ASAP likes to share the stories of people who help us fulfill our mission. This month, we talk with Terry King, who owns King Harvest Farm with her husband, Steve. King Harvest Farm sells all natural, chemical free vegetables and herbs at Haywood’s Historic Farmers Market in Waynesville, which opens for the season on April 20.
Q: What’s your favorite thing about selling at farmers markets?
It’s as much a social event for us as it is a place to sell our product. We get a chance to talk with our vendor friends about farming. We look forward to seeing our regular customers week after week. We’ve watched their children grow, we know their dogs—it’s kind of a big family.
Q: What are some of the things you’re doing now to get ready for spring farmers markets to open?
We have so many lists! We divide our time between our greenhouse production and preparing our fields for planting. Getting our seeds started and growing is the most important task. We want to be able to come into those first markets with a good variety of plants at first and, later, produce.
Q: What can shoppers expect in the first few weeks of market?
Our market in Waynesville should have plenty to offer our customers in the first weeks. Lots of plants for home gardeners, early greens, eggs, meat and dairy products, baked goods, and heritage crafts.
Q: What are you growing this year that you’re particularly excited about?
We are growing more plants than ever and are pretty excited about that. We’re adding more variety in herbs and flowers. We’re trying some different vegetable starts, like artichokes and rhubarb.
Q: How did you come to farming?
Steve is from a farming family. His dad and brothers owned a landscape nursery for many years. Our farm originally grew trees and landscape plants. Steve and I decided we wanted to grow food instead, and began King Harvest Farm in 2010.