Colvin Family Farm
By Rachel Holder

The Colvin Family Farm, nestled atop Waldenâ€^TMs Ridge near Spring City, Tennessee, is quite aptly named for the one thing most important to those who till its land: family. For five generations, members of the Colvin family have steadily farmed the land with one goal in mind.

“When my parents started out, they wanted a place to build a family farm,” says Adam Colvin, the farmâ€^TMs marketing manager and one of thirteen children, nine of whom still live on and work the farm. “The main thing they wanted was to leave the land better for future generations, and better than they found it.”

“We feel itâ€^TMs important not only to be sustainable,” Colvin explains, “but also to be regenerative. Weâ€^TMre always working to create a better system. Better is always the goal.”

Itâ€^TMs that drive and determination that have led the fifteen- member Colvin family to farm more than forty acres of land successfully, providing not only a living for the entire family, but also fresh, naturally grown produce to eight farmersâ€^TM markets, several local grocers and restaurants, and they will reach 400 CSA shares this year. The Colvins also were recently accepted into the Franklin Farmersâ€^TM Market, where youâ€^TMll be able to find them every Saturday through October from 8 a.m. -– 1 p.m. The Franklin Farmersâ€^TM Market also will serve as a convenient CSA pick-up location as well.

The Colvin Family Farm also boasts the distinction of being Certified Naturally Grown, a grass- roots initiative geared toward small farms through which each farmâ€^TMs growing procedures are reviewed by a peer board of other farmers.

“This distinction helps us let people know how important natural farming is to us,” says Colvin. “People would be far healthier if they started eating fresh, organic food, so being able to let people know we are certified natural allows us to market our produce in that way.”

Also in the works for the Colvins is the move to becoming a year- round farm. The family is currently building a high- tunnel system, an unheated single- layer green house, for winter production.

“Itâ€^TMs really exciting because planting for two seasons is a totally different concept for us,” Colvin explains. “Weâ€^TMre looking at other farms who do year-round production really well, and weâ€^TMre trying to learn as much from them as we can.”

The Colvin Family Farm is primarily a produce farm, providing fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs, but Adam says theyâ€^TMre beginning to ease into raising some chickens and, hopefully, will start egg production in the future as well.

To find out more about the Colvin Family Farm, market locations, or to sign up for their CSA, visit them on the Web at colvinfamilyfarm.com.

[use bio from spring issue]