Today we’d like to introduce you to Q & Tanya Randle.
Hi Q & Tanya, 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?
Creating safe spaces for people to connect, learn from one another and grow together, is what motivates our business focus. As city slickers from New Jersey, 5 years ago we couldn’t have imagined we’d be where we are today; owning a 14+ acre Arts and Agricultural farm and gardens in a small town in North Carolina! The journey was truly divinely led. For several years my family envisioned moving back up north someday to that fast-paced lifestyle that had raised us, not realizing the universe (gratefully) would have different plans. In 2020, the pandemic hit, and Oh Boy did the world feel the strain on our mental health and overall wellness like never before. And that duration of mandated isolation highlighted the human spirit’s need for community and togetherness in safe spaces. As a result, our souls were now secretly seeking MORE SLOW, MORE CALM, and MORE PEACE and who knew Franklinton, NC is just where we’d find it.
From the moment we (my husband and I) first arrived on the property, we knew this place was SOUL Fuel. Just BEING in such a magical space we could feel the fresh air and tranquil energy delicately replenishing us on a cellular level. The balance of resounding peace amidst the calming chatter of resident wildlife creates nature’s harmonious melodies that lulls all your cares away. We were blessed with this gift and we understood instantly that this rejuvenating life force that was emanating from this land could not be coveted for us alone. We were brought to The Porte to experience its history, its harvest and its wellness benefits, and to share those stories, traditions and practices, and that natural healing with all who visit.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has definitely not been smooth, but every obstacle or challenge has shaped who we are today.
When we started in early 2022, the original vision for our property was simple: an Airbnb with serene walking trails and an open meadow for small outdoor events. We had no outdoor facilities, no infrastructure, and certainly no plan to become a nonprofit, develop youth programs, or build an arts and agriculture wellness hub. We were just trying to offer people a peaceful retreat and create supplemental income for our family.
But the more people we welcomed onto the land, the more we realized there was a deeper need in our community. Guests were hungry for connection, nature, creativity, resources, and food. We began adding small elements to transform our outdoor setup, and then came the first pivot: shifting from an outdoor rental space to a community wellness farm and gardens.
From there, the pivots kept coming. We navigated zoning concerns, built infrastructure piece by piece, self-funded improvements, and adapted as the community’s needs became clearer. Each season brought changes; from expanding our gardens, to officially forming the nonprofit so we could meet the demand for accessible resources and community-centered programming, to launching educational programs, to running an arts and ag youth summer camp, to building the Al’Umma Art Walk, to creating our Mobile Arts & Ag Learning Lab, to hosting arts and wellness fusion experiences and a free health resources fair. We literally pivoted into our true purpose.
Add to that the personal challenges: navigating the layoff of our main provider in household, 2 kids in college, learning how to run a farm while managing multiple brands, and building all of this with limited resources and a small (yet mighty) team. We learned to innovate, to stretch every dollar, to share efforts and to pivot when something wasn’t working. Every obstacle forced us to clarify our mission. What started as an Airbnb evolved into a cultural, agricultural, and creative learning campus; one that serves youth, families, farmers, artists, and small businesses across Franklin County and surrounding areas.
So no, it hasn’t been smooth. But the road, with all its pivots, dead ends, breakthroughs and accomplishments, is exactly what shaped The Porte into what it is today. We wouldn’t change it, we just continue to grow through it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Porte NOIRE Farm and Gardens?
Porte NOIRE Farm & Gardens is an arts, agriculture, and wellness campus in Franklinton, NC. We’re best known for blending regenerative farming with community-centered experiences, from farm events and wellness gatherings to youth programs, experience tours, and our expanding sitewide art installations.
What makes us different is the intentional way we interweave cultural exploration and storytelling into our land stewardship and wellness programming. We specialize in creating immersive experiences that allow people to learn, rest, explore, and reimagine their relationship with land and community.
Some of what we offer includes:
– Regenerative agriculture education for youth and adults
– Community events and restorative retreats on the farm
– The Al’Umma Art Walk, a curated outdoor art and healing pathway amongst our trails
– Mobile programming through our Porte Explorer bus bringing hands-on arts and ag learning directly into neighborhoods and schools for youth and adults
– Experience Tours and private rentals, including our Funkytown Sip & Sound Tour and our Black Ag Farm Tour
– Wellness programs; yoga, meditation, sound baths, drum circles, plant medicine workshops and outdoor cultural gatherings
– Creative residencies, installations, and artist partnerships
– Farm stand/farmers market for seasonal produce offerings; produce and added-value product subscriptions
– Site /event space private rentals
Brand-wise, we’re most proud that we’ve built something that feels like home to people. The Porte is a place where newcomers, long-time residents, youth, elders, artists, farmers, and families all find belonging. Everything about our brand is designed to be warm, accessible, culturally rich, and deeply rooted in the community we serve. What we want readers, our community and future visitors to know is that Porte NOIRE Farm & Gardens is more than a farm. We are a living, breathing ecosystem of creativity, conservation, healing, and infinite possibility. Whether someone comes to walk the art trail, take a tour, attend an event, volunteer, learn about regenerative agriculture or finance, or simply sit under a tree and breathe, they’re part of the story we’re growing here together.
We’re building a space that honors heritage, uplifts artistry, celebrates land stewardship, and inspires people of all ages to reconnect with themselves, each other, and the environment. And we’re just getting started.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Uniquely, we met as kids. Q at 19 and myself at 17. Our best memories were traveling to places away from the city to discover different tranquil peaceful oasis, from the coastal beaches, to mountain lakes, to laid back islands. Even when we met we often shared experiences we had as youth, outside of the city. My youth experiences where in the Catskill Mountains at Frost Valley Summer and Winter overnight camp. I also went into the mountains of PA for gymnastics camp. Being out in nature around farm animals, open air and greenery everywhere was magical. Q had outdoor nature experiences as well through Boy Scouts. As growing adults, the closest we got to rural farm life was visiting my grandmother in uber rural, lol, Fairmont, NC. The slow pace was welcoming and relaxing, but the programming of our fast lives we lived back in urban adjacent suburbia didn’t allow us to reflect on how truly calming and necessary this pace of life would become later in life. It’s no surprise that when we arrived on our land, the nostalgia of the times and experiences we had in those “peaceful spaces” as we were kids, just felt like home today. It was as if the land was waiting for us.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.portenoiregardens.com
- Instagram: @PorteNOIREGardens
- Facebook: @PorteNOIREGardens
- Youtube: @PorteNOIREFarmandGardens
- Other: https://linktr.ee/portenoirefarmandgardens
