Meet Me At The Market: Young Rooted & Growing

I'm back at the market for my second installment of my Meet Me At The Market series. I am loving getting to know the people behind the tables ~ farmers, bakers, growers, and makers. These are the men and women who make our market such a special place. If you are new to this series, the market I am diving into is the Greensboro Farmers Curb market, or GFCM. Likely the oldest market in North Carolina, founded by the City of Greensboro in 1874. There is so much history woven into this market.

Today I am introducing you to one of our younger farmers, Lucas Hoey of Hoey Farms. Lucas shared with me that he developed his interest in cooking from his Mamaw. Having worked in the culinary industry for 12 + years he has now turned his attention to farming. While working in the retaurant business he found himself with a tight budget seeking niche items from local farmers. In performng this part of his job he met a couple in WInston Salem, a husband and wife team who were "farming". Lucas found this lifestyle very appealing, "clean and cool".

Lucas tried working in the restaurant business and going to culinary school at the same time. Employed by a former downtown Greensboro restaurant, his boss encouraged him to either go to culinary school or take the position of sous chef. He took the job of sous chef. During this time he began to realize he had a desire to achieve more than being in the kitchen. His interests were wide spread, food, music and art. Frankly Lucas was tired of "4 walls and a burner".

Life took an unexpected turn for this young man. A serious health crisis landed him in the hosital with liver failure among other issues, while at the same time, he was becoming a father. It was a challenging chapter, but one that ultimately changed his perspective. With time in the hospital came plenty of time to think ~ to process what had happened and consider what he really wanted his life to look like. At this time he was also blessed with a second daughter. Contemplating his beautiful wife and 2 daughters, he began to see farming not simply as a job but as something beautiful, grounding, and meaningful.. As the son of a pastor, he described himself as rebellious in his younger years. He really wanted to be a rock star! Through this difficult season, he found his way to Christ and says it has changed his life.

In 2020,Lucas found himself healthy again. His wife bought seeds and he began to grow veggies, immersed himself in growing food at home. He began to read books on farming ~ books like "You Can Farm". Doesn't that title make it sound easy? I can tell you Lucas is not doing it the easy way. He does not use a tractor, but instead works the soil by hand, using a tool called a broadfork. The broadfork assists him in turning the soil. He prefers to farm the "right" way, not the quickest way. The "right" way of farming to this young man is using manual labor.

When I asked Lucas what makes his farm unique, he told me he filters what he chooses to grow. At heart he sees himself as an artist and a scientist. That being said, he chooses food that is healthy, beautiful and delicious. He likes to correlate how he farms with what works for his family. This is afterall a family affair. There is a quiet rhythm to life at Hoey Farm, and it is a rhythm he seems to thrive in.

I asked what most surprised him about farming and Lucas told me he is most surprised by "how many critters want to eat your garden". Yet, this surprise did not cause him to begin using synthetic pesticides, insecticides, or any poisions in his garden. This means Hoey Farm food is clean food.

The thing Lucas most enjoys about selling at the farmers market is when his customers visit a second time and tell him how much they enjoyed his produce, often after being skeptical of it's quality. For new customers to his table he wishes more people understood the amount of work that goes into bringing fresh, clean, delicious food to the market. His dream for his farm is that it grows into something he can pass down. He would ilke to see expansion, more land, a storefront and more greenhouses. He told me, "it is a step by step process", but he's in for the long haul.

He once dreamed of being a rockstar. Maybe that dream is still there ~ but these days he's found his own stage in the fields of Hoey Farm.

This fall you can expect to see turnips, carrots, kale, and collards to name a few of the veggies he'll be selling. The Greensboro Farmers Curb Market is open Tuesday afternoon from 4-7 pm through the end of October and every Saturday 8-12 throughout the year. I'll be there - hope you will too.