Every year the N.C. State Fair thrills people of all ages and backgrounds from across the state for 11 exciting days. Fairgoers get the chance to enjoy exciting rides and delicious new foods. The State Fair is also a time to celebrate N.C. agriculture and the hardworking families who make it our state’s leading industry.
Farm Family of the Day, sponsored by Tractor Supply Co., is a program that recognizes one standout farm family each day of the N.C. State Fair. To honor these families’ accomplishments and contributions to North Carolina agriculture, they are awarded tickets to attend the fair on a day of their choosing, where they will be recognized through PA announcements and signs on the fairgrounds.
Today, the N.C. State Fair and Tractor Supply Co. congratulate Barham Family Farm of Wake County!
This third-generation family farm is known for growing some of N.C.’s most important crops such as tobacco, wheat, corn, and soybeans. It was started by Thomas Barham, who today is almost 93, after he graduated from high school. It was then passed down to Thomas’s son Benny who took over in 1976. Currently, the farm is run by Benny and Linda Barham with the help of their son Blake who attended N.C. State University.
Linda Barham hopes that people will appreciate the amount of love and care that farmers must put into their work in the future.
“Dedication. You have to be dedicated and love what you do to stick it out. It’s not just work, it’s a way of life,” she shared. It takes countless hours of hard work to be able to work on the farm. This is something that has been lost to many people as the world has modernized, but the work that family farms like this one do is still incredibly important.
The family has long been recognized in the area for being a leader in N.C. agriculture and dedicated to serving their community. They work to remain active by interacting with their neighbors and helping out nearby farmers. Over the years much of the nearby farmland has been lost to housing developments, so the Barham’s have made it a point to work closely with other farmers in the area so that they can mutually support each other.
In the past, they’ve hosted field trips to the farm from local schools so that school children can learn more about farming and get outside. The family believes that it’s incredibly important for kids to get an agricultural education and spend time outdoors with nature so that they’re able to learn more about where their food comes from.
“We are so blessed. I grew up on a farm. My two boys grew up on a farm. It’s very unusual that we’re all still here and within two miles of each other. We feel so blessed that our grandchildren can grow up on this farm,” Linda shared. All six of her grandchildren can experience farm life and she hopes that they can instill in them the values of hard work and teach them the importance of the rural way of life. Their grandchildren enjoy fishing in the ponds, helping in the gardens and riding four-wheelers around the property.
The Barham family can’t wait to visit this year’s State Fair. It’s an annual tradition for them and one of the most exciting events of the year. This year in particular they are looking forward to being able to bring their grandchildren with them to see the fair.
Looking to the future, Linda hopes to see local farmland being preserved and family farms better supported. Additionally, she hopes that her grandchildren and their children will also have the privilege of experiencing rural living.
“My hope for the future is that we can keep our farmland and that there will be open farmland for future generations whether that’s my family or others,” Linda shared.
Congratulations to Barham Family Farm! Look out for our next featured farm family tomorrow!