Michelle Pace Davis took time on her day off recently to give a tour of their operation to members of the Carolinas/Virginia Chapter of the National Agri-Marketing Association. She provided a history of the farm and showed attendees where there used to be tobacco barns for curing the tobacco once grown there.
Located in the Archers Lodge area of Clayton, not far from Raleigh, NC, Pace Family Farms now offers their community a large variety of produce and beef. Pace Family Farms has been in operation for over 150 years, and the current generation graduated college with degrees in agricultural studies.
Jerry and Deborah Pace and their two daughters, Michelle Pace Davis and Cara Pace Dunnavant, work together as a well-oiled machine to keep their farm producing high quality products. Formerly a tobacco and crop farm, the current generation of Paces made the decision to transition the operation into a retail produce operation. Today, Pace Family Farms grows red potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, kale, squash, zucchini, green beans, peas, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, watermelon, cantaloupe, onions, sweet corn, okra, collards, turnips and sweet potatoes. They also produce high quality beef and the opportunity for visitors to pick their own strawberries in spring.
Michelle Pace Davis in their retail area with one of the U-pick strawberry fields behind her. Photo by Bruce Button
Pace Family Farms offers a variety of produce through their summer CSA program as well as local farmers markets. The farm also hosts special events, outdoor movie nights at the farm, a holiday craft fair, concessions and areas for photography sessions.
With over 300 total acres to work with, they have room for their growing produce as well as pastureland to finish the cattle they raise for their meat products. Future plans are for a new retail building with more refrigerated cases for their produce and meat.
To learn more, visit pacefamilyfarms.com.
by Bruce Button
