Marc Lamelin

My wife and I are originally from Connecticut and, after 20 years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force, we’re preparing to return home in the summer of 2026 to raise our two young children closer to family. As I transition from military service into full-time farming, we’re looking for a property with a home and workable acreage where we can build a small, diversified, community-focused farm.

Sandra, my wife, holds a degree in Animal Science from UConn and is a certified Master Gardener here in Nebraska. Together we’ve turned a 500 sq-ft backyard garden into a productive, year-round source of food for our family, and we’re ready to scale that passion into a professional market-garden enterprise. Our initial plan is to cultivate roughly ¼ acre of organic vegetables using regenerative, low-till methods while establishing ¼–½ acre of fruit and berry plantings while incorporating egg-laying chickens to anchor our farmstand, and—on a property with 10 acres or more—eventually board horses.

Although I haven’t yet worked full-time on a commercial farm, I bring nearly two decades of leadership, planning, and logistics experience from the Air Force—skills that translate directly to running an organized, reliable business. Through the Department of Defense SkillBridge program, I’m eligible for up to six months of apprenticeship prior to retirement, which I intend to complete with established Connecticut farmers to deepen my practical experience and local network. If the opportunity allows, I plan to extend that apprenticeship through 2027.

We’re looking for a long-term property arrangement—ideally purchase or lease-to-own—where we can invest in soil health, stewardship, and community relationships for many years to come.