Source: Lydian Bernhardt Averitt, NEWS & RECORD, 6/21/20

When Crystal Kyle joined the Army, she found meaningful work, an active lifestyle and a cause she could believe in. Twelve years later, upon leaving the service, she found a second career in another field with similar benefits: agriculture. Although it seemed like an unlikely combination, Kyle — who had no farming background — found a field full of veterans with whom she could relate and identify. “There are lots of parallels between farming and veterans, especially in North Carolina, where agriculture is the largest employment sector in the state, followed by the military,” Kyle says. “Many veterans come from farming or rural backgrounds, and farmers connect with me because of our shared experiences.

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