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 About Us The Farmers' Daughter is based on the knowledge that people love to eat the freshest fruits and vegetables. Owners Amy Icenhour Douglas and Jason Douglas have a family history and hard work ethic required to grow the best tasting vegetables around. Amy is the daughter of Vinson and Mary Ann Icenhour, vegetable farmers from Taylorsville, NC. Her family has farmed the same land for at least 7 generations. "It's what we know how to do," Amy said. "You can't get it any fresher than right out of our garden or fresh off the trees or bushes of our local growers!" After pursuing her Master's Degree in Civil/Environmental Engineering and the birth of their daughter, Lily, Amy went back to her roots. She wanted to raise her daughter the way that she was raised; right beside her mom and dad. She is now 3 years old and has been joined by baby brother, Max (1 year old). Jason compliments Amy's farming background, with his own talents that make the operation run as smoothly as possible. He is the son Steve and Cecilia Douglas. Steve is a lifetime mason and Jason works with his father in the family business (Douglas Masonry), in addition to his "part-time" efforts at the farm.  Papaw Icenhour (1970)  Great-Grandma Davis, with her blue ribbon apples at the NC State Fair (1935).
 Vinson & Mary Ann Icenhour (Dad & Mom, 2004)
Ray, Ben, & Amy Icenhour (1983)
Seasonal Information:
Pumpkin Rides
At The Farmers’ Daughter we carry our love for growing our very own fresh vegetables over into our pumpkin season, by growing our Jack-O-Lanterns and orange miniature pie pumpkins. Our pumpkin rides to the “pumpkin patch” are on tractor-pulled trailers. The pumpkin rides wind their way through our 85-acre family farm, on which we are raising our family’s 8th generation. Riders will enjoy seeing our beef cattle herd and the beautiful fall scenery of colorful trees and beautiful mountains in the background. Each ride lasts approximately 45-minutes. Cost of our pumpkin ride is $5.00 per person for everyone ages 1 year and older. Each rider gets their choice of pre-picked, orange miniature pie pumpkin (1-3 pounds). Lap babies, younger than 1 year, are free. However, they do not get a pumpkin (They can pick out Mommy & Daddy’s).
Days and times for pumpkin rides: Saturday, September 24th: 11:00 AM to 4:00PM Saturdays in October: 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Saturday hayrides depart approximately every hour and last 45 minutes. Our farm market is open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM every Saturday during the month of October. Relax as you wait your turn and enjoy shopping for our very own: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, fresh greens (turnip, mustard, collard, kale),leaf lettuce, and other seasonal vegetables. We also have our very own fruit preserves and fruit butters,orange miniature pie pumpkins, and Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins (ranging in size from 2-20 pounds +/-),corn stalks, and straw bales. You can also find locally grown (Alexander County): fresh apples, molasses, mums, and honey.
School Field Trips: Throughout the week, Monday through Friday, teachers can bring their classes to The Farmers’ Daughterfor field trips to the “pumpkin patch”. We schedule one field trip per day, to ensure that each class gets to enjoy their time on the farm. Each ride is tailored to the age group and includes educational lessons on photosynthesis and pollination. Prices are listed above. One teacher and a bus driver are free perclass. An outdoor picnic area is available for group lunches, bring blankets. Drinks are sold at our farm market and restrooms are available.
Night Hay Rides
At The Farmers’ Daughter we realize that not everybody is at the pumpkin ride stage intheir life. So, we would like to add a new branch to our agritourism. This year, we will be having night tractor-pulled hay rides on Friday and Saturday, October 7th and 8th, from 7:00-9:00pm. The rides will depart on the hour or as needed,depending upon demand. Riders will enjoy a nearly full moon to light up the night. We will wind our way through our 85-acre family farm, on which we are raising ourfamily’s 8th generation. We’ll follow our traditional pumpkin ride trail, approximately a 30 minute ride, and end the night with a bonfire and smores! This will be a great trip for all ages! We want to cater to families and teens or young adults looking for healthy entertainment. So, bring a blanket and a hoodie and join us on the farm for some fun! The cost of our night hay ride is $5.00 per person for everyone ages 1 year and older. Each rider gets supplies for roasting marshmallows and making smores. Lap babies, younger than 1 year, are FREE.
Our farm market will be open from 7:00 – 10:00PM Friday and Saturday, October 7th and 8th. Relax as you wait your turn and enjoy shopping for our very own: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, fresh greens (turnip, mustard, collard, kale), leaf lettuce, and other seasonal vegetables. We also have our very own fruit preserves and fruit butters, orange miniature pie pumpkins and Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins (ranging in size from 2-20 pounds +/-), corn stalks, and straw bales. You can also find locallygrown (Alexander County): fresh apples, molasses, mums, and honey.
Christmas Trees
The hunt for the perfect Christmas tree has always been exciting to me! We enjoy providing our customers with the best #1 NC Fraizer Fir Christmas trees available. It helps them save on gas and they get more bang for their buck! Our stand Christmas hours begin the day after Thanksgiving. Not only do we have Christmas trees, but we also carry 12" wreaths and pine roping for all of your decorating needs. We have our very own preserves (apple, blackberry, fig, peach, pear, strawberry, and toe jam). We also make gift baskets and treat bags for your church or civic group. Please call or e-mail Amy for more information.
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Location: Just past 2122 Friendship Ch. Rd. Taylorsville, NC 28681 Hours (Call for Hours!): Mon - Fri: 2PM - 6PM (May-mid June, July-October, & December)
Sat: 9AM - 2PM (May through October) Closed: Wednesdays for our CSA and Sundays for church and family.
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Amy & Lily after pulling rows (2008) |
We have been blessed beyond our expectations with this business. It is a great way to reach out into the community and get to know people again. Our society has gotten away from the front porch mentality of the 20th Century. We enjoy stepping back in time. When you come in, sit down and stay a while, watch the cars go by.
GIVING BACK, as HE HAS GIVEN TO US!
God is our provider. He has blessed our business tremendously! We started this business to share Christ with others. Whether it is through giving each customer the best we have to offer, our open door policy, our warm e-mails, or our "First Fruits Ministry".
In the summer of 2009, we began "First Fruits Ministry". We take 10% of our produce, sometimes more, and donate it to local food banks each week during the summer & fall growing season. We partner with Morning Dew Farms, Deal Orchards, Inc. , and Raymond Harrington's Orchard to provide the top quality produce that everyone deserves, but only an handful can afford! We also partner with East Taylorsville Baptist Church, to help divide donations into grocery bags, which are distributed to local food banks in our county.
The closing of our 2009 growing season brought us joy to find that we had reached 590 families in our county! Last year, we were able to reach over 1000 families in our county! God is so good! Call Amy for more information on how to donate your time, your talents ($, all monetary donations go toward purchasing produce to extend the First Fruits Ministry Season. All excess is distributed among the food banks at the end of the season.), or your possessions (fresh picked #1 quality produce) to this wonderful cause.
Food for thought:
- “Remember
this: whoever sows sparingly will also
reap sparingly and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” 2 Corinthians
9:6 (NIV)
- “Do everything in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14 (NIV)
- “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:17-18 (NIV)
- “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least among you, you did not do for me.’” Matthew 25:41-45 (NIV)
Contact Information:
Amy Douglas Phone: (828) 312-8137 |
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