We asked Randolph County farmer Faylene Whitaker about the biggest change she’s seen in farming.
This farm will celebrate 50 years in 2025, and the changes I have seen in that time are phenomenal.
The biggest change has been technology. When we began, cell phones did not exist, there was no GPS, no curing systems on barns, and the list goes on and on. Another big change has been the diversity of our farm as the community around us has changed. We started the farm in 1975 on 10 acres of rented land, and today we farm about 1,000 acres of organic tobacco, corn and wheat, in addition to strawberries, tomatoes and vegetables. We also have two garden centers, a bakery and agritourism.
What has not changed is the beauty of watching food grow and knowing you had a part in feeding the world, the joy of working with family and great employees, and knowing you are blessed by God each and every day.
About the Farmer: Faylene Whitaker’s family owns and operates Whitaker Farms in Randolph County. She also sits on the NC Farm Bureau State Board of Directors.
