“The farm is just something that we started doing as a hobby, something we wanted to do for ourselves—and it kind of grew into this bigger, wider thing we could share with the community,” says farmer Kaci Nidiffer, who co-owns The Liar’s Table in Elk Park, NC, with her husband, Amos.
Back in 2010, when the couple started sowing seeds on their land, they had no idea their shared interest in growing food would eventually turn into a thriving farm business with two retail storefronts and community hub for their neighbors in Avery County. But a life-threatening car accident prompted them to focus on the farm full time. “We were lucky to survive,” says Kaci.
“It put some things into perspective, and we decided to quit our jobs. We thought, ’This is what’s important and we’re gonna go for it!’”
They sold their produce and freshly baked bread at their local farmers market and soon began a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) with five families. After adding a farm stand to the property—open one day a week for CSA members to pick up their produce—they started dreaming about a full retail storefront. “We wanted a space where we could interact with the community,” says Kaci.
In 2020, Kaci and Amos bought a local greasy spoon diner, easily accessible from the main road in Elk Park. Initially they thought they would unveil a storefront a few years down the road, but quickly realized they’d need to open much sooner to cover the cost of renovations. The fully updated space opened a mere five months later with produce from the farm as well as housemade sourdough, locally raised eggs, and meat for sale. Amos and Kaci rebranded the store and farm—formerly called Trosly Farm—The Liar’s Table as an homage to the diner’s legacy.
“At the diner, a lot of the old timers would sit at this big, long table and tell stories,” says Kaci. “Exaggeration was very common in those stories, and they had a big sign over the table that said ’The Liar’s Table.’ We hope the name gives a bit of ownership to the people who come through here.”
The store’s location quickly began to bring in more people from the community. Since Elk Park doesn’t have a grocery store, The Liar’s Table is a place where people can access fresh produce. To build on that, Kaci and Amos are working to implement SNAP as a form of payment at the store. Through the WNC Double SNAP Network (see page 14), they will eventually be able to match an additional $20 for SNAP customers to spend on produce. “We hope it will bring new people in, or bring in more customers regularly,” says Kaci. “We’d like to become as convenient as the Dollar General.”
Continuing to Grow
With the success of the Elk Park store, Amos and Kaci opened a second retail location of The Liar’s Table in Linville this past December. The new store is closer to Boone and has expanded their customer base. Both locations now offer a menu of coffee, pastries, and sandwiches, as well as heat-and-eat meals. They’ve also added catering services and a supper club series.
Even as their business model shifts toward the retail outlets, their CSA—now with about 40 members—remains central to the farm. Kaci and Amos host gatherings throughout the year for shareholders to “come out to the farm and see what we’re doing and how their food is being made.” They also offer a work share, where shareholders can help out on the farm for a few hours a week as payment for their CSA. “It’s a great way for people to interact with the food that they’re eating,” says Kaci. “We’ve had a lot of repeat work share customers.”
They’ve also found ways to add educational opportunities through the store and farm, encouraging their neighbors to connect with local food. “I used to be an art teacher and have always been very involved with kids,” says Kaci. “I wanted to keep encouraging hands-on activities through the farm.” They offer on-farm classes, school tours, and educational internships, and work with their local FFA (Future Farmers of America) to bring agricultural experiences to high school students.
“A lot of kids are able to try, smell, taste, and see new vegetables that they normally wouldn’t try,” says Kaci. “We’ve had several teachers that have come out for school farm tours come back to the farm store or even become regulars.”
While the retail stores aren’t what Kaci and Amos expected when they started growing their own food, they’re excited about the opportunities they’ve brought. “It’s opened up a lot of doors that we never even thought of,” says Kaci. “We’ve had a lot more interaction with people than in the past and that’s been great.”