May 23, 2007

Published in Wake Forest, NC

            They were in California, dreaming of moving to a farm in North Carolina, a farm where there was a log cabin on a pond. When pigs fly, friends said. Morphy and Hoover persisted, came to the Tar Heel state and found their log cabin, their pond just as they had dreamed. When they found some flying pig ornaments in the house, they had to name their new venture Flying Pig Farm.

            They began raising shitake mushrooms and garlic, lots of garlic, lots of varieties. They built a greenhouse, expanded into dried mushrooms, specialty fresh flowers and dried flowers and garlic products – garlic butter, garlic dips, garlic sauces.

            Five years ago they began selling their products at the fledgling farmers market when it was in the parking lot next to The Cotton Company, and they moved with the market into the gazebo parking lot on South Main Street.

            Then during the winter of 2006, they suffered a great setback when the greenhouse and a shed burned. They were able to rebuild the greenhouse last fall.

            Flying Pig Farm is not a self-sufficient enterprise yet. Morphy works in construction, and Hoover, who said she had begun talking to the dog, listening to his reply and answering back, has a part-time job at the Food Lion in Bunn for the people interaction.

            You have seen her wearing various costumes and headpieces. She makes those. She made a lot of the costumes for her sister, an elementary school teacher. Everyone needs a bumble bee costume.

            You can find all sorts of information about the farm and the couple at their web site, http://www.flyingpigfarm.net.

            You can find a host of vendors at the market every Saturday. It is open from 8 a.m. to noon in the gazebo parking lot on South White Street where vendors offer locally grown produce, meats, poultry and cheese along with baked goods, crafts, jellies, soaps, candles, lotions, sauces, garlic, pottery and garden art.

            The following vendors are regulars at the market:

• Mapleville Fruit and Berry Farm: jellies, jams and stained-glass art.

• Cedar Rock Farms: shitakes, vegetables, eggs, chickens and pheasants.

• Blessed Be Soaps: aromatherapy soaps, candles, lotions and more.

• Polecat Mountain Farm: pasture-raised poultry, eggs and pork, also vegetables.

• The Flour Garden: breads, pies, pastries from organic locally milled flours and grains.

• Whetstone Homegrown Farm: specialty plants and trees, vegetables and fruits

• Homestead Farms: fresh cut flowers.

• Greenhill Farm: spring vegetables, baked goods and farm crafts.

• Chef Thom: specialty sauces and The Perfect Butt.

• Flying Pig Farm: fresh cut flowers, several varieties of garlic, garlic butters and spreads.

• Betty’s Bloomers: heirloom vegetables, plants and flowers

• Triple B Farm: pasture-raised pork, beef, poultry and eggs.

• Redman Pottery: beautiful locally made pottery.

• Robin’s Nest: home, garden and lawn sculptures.

• Sleepy Goat Farm, artisan goat cheese (chèvre and hard cheeses).

• Rocky Ridge Farm: vegetables, berries, grapes and more.

• Wild Onion Farm: vegetables, eggs and more

• John Buettner: specialty plants, tropical plants, flowers and vegetables.

• Jeffrey’s Strawberry Patch.

• Local Master Gardeners to answer questions about your gardens and plants.

            Other vendors who will be appearing soon are:

• Blueberry Hill: fresh blueberries and vegetables

• Capritopia Farm: vegetables

• Lovejoy Pottery: beautiful handmade pottery.

• Melvin’s Gardens: herbs and plants

• McCallisters: gourd art, herbs, garden-related gifts and artwork.

• Meadowbright Farm: vegetables, eggs, flowers and more, catnip cat toys

• Powell Roper and Victoria Pender: heirloom tomatoes and many more vegetables.

• William Lord: honey.

            To find out more, go to http://www.wakeforestmarket.org.