West Virginia Homegrown Farms in Hico now under new ownership

HICO, WV (WOAY) – West Virginia Homegrown Farms in Hico has been around for the past 9 years. Now the farm is under new ownership with Oak Hill native T.J. Franklin at the helm, growing fresh foods and bringing in fresh ideas. 

“I always say if you’re a farmer and you’re caught up, you forgot to do something,” Franklin said. “It’s something that you can do on your own and you feel rewarded from the work that you put into it because nature kind of does the work for you. But you’ve gotta get everything ready.” 

And that’s exactly what Franklin is doing. A raft guide turned farmer, he took over the farm back in December and is getting ready for Spring.

Homegrown Farms has always been a community-supported agriculture system, or a CSA, and it will continue to be just that.

This means you can purchase a membership for the year and be able to come buy farm fresh produce and goods from the farm throughout the year. 

“And with your $200 membership, you get $200 credit in the store, a 10% discount that will be listed when it is available and you can use your credit on firewood, cut flower arrangements, eggs, honey, whatever we have available you can use the credit on,” Franklin said.

If you purchase a membership and spend the $200 before the year is over, you can continue putting $100 increments on the account and you can shop as little or as much as you want at the farm. 

However, it is not just about what Franklin farms. He has other local farmers who will be providing meats for the shop as well as other goods.

When he took over the farm the idea was to continue to provide a place for people to not only gather fresh food but also gather together, as he hopes to host farm-to-table dinners. 

“This is my home, and so I want to stay here. People buy or you give them produce, it makes them smile, and that’s a good thing,” he said.  

Saturday was the first day to start purchasing memberships for the Spring. If you are interested, you can check out their Facebook page or you can email Franklin:  silentroostercsa@gmail.com

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Anna Saunders
Anna Saunders is a weekend reporter for WOAY. With a diploma from Princeton Senior High School and a mother from Fayette County, she is no stranger to the area. She received a degree in Media Arts and Design from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia and wanted to return home to start her career as a reporter.