Dig It Farm strives to provide the Triangle Area with healthy, fresh & delicious food. I believe healthy food is a key ingredient of healthy communities. Dig It grows food in a responsible way that nourishes both the land and the consumer. The direct relationships the farm cultivates with customers, families and other local businesses help support a vibrant community. I hope to contribute to a transparent food system that gives our customers confidence in the quality & integrity of our produce.

Philosophy

I love farming. Working outside all four seasons, making plans and then literally watching them grow, using my brain and my body everyday -- I can't think of a more rewarding and satisfying way to spend my time. My approach to farming is influenced by a variety of people: Wendell Berry, Wes Jackson, Gary Zimmer, Allan Savory, Will Allen, Elliot Coleman, as well as a lot of friends, mentors, and family. I use growing methods that have been honed on other farms over the last half century, combining the best of modern technology and older practices to maintain healthy soils that will continue to provide abundance into the future. Cover cropping, green manures, crop rotation, minimal tilling, composting and natural soil amendments are all practices I incorporate on the farm. I don't use synthetic chemical sprays, relying on physical methods (hoeing, mulch, and hand weeding!) to control weeds. Growing a wide variety of crops, employing a good crop rotation, and supporting bio-diversity in and around the field helps keep populations of pests low and minimizes crop loss. When I do have to use pest controls, I only use certified organic ones and mostly rely on biological based controls. I know firsthand from talking to people at the farmers market how much people care about their family's health, the environment's health, and our community, and I am proud to provide something that takes care us.

Past

Dig It Farm is the culmination of years of hands-on farming experience and study of our nation's agricultural systems. My desire to farm began as a basic concern about the environmental impact of conventional agriculture and our limited access to fresh, healthy food.

I began reading about farming while working an office job in San Francisco. My growing interest led to working on farms on the weekends. I enjoyed the work so much I soon left my desk job for an internship on a vegetable farm in Petaluma, CA.

Each step reinforced how much more I wanted to learn, and how little I knew. After the internship I embarked on a two month research trip to visit as many different types of farm as possible. I visited huge dairy farms in Wisconsin, small market gardens in suburbs, ornamental farms growing flowers and decorative shrubs, urban rooftop gardens in New York, and much more. The different combinations seemed endless.

My desire to live close to family and the Triangle's rich small-scale farming community drew me to North Carolina. I worked for a diversified livestock and produce farm to get as wide of an experience as possible. Dig It Farm was the natural next step. I gained a solid base of knowledge from working on many farms, and the biggest teacher of all has been my own farm. I strive to provide top-quality, healthy food to the community, and to be an educational resource to the community and other small-scale farmers.

Present

Dig It Farm is now in its fourth year and grows a wide range of annual vegetables for local farmers' markets, a CSA, and restaurants. In addition to providing top-quality produce to local markets, the farm is open to the public, and I hope it will be a useful educational resource for both aspiring farmers and the broader community.

Future

The explosive growth of farmers' markets around the country has greatly increased interest and knowledge in eating healthier. The explosion of community gardens, backyard gardens, or even a quick stroll through the produce section at any grocery shows how big of an issue this has become. I hope to add to the abundance of locally grown food that is enabling more vibrant, healthier communities. With your support we'll continue to grow the food you love, and seek to grow an ever greater variety of fruits and vegetables that are still hard to get at local markets.