Written by: Alana Svensson

Just 30 minutes North of Wilmington, you will find Alacrity Farms, a small, sustainable, off-grid farm in Pender County that supplies fresh produce to Frankie’s Outdoor Market. Upon arrival, the large metal gate is opened, taking you to a long, dirt road. A few minutes pass until your eyes brighten to the open land, rows of vegetables, flowers, tree sprouts, hand-crafted fixtures and furnishings. No car to be heard, only the sounds of crickets, birds, and nature’s music. 

This past week, co-op staff joined Helena, Dan, and their dog, Jordie, for a tour of their farm. The local farmers who live in the Northside of Wilmington bought their multi-acre farm around 2018. With lots of patience, labor, and love, the couple has completely renewed and rejuvenated what is geographically known as a wetland. Neither having grown up doing farm work, Helena and Dan both went from corporate to self-taught homesteaders. Helena, from the New York/Long Island area, is a former culinary student who loves sharing a home-cooked meal. Dan is a Marine Corps Veteran and UNCW Environmental Science graduate who broke ground into farming during a college internship. 

During a conversation about their initiation into farming, Helena provided a compelling narrative about being first-time farmers: “A lot of difficulties that came made us be a little more inventive and made us look into things so we don’t have to rely on outside sources. It pushes us more to be homesteaders and to be more natural. It’s made us so much more environmental. It wasn’t as easy, but it pushed us in a better direction.” 

This past summer, the first-time vendors began selling fresh produce at Frankie’s Outdoor Market: peppers of all shapes, sizes, and colors, basil, cherry tomatoes, turmeric, eggplants, and even some baby watermelons. They also recently curated their iconic jalapeño salt, kosher salt mixed with dried and ground hot peppers. While kale and collards season is upon us, they are already looking forward to planting seasonal produce for next year. 

We asked them: “How did you get involved with Frankie’s?”

Dan: “We wandered by the market one day since it’s so close [to their residence]. We thought, okay, this is great for us.” 

Helena: “Yeah, and we want to stand by what we grow. We grew stuff and I’d eat it or can it, but then realized we had enough to start selling. Frankie’s was awesome. If I could ask for something, this is it. It was a perfect fit for us.” 

NFC: “How do you feel your work fits into the mission of the Northside Food Co-op? Or what does it mean to you?”

Dan: “Well, we’ve lived in the Northside for a long time. There are not really any good food options, only a couple of convenience stores. I’ve had to go all the way up to Food Lion to get my food forever. If I have a choice of where to set up and help out a farmer’s market, I’d rather be helping people that need it.”

Helena: “It’s our own community, our neighbors. This is an opportunity to meet our neighbors and have a good conversation with them, while otherwise, we are just passing in cars or walking, and all you say is hello. These are different conversations with people a couple of blocks down and you realize what an awesome community it can be.” 

Dan: “Yeah, food brings people together.”

Helena: “Yeah! Exactly. And knowing that it’s good stuff that we eat ourselves. I love to feed people and I love to share. Farming fits into what we want. We both came from corporate and what was expected of us from other people. But it just felt right. It’s good to be able to have something that you grow and share and it’s healthy.” 

The staff at the Northside Food Co-op thanks Alacrity Farms for their time, labor, and love. 
Check out their social media: Facebook and Instagram