Willcox veteran uses $1,000 grant to grow his pecan orchard in Cochise County

A $1,000 grant is helping a Willcox veteran keep his pecan orchard moving forward, offering a small but practical boost to an agricultural business in Cochise County. For Tucson residents who buy food from Southern Arizona producers, work with regional farms or ranches, or travel through the area, Michael Stark’s experience illustrates how modest support can help a new farm absorb the everyday costs of production. Stark owns Bar Z Bar Pecans in Willcox and used the award to purchase supplies that might otherwise have had to come directly from the business.

Stark received the money through the Farmer Veterans Coalition’s Fellowship Fund. The Tractor Supply Company Foundation contributed $100,000 to that fund, which provides financial assistance to farmers who are also military veterans. Stark applied for the program and was awarded a $1,000 gift card that can be used at Tractor Supply. Although the amount is limited, Stark said it has helped him manage expenses that are easy to overlook when calculating the larger costs of operating an orchard.

The grant came as a welcome surprise. Stark said he entered the application process without expecting to receive funding, but submitted the materials because there was no way to benefit from the opportunity without trying. His response reflects the uncertainty that can accompany small business assistance programs, particularly for agricultural operators who are working to build a business over time. In Stark’s case, the application resulted in support that could be put to use immediately at Bar Z Bar Pecans.

Rather than spending the gift card on a single major purchase, Stark has used it for the smaller items required to keep the operation running. He said those purchases have included additives, lubricants and similar supplies. Individually, such items may not appear to represent a major investment, but Stark said they can accumulate and place pressure on a business. The gift card therefore gave him room to cover routine needs while preserving other business resources for the orchard’s broader development.

Stark already completed his first harvest during the past winter. That milestone marks an early stage for Bar Z Bar Pecans, while his plans point toward increased production in future years. The grant does not represent the entire investment needed to grow an orchard, but it helps address the kinds of operating costs that arise between larger steps. For a farm that is moving from its first harvest toward greater output, being able to purchase necessary supplies can make it easier to continue that progression.

The support also connects Stark’s business to a broader effort aimed specifically at veterans entering or expanding agriculture. The Farmer Veterans Coalition Fellowship Fund is designed to provide money to veteran farmers so they can advance their businesses. Stark’s award was part of a larger contribution from the Tractor Supply Company Foundation, linking a national foundation donation with an individual operation in Willcox. The result was direct assistance for a local grower, rather than support that remained only at the organizational level.

Tractor Supply’s Benson store is part of the local setting surrounding the award. Kayla Weeks, the store’s assistant manager, said the location is continually stocking products to meet the needs of a growing number of farmers and ranchers in the area. Her observation helps explain why a store gift card was useful to Stark. The award allowed him to obtain supplies from a retailer serving the agricultural community, while the store’s ongoing demand reflects the continuing presence of farming and ranching businesses across Cochise County.

Weeks also described a sense of accomplishment in contributing to society at a basic level. That perspective places the grant in the context of community support, where assistance can move from a foundation to a nonprofit program, then to a veteran business and finally to a local store. Each part of that chain has a practical role. The foundation provided the funding, the coalition administered the fellowship, Stark used the award for his orchard, and the Benson store supplied the goods needed for day to day work.

For Tucson and the rest of Southern Arizona, Stark’s story offers a local example of how agricultural businesses develop through a combination of long term goals and immediate necessities. Bar Z Bar Pecans has reached its first harvest, and Stark is now focused on producing more in the years ahead. The next phase will depend on the orchard’s continued development, but the grant has already helped reduce some of the small expenses that can weigh on a growing operation. It also demonstrates how veteran focused funding can reach a business in Cochise County and provide tangible support at an important early point.