Hidden Gems: Meet Ashley Parker of Parker farm and Vineyard

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Parker

Hi Ashley, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I run a farm with my family north of Hillsborough. We raise produce, row crops, cut flowers, pork, beef and laying hens. My husband and I sell at the South Durham and downtown Cary farmers markets most Saturday mornings.
Our farm is a family affair with four generations living here and we are grateful to provide our community with food and flowers.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Farming can be unpredictable and we have had struggles over the years. Weather, pests, changing markets, input costs and regulations change constantly and can be challenging to overcome. I started farming right out of college and diversifying our operation has been key to weathering the (literal and metaphorical) storms. We have a lot of different projects going on that benefit from different factors. For example- A wet, rainy spring makes for a great lettuce crop, but a poor strawberry crop. Diversity allows us a bit of protection in this changing world.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Parker farm and vineyard is a family run farm in northern Orange County. We supply our community with fresh produce, beef, pork, flowers and eggs. You can find us most Saturday at the south Durham and downtown Cary farmers markets. We also market flowers through a local Cooperative. Piedmont Wholesale Flowers is a cooperative of local flower growers who sell to event designers, florists and retail. While we mainly sell our products at the farmers market, we do open the farm for select days in the fall for U-pick muscadine grapes and a pumpkin sale. We have a great community that appreciates our farm fresh products and loves seeing what is in season every week.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
I’m not sure how anyone farmed before us without an iPhone, ha!
But in all seriousness, just the basic technologies we can take to the field now are amazing. I can check the radar and see when bad weather will hit, book orders or load inventory into our co-op software and check my email- all from the cab of the tractor. ‘Discover Ag’ is a favorite podcast of mine. It’s hosted by women in the farming industry and gives updates on different news articles, research and pop culture all pertaining to agriculture and food.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.parkerfarmandvineyard.com
• Instagram: Parkerfarmandvineyard
• Facebook: Parker Farm and Vineyard