Rising Stars: Meet Mackenzie & Tucker Withington of Rural Chatham County

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mackenzie & Tucker Withington

Hi Mackenzie & Tucker, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Our story is one of passion, perseverance, and family. Tucker grew up on a small Guernsey dairy farm, where his love for cows and dairy farming took root at an early age. Mackenzie, on the other hand, was raised in the heart of Staten Island, NY—a world away from farm life. Despite our vastly different backgrounds, fate brought us together in Pawleys Island, SC, where we met while visiting family. We instantly connected and embraced the adventure ahead.

In 2005, we got married and purchased our first farm in Cortland, NY. Three years later, seeking a better fit for our growing family and dreams, we moved to Goldston, NC, with our two children, Dennet and Lilly, and founded Lilly Den Farm. Tucker’s lifelong passion for dairy farming and showing cows fueled our vision, while Mackenzie balanced a career in public education as we got the farm up and running.

From the start, we knew we wanted to raise a variety of animals and provide high-quality meat, raw dairy, and eggs to our local community. By 2013, with the birth of our third child, Meadow, we made the big decision for Mackenzie to leave teaching and focus on the farm full-time while homeschooling our children. In 2015, our family was complete with the arrival of our fourth child, Rye.

As our farm grew, so did our vision for expanding what we could offer to our community. In 2021, we took a big leap and opened The Den, a farm store and bakery, as well as Lilly Den Farm: Meats & Eats, a farm-to-fork food truck located at The Plant in Pittsboro, NC. These additions allowed us to bring our pasture-raised meats, raw dairy, and homemade baked goods directly to customers in a whole new way. It was another exciting chapter in our journey—one that blended our passion for farming with our love for sharing good food.

Through all the ups and downs, we’ve built Lilly Den Farm together, as a family. We take pride in what we do, from caring for our animals to connecting with our community. And in return, our community has embraced and supported us. Farming isn’t just our livelihood—it’s our way of life, and we’re grateful every day for the opportunity to share it with others.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has most certainly not been a smooth road. Like any journey worth taking, ours has been filled with challenges, lessons, and growth. One of our biggest struggles was financial—early on, we realized that to make the farm sustainable, we needed to make some tough decisions. Renting out the big farmhouse and moving into a tiny home that Tucker built on the back of the property was a game-changer. For years, we lived in just 500 square feet, slowly adding on whenever we had the time and resources. Through that experience, we discovered the beauty of living small and focusing on what truly matters.

Beyond financial struggles, we’ve faced other obstacles—people who doubted us, rumors that tried to shake us, and even family drama that tested our resolve. And then, of course, there was COVID. Supply chain disruptions, market uncertainty, and shifting regulations made it incredibly difficult to keep things running. But at the same time, we saw how deeply people relied on local farms during the pandemic. The demand for fresh, local food skyrocketed, and we worked around the clock to keep up while ensuring the safety of our family and customers. It was one of the most exhausting and eye-opening times of our journey.

Through it all, our bond has remained unbreakable. Tucker and I, along with our children, have always found a way to push through the tough times and cherish the easy ones. Farming is not for the faint of heart, but it’s our passion, our livelihood, and our way of life. The challenges have only made us stronger, and we’re grateful for the journey—bumps and all.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At Lilly Den Farm, we specialize in dairy—not just in producing top-of-the-line raw dairy, but also in breeding and showing prize-winning dairy cows. Our passion for high-quality dairy farming runs deep, and we take immense pride in the care, dedication, and expertise that go into every aspect of our work.

What sets us apart is our resilience and our ability to grow despite the odds. Farming is never easy, but we’ve taken our business beyond just dairy production. Over the years, we’ve expanded into a beautiful farm store, providing fresh, local products directly to our community. We’ve also launched our farm-to-fork food truck, bringing our pasture-raised meats, dairy, and homegrown ingredients straight to the tables of our customers. These expansions allow us to share our love for sustainable, locally sourced food in a way that goes beyond just selling products—we’re creating experiences and connections.

But above all, we are most proud of our children. They are the heart of our farm, deeply involved in every aspect of our business, from caring for the animals to working in the store and food truck. Their hands-on knowledge, work ethic, and passion give us hope for the future of agriculture. Watching them grow into responsible, knowledgeable young farmers is the greatest reward of all.

Farming is more than a livelihood for us—it’s a way of life, a family tradition, and a commitment to our community. And that’s what makes Lilly Den Farm truly special.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
he most important lesson we’ve learned along our journey is that family is everything. They are the backbone of our farm, our business, and our way of life. No matter what challenges come our way—whether it’s financial struggles, naysayers, or unexpected hardships—it’s our family’s unwavering support and dedication that keep us moving forward.

We’ve also learned that you can’t let others bring you down. There will always be obstacles, rumors, or people who doubt you, but staying true to your vision and values is what matters most. Farming, like life, is full of ups and downs, but we’ve come to embrace the hard times because they are what make us stronger, wiser, and more resilient.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway is that there’s always room to learn and grow. Every season, every challenge, and every success teaches us something new. We’ve built our farm and business on a foundation of perseverance, adaptability, and passion—and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lillydenfarm.com/
• Instagram: @lillydenfarm
• Facebook: http://facebook.com/LillyDenFarm
• Youtube: http://youtube/@lillydenfarm3934