Cloth of the Nation

Ep 08 | What It’s Really Like to Be an Army Physician

My name is Rodney Coldrew and I retired from the Army after 30 years as a physician. I am an OIF veteran and served globally, including Korea, Kenya, Thailand, and Germany. I currently operate a conservation farm in western PA, with my wife and sons, and work as a volunteer Humane Society Police Officer.

Ep 07 | Real Talk: Veteran Farmers & Mental Health (ft. PA Secretary of Ag)

Russell Redding was unanimously confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate to serve as Pennsylvania's 27th Secretary of Agriculture on May 10, 2023. Governor Josh Shapiro nominated Redding to continue serving as secretary, after he served from 2015 – 2022 under Governor Tom Wolf. He is the former dean of the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at Delaware Valley University. Redding has extensive experience as a public servant, having spent more than 30 years serving Pennsylvania in Harrisburg and Washington D.C. He worked on Capitol Hill as Ag Policy Advisor to U.S. Senator Harris Wofford and served for nearly 25 years in the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, serving as secretary from 2009-2011 under Governor Ed Rendell, and from 2015-2022 under Governor Tom Wolf. He also served on the Agriculture subcommittee of the USDA’s Equity Commission. He earned his B.S. in Agriculture Education and M.S. in Agriculture and Extension Education from Penn State University. In addition, he is a graduate of the Agribusiness Executive program. A native of Pennsylvania, Redding has an innate understanding of food and agriculture, stemming from his youth on his family’s dairy farm and his time as a dairy farm operator. He and his wife Nina have two adult sons and own and operate a farm in Gettysburg. Mental Wellness Resources for the Agriculture Community | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania [https://www.pa.gov/agencies/pda/about-pda/mental-wellness-resources-for-the-agriculture-community] The Agristess Hotline - 833 897 2474

Ep 06 | Traveling the World with a U.S. Navy Veteran

Don Hershey was born in Lancaster County and raised in the Lehigh Valley.  As the son of his high school principal, Don faced more than his fair share of social pressure from classmates. By the time he graduated, he was eager to get as far away from his hometown as possible and had little interest in attending college.  Instead, Don enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he trained as an Electrician’s Mate and attained the rank of Second Class Petty Officer.  Don served in the 6th Fleet aboard the U.S.S. Nimitz (CVN-68), an aircraft carrier, and the U.S.S. Vulcan (AR-5), a repair ship, from 1978 to 1984—during the Iranian and Libyan crises. He completed two Mediterranean, two North Atlantic, and multiple Caribbean cruises. His Navy service gave him the opportunity to see much of the world and to form lifelong friendships.  After his military service, Don earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from Kutztown University. He went on to spend forty-two years working in federal, state, and local government, as well as in the public sector.  Don is retired and currently lives in Hummelstown with his wife, Cindy.

Ep 05 | Active Duty with PA National Guard Member Charles Lafferty

CJ Lafferty serves in the PA National Guard and, along with his family, runs Skyline Pastures Farm.  A Pennsylvania native, CJ applies skills learned in military service to his farming of high-quality food for people who like knowing where their food comes from.  He and wife Tanya are committed to helping educate people about their food supply and assisting other veterans interested in farming through his service to the Pennsylvania Veteran Farming Network.

Ep 04 | Veterans at the 2026 PA Farm Show

Dale takes on The Farm Show to speak with veterans from around the state about their experiences. The episode features: Army Veteran Liam McCay Air Force, VFW Veteran Thomas A. Sally Marine, Air Guard Veteran Rodney Weston Bly Michael Reifsnyder Army Veteran Chris Kuhns Army Veterans Hank and Mo Gillon and Veteran Spouse Mimi Thomas - Brooker