About Us
Certified Naturally Grown since 2020
CNG producers commit to the following practices:
o Absolutely no use of synthetic chemical pesticides, fungicides, or fertilizers o Employing holistic practices that work with nature to address pest, disease, and nutrient challenges, minimizing use of approved sprays, treatments and amendments
o Investing in our soil, water, wildlife, and air with ecological practices such as conserving water, planting cover crops, rotating crops, preserving buffer strips and protecting pollinator habitats
o Using organically produced seeds whenever possible and never using chemically treated or genetically modified seeds o Providing animals with a -healthy environment, sufficient room to grow and thrive, and feed that's free from any hormones or antibiotics
o Always striving to enhance the positive environmental impacts of production, minimize any negative impacts, and continually improve the sustainability of the operation.
Our Growing Strategy
Wolfberry Hawthorn Farm is a small farm in Durham North Carolina, specializing in produce that is not widely grown in the central North Carolina area. We also grow microgreens for local restaurants in the Durham area.
The name comes from my desire to grow edible foods that are not as common as tomatoes and zucchini. Wolfberry is another name for goji berries, one of the so called “super foods” that are high in nutrients. Hawthorn is a member of the apple family, producing an edible fruit. It’s also steeped in Celtic mythology as a gateway to the realm of the fairy folk.
On our farm, we do not use any chemical pesticides, herbicides, fungicides or fertilizers. We are no-till, meaning we do not use tractors or tillers on the soil. We use compost and organic soil amendments which do not include animal waste or animal by-products. We use mulch and cover crops to help in building healthy soil. We create habitat for beneficial insects and insect eating birds to control most insect pests.
We strive to work in balance with the natural world and with wildlife. Our property has an old man-made pond which attracts a wide variety of wildlife. While we have fenced a portion of the property to keep plants safe, we have maintained open access to the pond area for all wildlife, to try to keep a balance between wildlife and farm.
History
The desire to produce healthy sustainable produce has been something that has "grown" within me for years. The idea of starting a farm came to me in the 2005/2006 time frame. After settling in Durham North Carolina in 2013, the idea kept pressing more and more on me. In 2016, I built a small honor system farm stand and began selling produce and plants in front of the farm a few days a week. In 2017, I expanded this to create a state registered business started a Facebook page, sold weekly produce boxes and produce, cut flowers, and plants at the Fertile Ground Co-op farmers market in Raleigh during July and August. In 2018, I've had an opportunity to leave corporate America, expand the farm and grow/sell full time and expanded to sell at the South Durham Farmers Market and to several local Durham restaurants. Since February 2020 the farm is Certified Naturally Grown.
A (mostly)one man operation
The farm has been a one person operation since the beginning. This year (2023)I was finally able to hire someone part time to run one of the farmers market booths and to work a few hours a week on the farm. It's been a big help, but the majority of the work is done by me. I occasionally get help from volunteers and friends but overall its just me. I'm the farmer, builder of infrastructure, seed starter, gourd painter, web designer, online store operator, farmers market sales person, delivery person, accountant and whatever else is needed.
Making a difference in my community and helping to promote, small scale local farming, growing your own food and growing native plants instead of lawns is my goal.
So come by the farmers market for a visit and/or come to the farm for the spring plant sale or for workshops!
~Jason
Where to Find us
Find us on Saturdays at the South Durham Farmers Market and the Midtown Farmers Market in Raleigh. On Tuesdays(April-October) at the Chapel Hill Farmers Market. The SODU market is located at the Greenwood Commons Shopping Center in Durham. The address is:
5410 NC Highway 55 Durham, NC 27713
For more details visit the market website http://www.southdurhamfarmersmarket.org/
The Chapel Hill market is located at University plaza, 201 S. Estes drive Chapel Hill, NC
For more details visit the market website
https://www.thechapelhillfarmersmarket.com/
The Midtown Farmers Market is located on the Commons at North Hills - 4191 Main at North Hills street Raleigh, NC
For more details visit the market website
What do we grow?
We grow a wide variety of produce including a many uncommon and rarer types of fruits and vegetables.
Greens such as kale, collards, lettuce and chard
Fruit such as strawberries, blueberries, aronia berries, blackberries, figs and Asian pears.
Root Vegetables such as radishes, carrots, beets, multiple varieties of garlic
Fruit bearing vegetables such as burgundy okra, sweet peppers, hot peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, summer squash, zucchini, string beans and edamame
Uncommon produce such as ground cherries, sunchokes, leeks and butter baby squash
We also grow a variety of microgreens
We have a plant nursery as well, we sell veg starts, culinary and medicinal herbs, fruit such as figs and strawberries, and a variety of native flowers, grasses, shrubs, ferns and trees.
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