McKinney Goes to the Farm
On Saturday, April 24, four of us toured local, sustainable farms on the 15th Annual Piedmont Farm Tour. Forty farms were open to visitors for a few hours Saturday and Sunday thanks to Carolina Farm Stewardship Association and Weaver Street Market. Rocky Reed organized the outing, I drove so we could breathe the country air without a roof over our heads, and Reid Hultman and Shaun Sundholm navigated en route. We chose to visit three farms in and around Hillsborough-it's about 30 minutes from Durham if you don't miss an exit and have to backtrack. Sorry, guys.
The first stop was Walters Unlimited at Carls-Beth Farm, where a very fit Roland Walters and his wife told us about their animals, and we listened thoughtfully.
Their grass-fed cattle abide in a rotational grazing system across the street from the farmhouse, and their chickens traipse land closer to the house, clucking in free-range fulfillment. Instead of erecting a fence to protect them, the Walters employ farm dogs. I hear the hours are long but the benefits are good.
In 2006, the Walters added goats to help control the weeds and provide another income source (once in goat heaven); eventually the goats will join the rotating cattle in the pasture, but for now they spend their days with the swine and barnyard fowl. Just days before the farm tour, brand new chickens arrived via the U.S. Postal Service; Reid, Rocky and I welcomed them in open palms.
Five very pink pigs were especially fun to watch...and, for Reid, to chase along the fence. I think they caught on and were feigning sleep as we left. Do you think they dream of flying? Next up: McAdams Farm.
If Roland Walters was thin, Howard McAdams was downright scrawny. He also has very large, straight teeth, which you can't see in the photo.
For over 120 years the McAdams family has farmed their land in Orange County. Like many North Carolina farmers, they grew tobacco until a few years ago. The three McAdams generations running the farm now have swapped out tobacco for veggies, strawberries, melons, flowers, herbs, cows and lambs. Howard bemoaned the loss of his tobacco plants (which seemed to grow no matter what), complaining about nearly microscopic threats to his new crops. "I mean, I can't even see the bugs! How can they hurt the plants if I can't see 'em?!" Hmm. I considered naming other nearly invisible but harmful things, but what do I know?
Until Saturday, I did NOT know that because nicotine is water soluble, farmers like Howard who handle the plants after a rain or heavy dew experience its effects through their skin. So, if you need a smoke but don't have a light and it's raining and you're near a tobacco field, just strip, drop and roll. Then check for ticks.
Our last farm was Coon Rock set on 55 acres along the Eno River and comprising row after long row of heirloom vegetables.
You may have read about this farm in The New York Times. What the article didn't reveal was the Coon Rock pigs, some of whom were sealing a new pond during our visit Saturday. It turns out they do it naturally: the shape of a pig's hoof (and the poundage behind it) packs the soil tight.
We're looking forward to eating one of those pigs and other Coon Rock yield at the restaurant farmer Richard Holcolm, his partner Jamie DeMent and chef Marco Shaw are opening near the McKinney office, which was described by The New York Times columnist as "a farm stand with a wine list." In the meantime, I used the Andouille sausage I purchased at the farm in a Portuguese green soup.