Vendor Spotlight: Big Red Farm

Big Red Farm feels like stepping into the kind of place people dream about when they picture local farming: a peaceful farmhouse, animals grazing nearby, gardens growing in neat rows, and the unmistakable feeling that everything is being cared for with love.

When I visited the farm, Caroline welcomed me like an old friend with homemade lemonade and freshly baked sourdough muffins. Before we even walked the property, I could already tell this wasn’t just a business. It was a passion built day by day, season by season.

The name Big Red Farm came from a sign hanging over their very first chicken coop that read “Big Red Coop.” As the farm expanded over the years, the name stuck, and that original sign still hangs proudly over the coop today.

Caroline and Matt’s love for growing food runs deep. Matt, who grew up in Iowa and earned a degree in Horticulture, has always been passionate about gardening and soil health. This year, the farm is trying something new with raised bed growing. Matt built their metal raised beds himself using recycled materials, and they’re running drip irrigation throughout the garden to conserve water by delivering it exactly where the plants need it most.

The farm is truly a family effort. Caroline shared that she and Matt have “the two best farm helpers” in their children, ages 11 and 13, who help with everything from planting in the garden and milking goats to assisting at local markets. Their love for farming is already becoming part of the next generation of Big Red Farm.

As we walked through the gardens, Caroline shared their excitement about the season ahead. At the time of my visit they were growing spinach, broccoli, collard greens, onions, cucumbers, fresh herbs, and flowers for pollinators, with even more produce planned for summer. I even learned about a fascinating bush variety of cucumbers that doesn’t require trellising.

Caroline and Matt are also incredibly knowledgeable about composting and soil health. Caroline made the worm farm we used for our Kids Club activity a couple of weeks ago, helping introduce children to the importance of composting and healthy soil in a hands-on way.

But the heart of Big Red Farm isn’t just in the gardens. It’s in the animals and the community they’ve built around them.

The farm is home to Harold the donkey, who has developed quite the local following. People leave cards for Harold and regularly ask how he’s doing. There’s Pearl and Ruby, a sweet cow and calf pair, along with goats, chickens, ducks, and pigs.

One goat in particular, S’mores, became something of a celebrity at their local school after spending time with STEM classes and even visiting the library “to learn to read.” S’mores quickly became the school’s unofficial mascot! Most recently, an elementary school class hatched ducklings for the farm, giving kids an unforgettable chance to learn about the life cycles of birds.

Caroline’s passion shines just as brightly in the kitchen as it does everywhere else on the farm. Alongside the farm’s eggs and produce, she bakes sourdough bread and mini muffins, sells sourdough starter for aspiring bakers, and creates homemade jams, jellies, and pickled vegetables. She’s even planning a Jelly of the Month Club in the near future.

When she’s not caring for the farm, Caroline also works with Athens Tech in Nursing Education and assists with clinicals. She shared how grateful she is for every customer who supports the farm by purchasing their eggs, produce, breads, jams, jellies and pickles. That support allows her family to continue pursuing their dream of growing local food for both themselves and their community.

By the end of my visit, after petting Harold, holding baby ducklings, and wandering through the gardens, it was impossible not to fall in love with Big Red Farm. It’s the kind of place that reminds you why local farms are so important.

Real people. Real food. Real care behind every single thing they grow and make.