#EscapeWithNCAg is a year-long series that will focus on agritourism across North Carolina. Many farms, wineries and other agricultural businesses in our state offer events such as tours, yoga, educational classes, pick-your-own events and festivals, to entertain the public and teach them about our state’s number one industry. Each Thursday, we will feature a new site for you to visit with friends or family. Stay tuned and learn how to escape the stresses of life by diving into agriculture!
With a farmland legacy of over 200 years, the Davis Family has a lot to offer and showcase in our state. Located in Fremont, Davis Family Farms has been in operation since 1776 and is a member of our Bicentennial Farm Family Program. “This farmland has a rich history of use for our family and another farming family in our state who leased it for many years,” said Josh Davis, owner of the farm. “My wife, Erin, and I decided to come back and take over the farm a few years ago because I’ve always loved the land, had a passion for agriculture and a desire to continue our family legacy here.” Not only does the family grow a plethora of produce throughout the year, including broccoli, green peas and watermelons, and raise livestock, like chickens and goats, but they also offer many fun events each year to invite the community out to the farm for fun and educational hands-on experiences!
Upon returning to the family farm, Josh and his wife immediately began offering agritourism events to invite the community to be a part of the agricultural adventure. “We want this farm to be a hub in the community,” Josh said. “Not just a place that people come on event days for specific things, but also somewhere they can come with their friends and family to just enjoy nature, learn about the farm and where their food comes from and truly connect with the land.” From April to December each year, the farm offers monthly events for kids and adults alike to enjoy, including tractor touch days, crafts with the goats, sunflower planting, local music and more. At most of their events, Josh and his brother, Jarrod, cook plates of BBQ for individuals to purchase and enjoy on-site. “We try to offer a variety of events that cater to all audiences, he said, “and the barbeque plates are an easy way for us to feed the customers that attend a delicious and hearty meal.”
For the first time this year, the Davis Family is hosting a brand new event called Saturdays on the Farm Hooves n’ Plows that features plowing and farm work demonstrations! Through a partnership with the N.C. Work Horse and Mule Association, the farm will not only demonstrate how farming was traditionally done, but also allow visitors the opportunity to get their hands dirty and try it for themselves. “We are so excited about hosting this event,” Josh said. “So many of the kids that visit our farm have never seen a goat or picked broccoli out of the field, let alone operated a plow. We want people to continue the farming traditions that got us to where we are today and share in the history of farming in our state.” Both kids and adults will have the opportunity to operate a plow. The event will have both a riding plow as well as a regular plow being pulled by a mule. Operators and experts will be standing by to help all interested individuals. The very first one is taking place this Saturday, June 24th, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. so don’t miss out!
In July, the farm will also offer pictures in the sunflowers. Professional photographers will be on-site to capture your next family photo! The event will cost $5-10 per person. “The legacy here is so beautiful and we take a lot of pride in sharing that with other people,” Josh said, “so it’s always an honor when families or friend groups want to take photos here on the farm that will be displayed on their social media and in their homes.”
Most events at Davis Family Farms are free to enjoy, including the Hooves n’ Plows event. Goat and Craft classes are ticketed each year and prices will be announced through their website and Facebook page for the next event. However, most of the time, the only cost to customers are vendor products and BBQ plates.
Products from Davis Family Farm can be found at their on-site farm market, the Raleigh Road Garden Center on Fridays and the Farm Credit Farm Market on Fridays and Saturdays. They also just started a CSA box program where boxes of fresh produce can either be purchased individually as needed or picked up weekly for ten weeks on a membership basis. The membership program costs $300 and offers three pickup locations for customers to obtain their box each week for ten weeks. The individual boxes are $35 each and can be purchased on the farm website. “We proudly offer the best and freshest products in these boxes,” Josh said. “Each week it features items coming straight from the field,” Josh’s daughters, Delaney and Bayleigh, help with the CSA Program, from picking the produce to selling the boxes, so be sure to say hello when you sign up for your box!
Every event at Davis Family Farms focuses on bringing agriculture to the community. “We interact with everyone that visits our farm and love to share our story with any customer that will listen. A lot of people have never seen many of the things that we do on the farm and we enjoy giving them hands on experiences that help them learn and truly feel what we do,” Josh said. “Seeing the lightbulb moment as people learn about agriculture and start to believe in its value is the heart and soul behind what we do. It’s important for people to see and appreciate the labor, sacrifice and hard work that got us as a farm, a state and a country to where we are today.”
Mark your calendar to attend the very first Hooves n’ Plows event this Saturday to learn all about traditional farming practices as well as Davis Family Farm. Keep an eye on their social media pages and website for more upcoming events this year and enjoy getting involved with our state’s number one industry this summer!
