how crazy ladies farm started…

It all begins with me, a forty-something year old single mom who was looking for a direction in my life to support my family. With my two daughters, we moved from South Florida to Central Florida. There was an idea about going to nursing school that turned into an online Associate of Science degree in Health Information Technology. At the same time, life opened up a rare position to work on a seasonal blueberry farm. Taking advantage of the downtime between blueberry seasons, I finished the H.I.T. degree. Just as the world was healing from Covid-19, I decided to forgo a position in the H.I.T. route to pursue farming because I fell in love with the blueberry farming labors. With my hard-work and dedication, I proved to the blueberry farm manager that I was worthy to become a full-time Grower.

During the winter season 2022-2023, I was responsible for a two acre plot to grow various vegetables and strawberries. Planning and implementing a fertilizing, watering, and pesticide schedules were just some of my duties. I also learned how to harvest and sell to the public. Ultimately, I found such joy in these duties that I dreamed of owning my own land to farm.

After an inspiring winter season, I experienced and learned much in the farming world, but was ready to concentrate my efforts and grow one type of plant: blackberries. The farm placed me on a small team to manage the new blackberry field of Prime Ark Freedom. Taking care of the blackberries was much simpler than anything else I had grown. The team proved to be very successful through our extensive research and share of the responsibilities that after two seasons, the blackberry plants were producing enough fruit to open their own seasonal u-pick and have enough leftover to make jelly!

In the beginning of 2024, a death in my family fast-forwarded everything for me – my stepfather passed away from cancer, leaving my mother in SW Virginia with seven acres. I decided to move from Central Florida to southwest Virginia to live with her. What could we do with seven acres? Start a blackberry farm, of course!

After moving in with mom in the summer, all of the locals that I had spoken to about opening a thornless blackberry u-pick were excited! Once everyone learned that the blackberries grew to their colossal size were doubly excited!! In April of 2024, we planted fourty blackberry plants: 10 Navajo, 10 Ponca, and 20 Prime Ark Freedom to figure out which ones grow best in the area. At February 2025, we have decided to continue growing Prime Ark Freedom variety.

What else were we going to do with the rest of the seven acres? After moving up here, I spent the summer helping a friend take care of her farm animals: alpaca, chickens, goats, emu, and guinea hens. I fell in love with the alpacas and goats. Since then, the farm has been blessed with seven lady alpacas, two Pygmy goats, and six Nigergian Dwarf goats. Coming soon will be laying hens and ducks.

(Please visit our Products page to view what we have available now and will have in the future for you!)

What about the reason behind the name, Crazy Ladies Farm? Well, it takes a bit of “crazy” to forego everything else and start a farm. But mostly the name came from Dad lovingly calling my mother, “CL” since they first met. I remember growing up and they would write and stick post-it notes to each other. Dad’s notes to Mom were always written “To CL”. Later, I found out that “CL” meant “Crazy Lady”. Hence, in memory of Dad and the love he had for mom and everyone else, we welcome you to Crazy Ladies Farm.

-Farmer Kelley