Seven Sisters Farm

May 23, 2019 Grace Kanoy

The Seven Sisters Farm is run by Janice and Michael Fine, representing the next generation of farmers. This farm offers an excellent example of season extension farming of diverse crops, and an excellent farm layout demonstrating land planning and harvest strategy. Plus they raise chickens and have two friendly pigs, Sniffer and Fur.

Seven Sisters Farm boasts a large variety of season vegetables, herbs, vegetable and flower plants. They have a strong commitment to selling their products to their local community, and to feed their local community. The site is also used for workshops as they contribute to advancing and growing the local agriculture trade.

Z Bee Honey

May 23, 2019 Grace Kanoy

Z Bee Honey is a unique opportunity to visit a local apiary with 200 hives. Z Bee Honey is well known for quality locally produced queens and bees, and beekeeping education.

Beekeeper Chris Senters will run guided tours every hour on the hour. He will provide an in-depth tour of his apiary, the sustainable practices for managing his hives and hive health, as well as demonstrating the use of various hive tools.

Those of you who have been interested in beekeeping, this is an excellent opportunity to learn from Chris who teaches beekeeping at Guilford College.

He has been featured on Roy’s Folks and is one of four farms featuring the next generation of young farmers under 40 on our tour.

WHAT TO DO

Guided tour of the apiary
Hive Tool demonstration

PRODUCTS

Honey (if available), Queens, bees (nucs) for those interested in getting started in beekeeping

LOCATION:
692 Sullivan Rd, Thomasville, NC 27360

Gentle Harmony Farm

May 16, 2018 Grace Kanoy

White Yarrow

Feverfew

Calendula

Chamomile

Holy Basil

Pam and Charles Leonard

Dried Holy Basil

Gentle Harmony Farm, where we live and grow USDA certified organic medicinal herbs, is located in the Yadkin River valley not far from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. We are the only certified USDA organic in Davidson County and have been certified since 2012.

We have a two-story herb processing barn with an attached green house that was completed in 2013. The farm residence is a conserved 1840s log house with a modern addition. Sometime just after the Civil War the roof was raised 2 feet and a second floor added. The house was divided into 4 rooms and a post and beam structure moved and attached to the rear of the house to provide a 5th room.

When we purchased the property we didn’t intend for this to be a working farm. However, Pam’s increasing interest in herbal medicine coupled with our desire to have a productive second career and led us to improve our small corner of the world through sustainable, organic agriculture.

We have completed a processing and storage building with the greenhouse. The Herb House incorporates a solar-assisted water stove that generates heat and hot water for the barn, greenhouse, and home. The Herb House was built with locally sourced building materials carefully handled by local craftspersons—the person who poured the concrete lives 1/2 mile away and comes from a family that lived in our house prior to World War II. Two of the carpenters grew up within a mile of the farm—their 80 year-old father drops by to talk and share vegetables.

WHAT TO DO:

Every 30 minutes, a walking tour of the plot beds covering 1/2 acre. By mid-June, we will have Calendula flowers, Lemon Balm, Tulsi Basil, Yarrow, Hyssop, Echinacea, and a variety of mints in our field.

Every 30 minutes,a guided tour of the Herb House/ Barn

DEMO AND SAMPLES

Special Guest: Local herbal products made from herbs grown at Gentle Harmony Farm will be offered and explained by Candice CasaSanta of Little Moon Botanicals

Enjoy and take a moment to sample our hot and chilled herbal teas.

LOCATION: 3554 Friendship Church Rd, Lexington, NC 27295

See what other farms are nearby and plan accordingly.