Field Engineer Farm is a diversified farm growing mainly vegetables, blueberries, and keeping chickens for eggs. Farmer Veteran Jason Arico grew up around dairy farms and watched how those farmers cared for their animals and the land. He shared, “From then I have always felt that being a steward of the land is a noble cause. I am not certified organic but I grow using best organic practices, and try to grow with the mentality of trying to leave the land better for the next generation.”

Field Engineer Farm is truly a family farm. Jason does most of the work - prepping, planting, harvesting, fertilizing, maintaining equipment, and caring for the 40-50 bird flock. His wife, Cater, has an engineering job and supports Jason when he needs an extra hand. All three children also help with extra jobs during the summer months, with Gabriel assisting on various production chores and Samual starting to grow in his own space. The youngest, Elizbeth, is championing insect pest control, growing luffa squash, and wrangling escaped chickens.

Jason served as a Surface Warfare Officer in the US Navy. He was stationed overseas for both of his two-year tours, first in Yokosuka Japan, and then in Saipan CNMI. When asked what it means to be a CT Veteran Farmer, Jason replied, “I'm not sure I fully know what that means to me, but when I started growing I felt as though I was serving again. My engineering job was great and I wouldn't trade it for anything, but it didn't make me feel the purpose I had when I started producing food.”

Following discharge from the Navy, Jason went to work as an engineer for his father’s business. As a mechanical engineer, his position was titled ‘field engineer’ and he would travel to work onsite on printing press equipment. When thinking of farm names, it was fitting that Jason had become a different kind of field engineer. That's how Field Engineer Farm got its name!