About Us

---

     Jamie and Sara  Jane Davis started A Way of Life Farm in January 2009.  Our intentions  on this land are a culmination of varied experiences and common values.   Living on land that we can grow on for the rest of our days is a dream  come true!

     Jamie grew up in Polk County,  NC, learning the meaning of hard work while cutting hay and mending  fences on the family horse farm.  As a student of music, yoga, and  permaculture design, he strives to apply observation, creativity,  discipline, and care for the land in his approach to farming.

     Sara Jane was raised in New  Orleans and was a student of environmental studies and sustainable  agriculture at Oberlin College in Ohio (where she and Jamie met).   Beginning with her grandfather’s garden in Upstate NY, she  learned from gardeners and farmers at all ends of the country and in  Ireland before settling in North Carolina.

   
    Our sons, Alder and Will, were born right here on the farm in 2011 and 2013.  They love foraging fruits, veggies, and wild greens from the farm, listening to stories, whittling, and playing in the creek.

    Over the years, a relationship has developed between the land and ourselves and we continue to learn every day.  

       Our farm name came  about with two meanings in mind.  First was the realization that our  farm was more than a job or a hobby, but a presence that permeates all  aspects of our lives, from our attention and time to our values and  relationships.  Second is the cyclical nature, or way, of life- the  constant renewal coming from growth, death, decay, and new life.  This  may seem mundane or obvious, but when you really pay attention to these  processes in nature, it's breathtaking.  

       Most of the land  that became A Way of Life Farm had been a clear cut pine forest.  Our  first year here, we had our first "intern", a family friend, Camille,  who was gracious enough to help during the muddled and hectic days when  we were just getting our bearings.  She is an amazing artist and  volunteered to design a logo for the farm.  We didn't know what we were  looking for until we were moving logs up on the old clear cut and  noticed that one of the logs had a healthy plant growing out of it.  A  seed had nestled into a crevice filled with enough decaying wood that it took root and grew!  Camille created our logo from there- life  of all kinds springing from a fallen tree.  

       We hoped that we  could be helpful to this land and encourage the return of a variety of  life when we moved here 15 years ago.  On less than 2 acres, we grow  over 40 kinds of USDA Certified Organic produce with careful attention  to the soil to provide nutrient-dense food for our family and  customers.    

     We imagined  food-bearing trees and plants, ponds, and pastures throughout much of  the rest of our land-- what initially looked like red clay desert,  brambles, and small pines.  We’re making steady progress on this broader  permaculture design, and we’re thrilled to be a part of a process that  will span generations.