Evans Knob Farm

We are working hard to support our community with fresh, healthy, local food.

Our Business

Reid and I have grown much of our own food over the past twenty years. We started out with a small garden, a few chickens and turkeys, and 3 small daughters. Over the years we have learned much, and put organic growing methods into practice. (We actually certified the farm under USDA in 2003.) This came out of the concern for our family's health. We could see the over use of antibiotics, herbicides, pesticides, growth hormones and chemical fertilizers. We would like to offer to you some of the same fresh bounty that we have the joy of producing.

Although we are changing our certification to Certified Naturally Grown, we are striving to go beyond what the National Organic Plan requires of us. We look at the land as an investment, and a precious gift. Reid and I are making concentrated efforts to nurture the land, building the soil ,and getting the eco system within working as one terrific unit. We are seeing evidence that this is working. We see more earthworm activity, less insect pressure, and higher yields. We are still adding up the 2011 harvest totals, so far we are well over 6 thousand pounds of veggies. 

We bring in very little soil amendments from outside sources. Much of our compost is made here on the farm from our diverse animal population. We do not use raw manures on plots that will be harvested within 140 days. We occasionally will use fish emulsion to do some foliar feeding when the veggies look like they need a boost. We have not used a pesticide in any form for several years. We prefer to bring in and encourage beneficial insects, birds, snakes, (yes, I encourage garden snakes, and black snakes, yikes!) and toads. We also utilize barrier methods of row covers and "Surround."

We have nearly 3 acres dedicated to vegetable production, with the remaining 127 consisting of pastures, hay meadows and woodlands. We grow much like the French do with their intensive planting. If we did not pay so much attention to the soil conditions we would not be able to accomplish what we do.

Reid has a full time job off the farm. On the farm, he is my mechanic, heavy equipment operator, engineer, and sounding board. Sometimes, I even let him go fishing. The farm is my full time job and accounts for approximately half of our annual income.  

Who We Are

Evans Knob Farm has been in the Evans family for 5 generations.  Mary Ann, the first settler of the Knob imigrated here from Wales. There has been a member of the Evans family farming this land ever since.

Reid works off the farm and is an electronics tech for the PRT at WVU.  His job is to keep the computers and other electronics in working order so that the students can get to classes around town. When not working there, he is hard at work on the farm.  He runs the big equipment, is chief engineer and designer of projects that helps farmer Kathy keep producing food and fibers.

Kathy works full time on the farm raising vegetables, meat and fibers, a lot of dust at times, and always the hope of good things in our tummies and on our bodies.

Meet the Critters