Every Friday on social media, we post a Farm Feature Friday showcasing one of our dedicated North Carolina farmers. Darrell, Sheryl and Megan Lambeth, of Daddy-Daughter Farm, a few of those farmers. The #FarmFeatureFriday campaign will run for an entire year on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. Be sure to tune in each Friday afternoon on social and help show your support for our local farmers!
With a name like Daddy-Daughter Farm, the Lambeth family showcases their love for agriculture by making it a family affair. Darrell Lambeth grew up on a family farm, growing wheat, corn, potatoes, green beans and more with his father. The farm land has been in the family now for five generations. Although farming became a forgotten art for Darrell when his parents passed away, his brother-in-law brought back the passion, dedication and desire to till the land upon marrying into the family. Since then, Darrell has raised his daughter Megan around farming, gardening and raising cattle. “We wanted to instill that family heritage in her,” Megan’s mom, Sheryl, said.
Located in Lexington, what started out as a simple high school project quickly grew to be a popular family farm growing a variety of fruits and vegetables. “For my senior project, I wanted something that I was confident doing and could get a good grade on, so I chose to grow and sell my own vegetables,” Megan said, “little did I know that I would end up loving it and want to keep it going.”
Megan and her father, Darrell, planted a small garden where she started by growing a few vegetables, such as tomatoes, lettuce and beets. “We did everything together, from planting to fertilization to harvest,” Megan said, “then I would sell them at A Southern Girl’s Veggie Stand, built and operated on our farm.” Since then, they have expanded from a small garden to a medium-size farm, growing spring vegetables like lettuce, kale, kohlrabi, cabbage and beets, as well as summer vegetables like squash, tomatoes, okra, eggplant and green beans.
In addition to being a farmer, Megan is also a math teacher at a local school. A typical day for her during busy season, starts at 6 a.m. by making sure that all crates are washed and ready for harvest and feeding all the farm animals. “After the morning chores are done, I head to the farm stand to ensure quality of produce and check the coolers,” Megan says, “picking and harvesting are done in groups on the farm, and depending on how busy the day is and what season it is, we may go back out to harvest after dinner to ensure the work is done.”
Although they enjoy growing all fruits and vegetables, beets are a family tradition for the Lambeth’s. “I grew up with my grandma and aunt pickling beets under the carport,” Megan said, “every time we would walk by they would feed us pieces and I remember rushing over every chance I had just to get another piece.” Red beets, yellow beets and peppermint beets are grown on the farm for a variety in flavor and color. Megan suggests boiling them with salt and her parents suggest using an air fryer to make beet chips.
Sheryl says the hardest part of farming is the plethora of unknowns. “Whether it’s the weather or insects, farming comes with a lot of unknowns and it’s a love-hate relationship,” she said, “it not only involves hard work but also a lot of faith and trust.” Despite the hardships, nothing compares to the happiness and joy the family receives from providing a quality product that people enjoy. “At the end of the day, hearing how much our products mean to our customers and how much they enjoy them, knowing you grew them and put work into them, is the most rewarding,” Megan said.
Products from Daddy-Daughter Farm can be found at the vegetable stand on site, the Asheboro Farmers Market or through their CSA program, offering ten weeks of fresh produce boxes. They have also worked with two restaurants in the Asheboro area, Positano Italian Family Restaurant & Pizzeria and The Table Farmhouse Bakery.
For anyone wishing to start their own farm, the family would suggest getting plugged in with your local Extension office. “Our state extension office, Davidson County Cooperative Extension, has been a big help to use throughout the entire process,” Megan said, “especially when we first got started.” They are also a member of the N.C. Cattleman’s Association due to their partnership with county extension.
The family has a lot of hope for the future and is working on many new and innovative projects to drive the farm forward, such as growing micro-greens and learning beekeeping. “At the end of the day, all we are responsible for is planting the seed,” Sheryl said, “from there we have faith and trust that God will produce the harvest.” When they are not farming, you can find the Lambeth family cheering on the Wolfpack at Carter Finley Stadium.
