Growing Up on the Farm
Colby "Bear" Hammonds grew up in the Saddletree community of Lumberton, NC, where he was raised on a cow-calf operation specializing in hay and row crops. His parents, Ronald and Linda Hammonds, were active community members with deep roots in Robeson County. Ronald, a lifelong farmer, still continues his work in agriculture, while Linda, a retired public-school teacher, dedicated years to education.
From a young age, Hammonds immersed himself in Robeson County's NC Cooperative Extension 4H Youth Development programs. At just 9, he joined the 4H Chick to Chicken program, and by 11, he was already part of the local livestock judging team. Hammonds' childhood revolved around hands-on experiences with cattle, chickens, hay baling, horses, and pasture fence maintenance.
On September 8, 1988 (Volume 16, Number 35), The Carolina Indian Voice, a local Pembroke newspaper, featured an article on Colby "Bear" Hammonds that offered an early glimpse into his future dedication to North Carolina agriculture. Below is an excerpt from that piece:
“A Robeson County youth recently attended a new 4H program developed to enhance farm family stability through “hands-on” agricultural production and financial management training. Colby Hammonds, 16, son of Ronald Glenn and Linda Hammonds, is among 17 youths who have enrolled in the two-year Farm Family Stability Program which got underway with its first conference August 4-7 at North Carolina State University. The program is designed to teach youth who plan to operate their family farms the diversity of agriculture and the roles of technology and management in successful farming. Hammonds, who will be a junior at Magnolia High School this fall, has worked on his family farm since age 6. He is a member of 4H, Future Farmers of America and Future Business Leaders of America. During the conference, agricultural experts talked about how to measure financial success or failure, how to solve farm management problems, opportunities in forestry, capital investment, marketing, and the future of agriculture. Other professionals conducted classes on leadership, public speaking, and interpersonal communication. Participants toured area farm operations to see first-hand management, marketing, and computerization. Over the following two years, Colby Hammonds will attend five similar sessions in various parts of eastern North Carolina and on the North Carolina State University campus.”
After high school, Hammonds attended North Carolina State University where he earned his undergraduate degree in Animal Science. He has since completed several advanced degrees, including a Master of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College, a Master of Business Administration with a Marketing Certification from North Carolina State University, a Master of Trust & Wealth Management from Campbell University, and an Army Cost Management Certification from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. During his military career, Hammonds achieved both the Department of Defense Financial Management Certification Level III and the Certified Defense Financial Management with Acquisition certification.
In his community today, Hammonds serves as a Den Leader for his son's Webelos den in Boy Scouts Pack 75 of Fuquay-Varina, NC. He was also a previous one-to-one mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
Colby is married to Nicole, and together they have three children: Elaina Henderson and twins Claire and Colby Jr. (CJ).
Elaina is married to Robert Henderson of Angier, NC, and they welcomed their first child, Tristan, in 2023.