Small North Carolina Farms Flourish With Big Ideas

They say big things come in small packages, and small farms in North Carolina are making a big impact when it comes to providing fresh, local produce to their communities. The innovative growing methods at Piedmont Farmstead allow them to grow lettuce year-round in Gaston County. In the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, Darnell Farms holds events to celebrate the bounties of farm life.

Mike and Kristina Lore maximize their harvests and profits on their small farm in Dallas, North Carolina. In the 2022 season, they grew over 5,000 pounds of produce in a half-acre market garden. The husband-and-wife duo behind Piedmont Farmstead credits their use of biointensive and regenerative farming methods for their high yields from small spaces.

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“What allows us to make more off a small piece of land versus a farm that could be hundreds and thousands of acres is that as soon as a crop is done, we’re replanting it within a week,” Kristina says.

Large Yields in Small Spaces

They grew 965 pounds of lettuce in a 1,000-square-foot space last year by harvesting the crop on Friday and replanting seeds for the next crop the following Monday. Their lettuce varieties are available throughout the year by keeping the crops shaded and cool during hot Southern summers and well-covered to protect from freezing temperatures during the winter. That is just one of the techniques they have learned since they started farming beyond their home garden.

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The Lores bought their home with a few acres in 2013 to become more self-reliant and spend more time with each other, but it turned into a way to support themselves, too.

“We’ve always wanted to get away from the 9 to 5,” Kristina says. “It kind of clicked with both our lifestyles and our passion for growing food, then we realized this could actually be a way of living.”

In 2020, they started planting more crops to sell at local farmers markets. Now, they are a staple of the Mount Holly Farmers Market and offer online ordering on their website.

“We get a lot of fulfillment from providing good food to the community because our county doesn’t have a lot of access to local, organically grown vegetables,” she says.

Piedmont Farmstead is known throughout Gaston County for having lettuce varieties year-round, but they also sell carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplants and peppers. Plus, they sell pasture/woodland-raised eggs from their flock of 55 hens.

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Kristina and her husband plan to add other crops, like berries and asparagus, but they do not intend to expand their acreage. They want to stay hands-on with all aspects of their farm and continue learning so they can be more efficient with the small farm they have.

“It is possible to make a living on a small piece of land,” she says. “But you have to be willing to work.”\

Agritourism All Around

Nestled along the Tuckasegee River, Darnell Farms spans 100 acres in Western North Carolina. This second-generation family farm is more than just a piece of land – it’s a community farm that has become a popular agritourism destination.

First-generation farmer Jeff Darnell established the farm in the 1970s after deciding to grow strawberries and tomatoes while his peers were focused on Christmas trees, tobacco and cabbage.

“They were the three big crops, but for whatever reason, my father and some of the people that he grew up with were interested in moving over into things like tomatoes,” says Jeff’s son, Nate.

With a vision to preserve the land and counteract the development boom of that decade, Jeff’s innovative farm has continued to thrive. Now his daughter, Afton Darnell is involved in daily operations and expanding what her father built.

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The farm grows thousands of pounds of fruits and vegetables annually, most of which are sold directly to customers. The open-air market seasonally invites visitors to shop for items like tomatoes, strawberries, pole beans, corn, pumpkins and squash. In the height of the strawberry season (which typically ends in late May), find their berries at produce stands in surrounding counties.

Darnell Farms hosts events and field trips throughout the year for visitors who want to explore the land and experience life on a family farm.

Making the Most of It

“Our family provides a place that is their community farm,” Nate says. “This place is a place for all to experience and enjoy. If you came here as a kid on a field trip, now I want you to bring your kids down here to run around on this farm and play and have fun.”

The farm offers a monthly celebration of the produce in season featuring popular events such as the Strawberry Jam, Sweet Corn Festival, Apple Fest and a fall pumpkin patch. Events at Darnell Farms will continue to be a staple because they believe in the value they provide to the community.

“We’re going to share our passion for agriculture and love for entertaining people,” Nate says. “And we’re going to show them just how much love and life and good things exist here. And that’s important.”

– Cindy Whitt