board of directors

• Photo galleries and news coverage
• Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube
• Our email updates: sign up at the bottom of our home page.

Please do. If the farm has been part of your life as a veteran, family member, volunteer, or partner, send us your story. You can read others on our testimonials page.

We don't sell your personal information, and our site doesn't use advertising cookies. Please don't send medical or mental health details through our website, forms, or email; we'll talk with you in person or by phone. Details are in our privacy policy.

Call the Veterans Crisis Line at 988, then press 1, text 838255, or chat online. It's free, confidential, open 24/7, and you don't have to be enrolled in VA care. In an emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Yes. Our Resources page lists 11 free apps from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, including PTSD Coach, Insomnia Coach, Mindfulness Coach, and VetChange.

• All 11 apps

Yes. Come out to the farm during farm hours or give us a call at (828) 595-6111. We'll help you find the right support, and you don't have to figure it out alone.

• Contact us
• Programs