Finding Fresh Produce in Our Backyards and Supporting Local NC Farms can be tough with social distancing regulations being what they are, shortages of some fresh food items at our local grocery stores, and cabin fever – for some – running at somewhat higher levels than usual, you may be gratified to find out that many of the items we may have been going without or struggling to find are still available. Local farms, suffering from closures of farmer’s markets and other limited retail opportunities, need and want our business, and many of them, just a car ride away, now offer convenient online ordering, pick-up, and delivery services that make our lives during this period just a little bit more manageable. Finding Fresh Produce in Our Backyards and Supporting Local NC Farms.
Fresh Fruits and Greens
Wake County’s Collard Patch roadside farm market supports community farms and families through the sale of fresh, locally-grown vegetables and strawberries. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 8 am through dusk.
Bernie’s Berries, outside of Greensboro, currently offers strawberries and tomatoes in stock and available for pickup should you call ahead; pick-up will be arranged in an area where produce is loaded directly into vehicles. Visitors may also opt to pick their berries, provided their hands are washed first. From late spring through mid-fall, a full range of fresh produce is also available.
Phillips Farms of Cary will be selling strawberries this season in sanitized containers; those who bring back their containers will receive a future discount! As of April 16, the farm’s opening date, drive-up service only will be available, with payment accepted online.
Place your online order for vegetables, flowers, and herbs from Clayton’s Chickadee Farms by Sunday evening to pick your items up at the farm on Tuesday; order by Thursday for Saturday pick-up. Orders will be safely stored in a cooler with your bagged and tagged items inside.
Eggs, Milk, and Cheese
The Ran-Lew Dairy in Graham carries fresh milk, buttermilk, and ice cream, available for pick-up Thursdays 4-6 pm or Saturdays 10 am – 2 pm.
Dairy products (eggs, cheese, and milk) as well as beef, pork, chicken, and lamb, and available at the Ninja Cow Farm’s on-site store, but a limited number of customers are allowed in at a time and guests must wash their hands before entering.
Meat
Cane Creek Farm’s farm stand is open on Saturdays 9 am-1 pm and Wednesdays 3-6 pm in Elfland, offering pork, beef, poultry, and lamb as well as fresh fruit, vegetables, eggs, and honey. Large meat orders are available for pick-up.
Saxapahaw’s
Braeburn Beef Farm raises pork and beef and sells in bulk to the public; orders are available for pick-up at the farm.
Bull City Farm, in Bahama, accepts pre-orders of pasture-raised pork and turkey, grass-fed lamb, sausages, and pasture-raised eggs with pick-up or home-delivery options.
Chapel Hill’s Beechcrest Farm offers no-contact delivery of beef, pork, eggs, and more within the Chapel Hill / Durham / Pittsboro area.
Several other local farms offer beef, poultry, pork, or other types of meat, including the following. Call ahead or place your online order to arrange for pick-up or delivery.
Bread
The Strong Arm Baking Company not only features a full range of breads, cookies, pastries, and pies, but eggs and farmer’s cheese as well. For every loaf of bread purchased via weekly subscription, Strong Arm donates a loaf to a local food bank. Home delivery is provided with prepaid online orders.
Order local bread and crackers, honey, vegetables, flowers, herbs, and more from Mebane’s Farmbelly Online Farmstand. Place your order by Sunday evening and pick your items up on Tuesday 2-6 pm.
Crawfish
Kenly’s Eastern NC Crawfish Farm currently offers fresh crawfish Monday through Saturday, by appointment only, at their farm location.
Honey
Purchase your raw or creamed honey, beeswax candles, and a range of honey-based products in North Hills, Raleigh from local honey vendor Pleasant Bee at a convenient drive-in-and-out mini market Saturdays from 10 am–Noon.
For more information: Finding Fresh Produce in Our Own Backyards and Supporting Local NC Farms
