Summary: Yesterday we honored families who have owned their farms for 100 years or more in what we called the 50th + One Anniversary of the Century Farm Family program. A total of 1,970 farms are classified as Century Farms. Of those, 90 are registered as Bicentennial Farms for 200 or more years of continual […]
To say that Wade Reid was born into farming would be true. His 450-acre farm, named Warriors Ridge, has been in his family since at least 1717, although many of the official records from the farm that would have dated back to this time were destroyed when the Union Army burned the Pasquotank County Courthouse […]
Wakelon Angus Farms in Zebulon can trace its history back not just a century, but over two centuries. The farm, which is owned and operated by the Fowler family, can trace its history back to 1743, making the farm 278 years old. The story of Wakelon Farms is a story of family legacy. The farm’s […]
Ogburn Berries & Produce is a family-owned strawberry and produce farm in Willow Spring in Johnston County. The farm is currently operated by 4th generation farmer, Sim Ogburn. The farm was bought in the early 1900s by Sim’s great-grandfather, Simeon Lloyd Ogburn, from whom Sim gets his name. The farm has remained within the family […]
The Barn at Cranberry Creek is an incredibly stunning wedding venue located in Boonville in Yadkin County. It opened just four years ago in the spring of 2018 by three brothers, Darin, Dwayne and Neil Brown. The three brothers, however, are not the first generation of Browns to make use of this property. This land […]
In the 1840s, Evva Hanes’ great-grandfather purchased the land that would be home to his family for over 100 years. The land continued to be passed down through the years, becoming the property of Evva and her siblings in the 1950s. In an attempt to keep the family land together, Evva bought each of her […]
The Century Farm program is celebrating 50 years within the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The program strives to celebrate the hard work and achievements of North Carolina families who have kept their farm under family operation for 100 years or more. This year a celebration was to take place at the […]
In 1796, Hugh Harrell planted the roots of a family farm in Bakersville that would grow with love over the centuries. Harrell Hill Farms has produced a variety of products throughout time, but the family has always valued education and each other. Luther Harrell, a descendant of Hugh, was one of the first farmers in […]
Located in Cleveland County, Baker Buffalo Creek Vineyard and Winery operates on farmland that has been in the Baker family for quite some time. Ann Edwards, an owner of the vineyard, said her grandfather first used the family’s farmland, growing corn for his federally licensed liquor. As a “gentleman farmer,” Ann’s grandfather farmed mostly for […]
Since the late 1700s, the Key family has reaped the benefits of the same land in Surry county, whether that be through farming or other business ventures. Following the Revolutionary War, Martin Rice Key moved from Virginia to North Carolina, settling on what would be the family’s land for centuries. At one point, the family’s […]
Since 1913, the Petersons have been operating their family farm in Sampson County. Carla Peterson and her husband, Chris, currently own the farm, but it was his grandfather who laid the foundation in the early 1900s. Mr. Peterson’s grandfather sold books door to door in order to make money. He then bought war bonds, using […]
When people hear Avery County, they think of Christmas trees and rightfully so, it is the Christmas tree capital of the United States. When William Waightstill Avery thinks of Avery County, he thinks of home and a farm, located in Plumtree, that dates back in his family to 1785. Avery Farms started from land granted […]