Sowing New Beginnings: A Veteran’s Path to Farming with VFNC
Published: October 1, 2025
For many service members, the transition to civilian life is an uncertain process. Questions like “what comes next?” and “how do I move forward?” loom overhead. Robert Elliot founded The Veteran’s Farm of North Carolina, Inc. (VFNC) to provide an answer and a clear path forward. Since 2015, VFNC has helped over 1,000 beginning Farmer Veterans gain the tools and confidence to succeed in agriculture, offering hands-on training at North Carolina’s only full-scale production farm dedicated to Veterans.
Elevating Training Through Registered Apprenticeship
In 2024, while looking to elevate its already extensive curriculum, VFNC connected with ApprenticeshipNC, the State Apprenticeship Agency housed under the North Carolina Community College System, to register its first Apprenticeship Program.
“We are trying to build a roadmap for transitioning veterans and for agricultural training. With the [Registered] Apprenticeship, we’ve been able to take our training to the next level. There aren’t too many farming programs that identify the skills needed to be a journeyman. We’re proud to be one and we hope others will follow suit,” said Elliot, a former member of the Marine Corps who was honorably discharged in 2002.
From Active Duty to Agriculture
Among the many lives transformed by VFNC’s goal is Christopher Gray—VFNC’s first Vegetable Farm Manager Registered Apprentice. Gray’s journey is a shining example of what’s possible when service continues beyond the uniform and into the field.
After retiring in October 2024 following 20 years of active-duty military service, Gray enrolled in VFNC’s Veterans Agricultural Training and Education Program (VATEP), a five-month, comprehensive course covering the foundational skills needed to start, run, market, and secure resources to grow an agricultural operation. Upon graduating from that program, he chose to continue his training through VFNC’s Registered Apprenticeship.
A Hands-On, Earn-and-Learn Approach
Due to the earn-and-learn structure of the Registered Apprenticeship, Gray is a paid employee while gaining extensive on-the-job training and classroom-based instruction. Thanks to its competency-based approach, he’s able to progress at a pace that suits his individual learning style.
“We introduce concepts in the classroom and then go out into the field and do the training for what we discussed. Then, we come back into the classroom and explain and expand on any questions they have,” said Elliot of the hands-on teaching approach.
For Gray, this method of learning has been a perfect fit. “I tend to learn best through repetition, hands-on experience and teaching. Through this job, I get to do all three…In a traditional classroom environment, you learn the theoretical. You learn the ‘maybes,’ ‘whys’ and ‘what ifs,’ but you don’t get to actually experience it. Here, I’m introduced to a concept and then 30 minutes later I’m out in the pasture working,” he said. On a day-to-day basis, Gray completes a variety of tasks, including assessing the status of farm animals and equipment, feeding and watering livestock, moving animals, managing supply inventories, performing repairs, and building new infrastructure.
Gray credits VFNC’s programs with helping him adjust to civilian life. “This year has given me an opportunity to transition from military life, and that pace, to civilian life without one day being in uniform and one day being in a cubicle. It’s really given me a chance to experience civilian life in a controlled environment with the same type of people I’m used to dealing with. I think that it’s really helped me, personally and professionally, to transition.”
Building Toward a Purposeful Future
Eager to expand his agricultural knowledge even further, Gray is also currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Food and Sustainable Farming from the University of Massachusetts through the VA’s Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Program. His drive to keep learning, paired with the structure, support, and real-world experience offered by VFNC’s programs, demonstrates the lasting impact of purposeful transition pathways for Veterans. As VFNC continues to grow its Registered Apprenticeship Program and expand its reach, stories like Gray’s are a powerful reminder that with the right tools and community, Veterans can build meaningful second careers that carry their service forward in new and impactful ways.
About ApprenticeshipNC: Recognized by the Office of Apprenticeship to act on behalf of the U.S. Department of Labor, ApprenticeshipNC is the State Apprenticeship Agency housed under the North Carolina Community College System authorized to register apprenticeship programs tailored to meet employers’ needs.
About The Veteran’s Farm of NC, Inc: The Veteran’s Farm of North Carolina, Inc. (‘VFNC’) is designed and dedicated to educating veterans, transitioning active-duty personnel and their family members ages 18+ years on all aspects of agriculture.