Danielle served 12 years before being commissioned as a Chief Warrant Officer in 2013, with duty stations that included the USS KEARSARGE, USS KITTYHAWK, USS GEORGE WASHINGTON, USS LASSEN, the Joint Intelligence Operations Center in Hawaii, Fleet Cyber Command, four Atlantic Fleet submarines, and the National Security Agency.

When she retired in 2024, she carried with her decades of discipline and leadership – and a growing passion for something entirely different.

Danielle didn’t come from an agricultural background, but she pursued it with determination. She completed the Boots to Bushels and Boots to Business programs, became a Master Gardener through the University of Maryland, worked with a SCORE mentor to build her business plan, and continued her education each winter through Cornell University, MOFGA, and various flower‑farming conferences.

Today, Danielle grows specialty cut flowers that become part of life’s most meaningful moments – birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, proms, weddings, funerals, and even gender‑reveal celebrations. She loves meeting people at the farmers market each week and hearing the stories behind the bouquets they choose.

“My flowers are grown with love and then shared with someone else out of love and it is a great feeling,” said Danielle.

Danielle became a Fellowship Fund awardee in May, 2026 (funded by Kubota Tractor Corporation), which allowed her to purchase a Kubota tractor and transforming her operation.

“You do not need to know everything about farming to start a farm,” said Danielle. “All you need to do is be resourceful enough to seek out opportunities to learn how to start a business and run your operation in a profitable and sustainable way.”

Danielle recommends connecting with the Farmer Veteran Coalition, where new farmers can learn from others who have already walked the path.