SALISBURY — Ayo and Kimberly Fagade of Charlotte met their food up close and personal Saturday during the Know Your Farms Tour.
The self-guided tour of 29 Charlotte area farms continues from 1 to 6 p.m. today. Check out the list of farms and a map at www.knowyourfarmstour.com.
The Fagades, with their son 3-year-old Samuel Fagade clinging to a fistful of hay, toured T&D Farms in China Grove, observing grassfed cows and pasture-raised chicken and pigs.
“I’ve learned so much, especially about the terminology,” Ayo said. “I’ve learned that I’ve been scammed.”
“Free-range” printed on a carton of eggs from a factory farm doesn’t mean what he thought it meant, Ayo said. The couple said they were even more committed to eating locally grown food after gaining a better understanding of the agriculture industry and seeing how T&D Farms raises animals.
Hundreds of curious consumers visited the China Grove farm during Saturday’s tour, which Danielle Mauldin — the “D” in T&D — called their most successful in four years.
She attributed the large crowd to the beautiful weather but also to the growing local food movement.
“People want to know what’s in the food they’re eating,” Mauldin said.
Kim and Greg Jumper of Huntersville planned to visit five farms each day. T&D was only open to the public on Saturday.
“I loved it,” Kim said after touring the farm. “I feel better after I see where the cows and chickens are kept.”
Most farms on tour have products for sale, so Know Your Farms encourages tour-goers to take along a cooler of ice for purchases. Many farms also have children’s activities. Tickets cost $30 per car and are on sale at each farm.
Thousands of people are expected to take part in the two-day event.
Rowan County farms on the tour also included Bame Farms, Coldwater Creek Farms, Cottonmill Mushrooms, Hoffner Organic and Mary L Farms. Cabarrus County farms are Allee’Bubba Farms, Barbee Farms, Big Oak Farm, Fair Meadow Bakes, Farm at Dover, Lomax Incubator and Thomas Bee Farm.
Contact reporter Emily Ford at 704-797-4264.