Cecilia Redding left work as an agricultural engineer to start Down 2 Earth Farms on 143 acres in Rougemont, NC. In 2012, Matt Ball, who lived on the property, joined her team. They grow sustainable produce to sell at markets and produce-delivery programs, and are now certified organic.
The center of the farm is a sprawling field subdivided into plots and rows. An impressive deer fence surrounds the entire eight acres. The farm uses cover crops between plantings to restore the soil. Behind the fence stand 100 acres of forest that Cecelia has placed in a forest stewardship management plan with the Triangle Land Conservancy; the goal is to keep the forest healthy for wildlife. Through the forest is the farm’s irrigation pond; wood duck and bluebird homes and bat nurseries encourage wildlife to stay.
Beside the main field stands a barn with coolers and a greenhouse for seedlings. Cecilia uses soil blocks (instead of conventional plastic seedling trays) to be more sustainable and to give the roots more space. The farm also has solar panels.
“We look at all our customers as true partners and part of our team,” Cecilia says. “We really enjoy all our customers and everything we do with them. It’s been just a really fun time with them, and we’re growing and having a good time at it.”
Learn more at Down 2 Earth Farms’s website, http://www.d2efarms.com/.
Watch a video of our visit below.