Spring into Growing Season with Good Hope Farm

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Cary, NC — Good Hope Farm has been in production for over 100 years in northwest Cary, located at the center of what’s known as Carpenter Village.

Good Hope Farm History

Carpenter, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was a thriving agricultural community, under the ownership of the A.M. Howard family for the majority of that time. In 2008 the Town of Cary purchased the farm to preserve this area of Carpenter’s agricultural past.

Nowadays, the farm is leased by the Piedmont Conservation Council who licenses plots up to two acres to new and expanding farmers, with all necessary equipment and infrastructure available on site. This is to provide land access to a new generation of farmers and connect the community to local agriculture.

Good Hope Farm is the work of the Town of Cary and is also a collaborative of four non-profit organizations:

  • Piedmont Conservation Council, Inc.
  • The Conservation Fund
  • NC Community Development Initiative
  • Conservation Trust for North Carolina

The ongoing mission of Good Hope Farm is to honor Cary’s agricultural heritage while increasing the community’s access to farmland and connecting its residents to local, healthy food. The farm features a demonstration garden and offers agricultural and nutritional educational programming.

Events at the Farm: Spring Sale & Earth Month

As usual, spring is one of the busiest times of the year at Good Hope Farm.

The farmers have been prepping their beds and planting their earliest crops. According to farm management, the greenhouse is full of starts that will be transplanted in the field over the next couple of weeks.

If interested in growing local produce yourself, take a look at the offerings of the Spring Plant Sale, ending today, April 7, 2021.

Spring Plant Sale

Order by April 7 | Plant pickup April 9 & 10

  • Get planting with veggie and herb starts for your garden. All proceeds go to support the work of Good Hope Farm!
  • Order now online while the sale still has a few hours left!
  • Several plants remain for sale, including:
    • Hybrid tomatoes
    • Cherry tomatoes
    • Heirloom tomatoes
    • Bell peppers
    • Eggplants
    • Basil
    • Parsely
    • Chives
    • Oregano

Earth Month

Throughout April, learn about composting, backyard chickens, and other sustainability topics through the Town of Cary’s Earth Month programs! Read more and register.

How to Support Local Farmers this Spring

Farmers will be selling more at local markets and through their social media accounts in the coming weeks. For the latest information on where to buy Cary-grown produce, you can follow Good Hope Farm on Facebook and Instagram.

Another great way to support the farmers is by joining our 2021 Summer CSA! Save the date: our 8-week produce and flower box program will take place June 17th-August 5th. Registration will open in late April. Look for more details and a link to register in our April newsletter.

To support beginning farmers and connect the community to local food, Good Hope Farm relies on tax-deductible gifts from the community. Those gifts can be made directly on the Good Hope Farm website.

Story by Ashley Kairis.