Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

Farmer’s Profile: Charles Church Continues the Farming Tradition

“I’ve worked on this farm since I was big enough to walk,” declared Charles Church. “As soon as I could carry a bucket, I was helping feed the animals, milk the cows and do what needed to be done. The jobs were hard, but back then, we did what we were told. You did what had to be done.”

Church grows organic vegetables to sell locally at the Watauga County Farmers’ Market, as well as other venues. His family has farmed their land in Valle Crucis since before the Civil War, growing cabbage, potatoes, tobacco and corn.

Today, the family is branching out into new markets and planting different vegetables for restaurants as well as home cooks. This is the first time in more than 50 years that tobacco has not been planted at the farm.

“My dad gave me my first [tobacco] portion when I was seven years old,” Church said. “I’ve been growing it on my own since then. Tobacco has been sort of unique here. It put kids through school and built houses. Since the money came at the end of the year, it paid the taxes and made Christmas time.”

When he was a child, almost everyone in Valle Crucis farmed for a living. “Back then, we all contributed to the food chain. Everybody did something to help feed everybody. Now you can sell your land for high prices, or what seems like high prices. It’s important that we keep growing good food for people to eat here.”
That good food includes traditional vegetables like yellow squash, zucchini, broccoli, cabbage, corn, potatoes, green beans and tomatoes, all grown organically on about 85 acres stretching across five different farms.

The Arcadia broccoli develops huge blue-green heads, Merit is a favorite sweet corn, the German Johnson tomatoes are ripening and plenty of half-runner beans are growing in the gardens. Church has added less common vegetables including purslane, kohlrabi, lamb’s quarters, amaranth and shiitake mushrooms. Also growing on the farm is a large crop of garlic, as well as onions, and Church said he is considering new crops.

“It has always been good to buy vegetables locally, but now it is getting even more important to know who is growing your food and how they’re growing it. The demand for organics is here to stay. Families with young children are especially concerned because they find high pesticide levels in kids when they test them. People are more educated, more aware, and they want good local food for their families,” Church explained. “The New River Organic Growers started eight years ago and we meet to solve problems and help each other. Right now we are needing more people to farm here. The demand for locally grown food has skyrocketed, and this is the first time in my lifetime that there is a market without people growing things to fill it.”

Prospective farmers with large or small acreage are invited to come and spend a day at the Church farm to get ideas about local growing. They can also learn about marketing through the Organic Growers and East Carolina Organics, another cooperative.

In the past, the family raised cattle as well as vegetables and that combination may come again. Currently, Church offers pork including ribs, pork chops, fresh bacon and sausage. The lard can be used for soap and candles and Appalachian State University makes biodiesel from it. Charles also has honey from Amy Johnson’s 15 hives, sorghum molasses and, later this fall, heirloom Arkansas Black apples.

Farming is labor intensive and Church has used the same workers from Mexico for many seasons. “I couldn’t do it without them,” explained Church. “They work very hard and know what needs to be done. Now I have work for them all winter. They’ve also taught me how to make a delicious stir-fry using hamburger and all of the ripe vegetables.”

All three of Church’s sons worked on the farm and the youngest still helps, but their lives have led them in different directions. Grandson Dillon Church, however, began helping with sales at the farmers’ market on Saturdays and became interested in farming. “It was pretty fun and the first week I decided to grow some of my own to sell,” he said. Dillon’s vegetable plot is thriving, and his first crop, beautiful dark green zucchini, is ready for market.

“They all told me that all we had was delicious,” explained 11-year-old Dillon.

“They said they would like to have more, so I came home and planted corn, green beans, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumbers and tomatoes.” Dillon consults with his grandfather about his choices and his growing methods and Church is delighted to have the next generation raising crops.

Church is at the Watauga County Farmers’ Market on Saturdays and Wednesdays from 8:00 until noon. He is also bringing his organic produce to the Mast Store market in Valle Crucis on Wednesdays from 2:00 until 6:00 and to the new market in the senior center parking lot in Boone on Sundays from 10:30 until 2:30. Visitors are welcome to come to the farm in Valle Crucis. To make sure someone is ready to greet you or if you have a special request, it is best to call first at 828-297-3775 or 828-265-7279.

Although he had a chance to play professional baseball, Church knew he wanted to stay on the farm. “I’ve always been tied to this land. Too many people have no idea where their food comes from. They just go to the grocery store. I’m glad to be able to grow good fresh, clean food for people to feed their families,” he said.