We asked produce farmer, Shawn Pennix, “What do you love about farming?”
Farming is something you must love and want to do. Every day isn’t glorious, but it is glorious when your crops are ready for harvest.
I am a third-generation farmer and started farming on my uncle’s farm at 9 years old. At 16, I guess I had learned enough, and he gave me my first acreage and allotment. We raised tobacco together for about 20 years until the tobacco buyout, at which time we transitioned to produce. My love of farming comes from my uncle, and what I love about farming is that it’s a heritage I can pass along. My uncle taught me the unmatched work ethic of a farmer, a value I hope our society never loses. As a farmer, I love that I can teach future generations what I learned so they will continue raising fresh food to feed their families, their communities and the world.
About the Farmer: Shawn Pennix and his family own Mourning Dove Farm NC, a small produce farm in Mebane. He also serves as Caswell County Farm Bureau president.
