Meet Me At The Market:Good Eggs, Good Meat and Sharp Knives

Have you ever wandered through the Greensboro Farmer's Curb Market and wondered about the people behind the tables? I’m starting a new series here at The Orange Bee to introduce you to some of the farmers, makers and vendors who make our local market such a special place.

If you've visited our local Farmer's Curb Market, chances are you've passed his table - but do you know the story behind the farmer? Today I'd like to introduce you to Garland McCollum of Massey Creek Farms. Garland has dreamt of being a farmer since the age of four! He shared with me that as a young child he was intrigued with the photos in his grandpa's Progressive Farmer Magazine.

Having lived in various states growing up Garland always spent his summers with his grandpa at the family farm, the exact place now called Massey Creek Farm. He even missed his high school graduation to drive to the farm from Georgia so he could finish off the tobacco crop that year. After the September harvest, he began to attend what is now known as Georgia Southern University, where he studied Agricultural Economics. The school was close to where his family lived and the only agriculture studies they offered were economcs. He didn't like it! After speaking with his grandfather about what really interested him, animals, he transfered to N.C. State and graduated with a degree in Animal Science. He shared his love for animals by teaching ag after he finished at the university.

Now Garland was getting closer to what he really wanted to do, but farming continued to call his name. In 1983 he built the first hog farm and followed up in 1987 with a second, then more followed. Now, he was on the path he'd dreamed of since being a young boy. For more than 25 years he worked as a contract hog farmer. When he became disillusioned with the reality of corporate farming, he knew he needed to do something different—something that would allow him to continue doing what he loved: farming and caring for animals. In 2008, he began selling pork directly to the public. In other words, he found his way to the farmers’ market! Today, the farm is eco-friendly and humane, with careful attention paid to the animals, their well-being, and the land they call home.

I asked him what a typical day on the farm looked like. It looks like this ~ Up and ready to work by 5:00 a.m. ay which time he heads to the office and gets the delivery ready and begins to feed his animals; hogs, chickens and sheep. Around 11:00 or late morning, he gathers eggs which can take up to a couple of hours. Somedays he works the sheep with his trusty border collie. Later in the day he has a variety of chores. Mowing pastures, spraying fence lines, maintenance on machinery, repairing fences and barns. His animals are never far from his thoughts ~ he checks on them often to make sure they are doing well. He told me he generally finishes around 6 to 7 pm or until dark. I don't know about you but to me that is a long, hard day. Mind you this takes place rain or shine, extreme heat, or snow, and ice. Such is the life of a farmer!

If you haven't tried the eggs he sells at the Curb Market I promise you won't be disappointed! They are delicious with a golden yolk so vibrant it looks like a little poof of sunshine. I asked what he wished people knew about where their eggs come from. His answer, "there is so much more to eating an egg, than going to the store to buy them". There really is a story behind that egg on your breakfast plate.

I questioned how raising food for our tables and sharpening knives blended into one world. He laughed a bit and told me when he first began to sell at the markets it was rather slow, so he thought, I can sit and sharpen knives to pass the time. People began to take notice of his sharpening skills and although it is just a hobby it is now somehting he offers at the market on a regular basis. $1.00 an inch and well worth the money.

Mr. McCollum told me that the biggest thing he has learned from farming that has stayed with him - something that goes beyond the farm is his patience!! When I encounter him at the market I will say he always has the calmest, mildest manner. Possibly a result of learning to be a patient man.

Something about Garland that many market visitors may not know is and I quote, "I was one of those awful corporate farmers. If I say something about them I'm not throwing stones, I've been there"

.Be sure and stop by the Massey Creek Farm tables next time you visit the market. Pick up some farm fresh eggs, grab some yummy sausage, or treat yourself to locally made Homeland Creamery milk or ice cream! There's nothing better than filling your basket with good food and supporting the farmers who make it possible!