The Chatham Food Hub project emerged at a time when it was most needed. Led by Eleanor Wertman, MPH (Program Manager, Community Health at UNC Health Alliance | Population Health Services), it is a significant and innovative project melding food, drink, chefs, and community. Our hospitality businesses (caterers, restaurateurs, chefs, farmers) will serve guests Wednesdays in Siler City at Bray Park this summer.
Our Chatham Food Hub series profiles all the charter members of this drive-through food court, with pre-orders taken online.
Earth & Dirt Family Farm LLC joins the Hub and the farm, which just started this year, is owned by Barbara Vespa. She’s very excited to live in Chatham County and now considers it home. Her time dedicated as a military family spans more than a decade and she is originally from Pennsylvania.
Earth & Dirt Family Farm LLC springs from years of nationwide experience, which is considerable and diverse: organic/biodynamic farming, viticulture, orchards, organic nursery work, native plants and organic garden design and installation (edible landscaping). Several years ago, Barbara’s passion guided her to create the New Life Garden/Revival Garden Service LLC outside Savannah, GA, and expanded that to consultative services across the Southeast.
Revival Garden Service LLC installs, designs and advises on organic gardens/edible landscapes for homeowners, churches, schools and businesses. Barbara shares, “The time spent for military travels brought a wealth of unique agriculture experiences into the mix, and opened me up to the diversity of produce this world has to offer, but is rarely experienced by many people. I’ve also grown customized produce for executive chefs across the country to craft powerful, memorable and unique dishes.”
Barbara’s family often vacationed in North Carolina while they were a military family and that time deepened their memories. Now, they find the area gives them a feeling of being on vacation everyday. Barbara knows that food brings people together and whether it is an NC Piedmont heirloom passed down from generations or a chili pepper unique to one tiny region of a country, the flavor cannot be duplicated or substituted. She shares her delight for food and farms, “Specialty produce makes a dish complete. I love showcasing local heirlooms, and I also expand a global reach to rarely-seen (but incredibly flavorful!) produce that gives everyone a taste of home.”
Find a variety of grocery items from Earth & Dirt Family Farm at an upcoming Chatham Food Hub, including oregano, potatoes, wild arugula, heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, sweet peppers, and Thai basil. The farm is a wonderful addition to the Hub, and the groceries will add to the meals guests can make on their own in addition to the ones they can pick up, heat, and eat at home.
About the Hub
Contact us for details about contributing to the Chatham Food Hub. Special thanks to Eleanor Wertman, Program Manager, Community Health, UNC Health Alliance | Population Health Services and The Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. All vendors are encouraged to join the Count On Me NC initiative, a joint effort created by government and health officials in partnership with industry leaders from across the state.
