RICHMOND, Ky. — River Hill Ranch outside of Richmond, Kentucky, is one of those magical places where life seems simple and purposeful.
Old Glory glowed in the sun's last rays, ducks waddled their way back to the barn for the night and a field of alpacas munched on a late dinner. On this particular evening, the magician behind it all was pulling double duty.
Alvina Maynard — a farmer, mom and veteran — caught up with us while on assignment in Washington, D.C. She's a special agent in the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.
“So, making sure we don't have criminals within our ranks and stopping foreign intelligence from acquiring information about us”, Maynard said.
We asked whether she was a veteran or a farmer first, Maynard answered with a simple, "yes."
"There's no first," Maynard said. "That's like asking am I a woman first or a mom first? Yes. They're all parts of who I am."
She credits an amazing group of people, including her husband, for allowing her to continue to farm while serving. They raise alpacas and ducks for textiles and meat. Yes, meat.
"We turn [the alpacas'] wool into hats, socks, gloves, the most amazing sweaters, scarves, blankets," Maynard said. "That is our first harvest but, unfortunately, their fiber quality degrades and so they become the opposite of profitable...at that point we send them off to the great green pasture in the sky and their second harvest is as a meat source."
But this place produces more than just products you can touch and taste. It cultivates hearts and minds. City kids camp and develop new roots while learning about farm life, sustainability and community.
"In the heart of veterans is a heart of service, of just wanting to make our nation a better place, wanting to protect and serve" Maynard said. "And farming naturally is the same way, because it is for sure a labor of love where you are wanting to serve your community by providing basic needs."
But does she ever get overwhelmed by the enormity of duty to country and responsibility to the farm?
"I think one thing that that helped me in the military that also helps in farming, and it helps in parenthood, is you just have to laugh through the crazy because if you don't you'll just start crying and break down," Maynard said. "So you have to find humor, you have to focus on the positives and keep powering through and it takes grit to say the least."
Maynard's second mission, this slice of heaven in the Bluegrass, may also be a model for others who've sacrificed a big piece of who they were to serve in the military. With many veterans struggling with PTSD and searching for fulfillment, Maynard said agriculture could be a perfect outlet.
“If there are any veterans out there that don't have a purpose, that they haven't found that purpose or that mission outside of the military, agriculture could be that for somebody who hasn't found it elsewhere," said Alvina.
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