Colin Archipley wakes up at 5 a.m. to write lesson plans for the agriculture training program for vets that he and his wife set up in 2007. At his small organic farm near San Diego, the vets study irrigation and hydroponics, work in the greenhouse, and get tips from entrepreneurs and investors for the business plans due at the end of the course.

Here's Archipley with the Thundering Third, 3/1 Lima, his military family.

"They were trained to use rifles and coordinate air strikes, not operate businesses," Archipley says, "but we tap into the leadership skills they've obtained in the military." 3rd Battalion/1st Marine Regimine, Lima Co. in IRAQ - The Thundering Third

A Veteran Sustainable Agriculture Training workshop with Romiro Lobo of Small Farm Advisory about making your small farm profitable

The VSAT large greenhouse - full of basil

A class with Inge Bisconer and Sky Anderson of TORO Irrigaiton, a VSAT supporter

Colin showing a root of hydroponic celery

Hydroponic system water flow NFT Channel

Colin and Karen at the Pentagon

At the Capital – Lobbying with OTA for Organic Food For All

Very first harvest in the new large greenhouse

Colin's first moments home from his second tour in Iraq

Avocado’s "proof that money does grow on trees," says Archipley.

"The front of our house... our yard is a shade cloth organic garden," says Archipley.

Read more about Colin Archipley, one of our 2011 Most Creative People In Business.