Every Friday on social media, we post a Farm Feature Friday showcasing one of our dedicated North Carolina farmers. Samantha Foxx of Mother’s Finest Urban Family Farm is one of those farmers. The #FarmFeatureFriday campaign will run through December 2021 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!
Although she grew up in the farming industry, in an area that was rich in agriculture, Samantha Foxx only recently reconnected with the passion that influenced her childhood. “I grew up in eastern North Carolina, where I would help my uncle on his tobacco farm,” Samantha said, “however, it was just three years ago when I took a class at N.C. Cooperative Extension that led to the true awakening of Mother’s Finest Urban Family Farm.”
Operating today on over seven acres of land in Winston-Salem, the farm grows a variety of flowers, herbs and vegetables as well as raises bees. “One of the more popular things that we grow is our Jamaican Scotch Bonnet Pepper,” Samantha said, “which we started growing because my father is West Indian and we wanted to add some culture to what we are growing on our farm.” They also offer a variety of value-added products on the farm, including a fire tonic and elderberry syrup. “Our value-added products are really about taking on community wellness as a whole because food is our medicine,” she said. These products have proven to help knock out mucus, boost immunity and improve gut health.
Although there is no true typical day on the farm, Samantha is learning to borrow time from many different places and prioritize tasks on a day-to-day basis. “It’s a very demanding lifestyle and you have to be flexible since there is no concrete plan each day,” she said, “some days we are harvesting crops in the field or selling products at the farmers market and other days we may be chasing down a whole hive of bees.”
Although the everyday hustle can be draining, Samantha truly enjoys working alongside her family and seeing the difference she is making within the community. “It’s the small moments that make the biggest differences, such as educating the customer on the aspects of farming or seeing the spark in the eyes of a child as they learn how to become a beekeeper,” she said, “that’s when you begin to realize that you really are making a difference and changing people’s lives.”
Products from Mother’s Finest Urban Farm can be found at their on-site farm store, online at their website or at the Cobblestone Farmers Market. Some of their products, such as watermelons, are also used in a variety of dishes at A Noble Grille in Winston-Salem. “It’s beautiful to know that someone is sitting at a table right now because because of the food we worked so hard to provide,” Samantha said.
In addition to providing for the community, Samantha is also president of a non-profit called Middle of the Root that helps provide packages of fresh produce to seniors and donate bee hives within the community. Ten percent of all sales at Mother’s Finest Urban Family Farm also goes to help the nonprofit Be Younited. “I believe in building up our community,” she said, “and one of the ways that we do that is by supporting our farmers, eating local and getting to know our neighbors.”
In the future, Samantha hopes to continue growing the farm and leave a legacy for her kids that will outlast many generations. When she is not farming, you can find Samantha singing and swaying to the beat of Bob Marley’s song To The Rescue.
