Quick summary for those trying to get the details. For the actual story, see below.
Our last day open in the store will be Saturday, January 18th. We will work normal hours and days till the 18th. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 2pm-6pm. Saturday 9am-1pm
We will be having sales, announced by Jeanette as we progress through the month. If you see it, its for sale.
For milk or other products, please contact:
Panther Branch Farms
6600 St Jens Ln
Raleigh NC 27603
919-665-9890
Follow us on Facebook
Lockwood Farms
351 Sambo Lambert Rd.
Goldsboro NC 27530
919-521-2400
Follow us on Facebook to see store hours and availability.
Blended Family Farm NC
1602 Barbour Road
Smithfield, NC 27577
919-273-4774
Follow us on Facebook to see store hours and availability.
Now for the actual story of what is happening.
This farm has been my home since I was 7 years old. Before my parents bought it, it was a cattle farm for another family, the Barbours, for two more generations prior to our three generations. This place has hosted a lot of growing up and countless activities.
For us, having a farm store has been about the kids, exclusively. Profit, growth, return on investment. Those were never words we used when talking about the farm. It was always about the kids, and what they were learning.
Yes we stock all kinds of cool products. Of course we sold our beef, and our pork through the store, and raw milk, which was a random side quest for us that turned into a major thing around here. But our decisions were always based on what was best for the kids. Work a farmers market? Nope, I don’t want the kids there all day. Sell our products wholesale? How does that help the kids? We don’t have signage. We don’t have ads. We only wanted to do so much business, because that was best for the kids.
We’ve learned a ton, had a lot of fun and heartache, worked hard, and enjoyed the fruits of our labor. We met so many wonderful people who came through our door. Friends. Neighbors. Business partners. Employees. We’ve also watched as our kids got taller, more confident, and more capable. (And turned into snarky teenagers)
We’ve employed adults, kids, and more animals than I can remember over the past 10 years. We’ve helped small farmers grow, giving them an outlet for their products that doesn’t require then to haul their product to and from a market. We’ve worked with countless aspiring farmers, both informally and formally. I can’t say I was always a ray of sunshine as I killed peoples dreams with the reality of farming, but I certainly steered them down a path that would be successful.
But from day one, there was one reason we had a store, and that was our children. We homeschooled our kids, which of course makes them weird. We wanted them to interact with the public, learn work habits, and have a resume that would make them employable at 16.
My son has graduated college and is currently working on his final pilots licenses to be a professional pilot. He’s bigger than me. Stronger than me. And a better man than me. I’m not sure if there is anything better for a father.
My middle daughter just completed her first semester at college where she is studying architecture. She’s finding her way in the big city of Charlotte where she moved into an apartment by herself without knowing a soul. She’s made friends, figured out school, and is forging a path on her own. She’s not doing it my way, she’s showing me her own way and I continue to be impressed by her hard work and dedication to her beliefs.
My youngest daughter is currently driving mom’s car and looking for a job off the farm. She’s transitioning from farm life to adult life, figuring out how to earn and keep money (avoid the mall is my first suggestion). She has better grades than my other two kids and her mom and I ever dreamed of. She’s disciplined in her education, powerful on the volleyball court, and easily the funniest person in the house.
And we can’t forget Crystal, who also worked here since she was a child. She is currently pre-med at Campbell college on a full ride scholarship, while working several part time jobs, while being involved in more activities than I can keep up with. Anesthesiologist is her goal, and with her work ethic she’ll get there.
Jasper started with no experience in the store or on the farm making his transition that much harder. He’s learned to work, to deal with happy and not so happy customers. To restock shelves and to count change. Jasper has since joined the Civil Air Patrol where he has achieved the rank of Sargent. He’ll be much higher ranked as time goes on and he grows in his CAP career.
Watching each of these children grow and mature has been a blessing, one that the farm store has provided to them. Our customers have invariably been so kind to our kids. Helping them count change. Being patient while the kid bags products while barely able to reach the counter. Driving all the way out here to purchase from us when we are the single most inconvenient place to shop. Tipping our kids for the work they do, something that allowed them to be excited about providing better than average service. The whole thing has been a blessing to so many people.
They say start with the end in mind when you do something new. When we started the farm store, we knew that some day, these little kids would grow up and start leading lives of their own. Last month our youngest took and passed her drivers test. In our family, that is the official sign to get off of my payroll and onto someone else’s. We certainly could keep the store open. Jeanette and Caroline do a wonderful job running the actual operation. Jeanette pretty much runs the whole thing by herself out of love for what we do and for our customers and Caroline is as reliable as the sun peeking over the horizon in the morning.
But the truth of the matter is, our store has never made money. In fact, its not unusual that I have to put money into the farm just to keep things going. It never was intended to be much of a money maker and it has fulfilled that promise. What it has produced is a living and a future for a large group of people, all of whom have been a blessing to us by being here. But as we transition to life post kids, the farm store has run its course. Now it is simply a question of, does it make sense to keep it open after it fulfilled its primary purpose? The answer is no, it doesn’t. Not enough for the work that it requires. So we are closing our store. Our last day in the store will be January 18th, ending at 1pm. Between now and then, we have a fresh cow in the freezer, pork on the way, chicken that has been delivered, and anything you see, even if its is nailed down, is most likely for sale.
On January 19th, we will revert to the farm that I grew up on. One that has the gate closed and the public not allowed. I’m thankful for the patronage and the friendships these past ten years. For each of you who has had a part in raising my children, thank you. They are great kids and I’m so proud of them.