From Army Colonel to Blueberry Farmer: Why Food Security Matters More Than You Think

Episode Description:

Food security isn’t just about what’s on your table — it’s about national security.


This week on Talk Midland, Logan sits down with Laura Varhola, retired U.S. Army Colonel and co-owner of Russell Blueberry Farm & Nursery in Freeland, to talk about a life that took a 180-degree turn.


After a decorated military career serving in Korea, Africa, Germany, and the Pentagon — including senior defense roles in Ethiopia and Tanzania — Laura and her husband retired from the Army and returned home to take over her family’s 80-acre blueberry farm.

What may seem like a simple agricultural story is anything but.


Laura shares:

  • Why food security was a driver of instability in East Africa
  • How pandemics and supply chain disruptions changed the way she views local farming
  • Why Michigan is one of the most important agricultural states in the country
  • The realities of running a multi-generational blueberry farm
  • The challenges of labor, imports, and rising input costs
  • What most people don’t understand about “organic” vs. imported produce
  • And how leadership lessons from the military apply directly to farming


This episode blends leadership, agriculture, national security, and community in a way you don’t hear every day.


It’s a story about service — just in a different uniform.

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