There’s something special about driving through Columbus County and seeing fields stretching toward the horizon, tractors working the land, and roadside stands offering fresh produce. These familiar sights tell a story that has been unfolding for generations.
Agriculture has long been part of Columbus County’s identity. From tobacco fields and livestock operations to strawberry patches and vegetable farms, local families have built their livelihoods around the land.
And while farming has changed dramatically over the decades, one thing hasn’t: the dedication of the families who continue to grow, raise, and produce the food that helps sustain our communities.
According to the USDA’s 2022 Census of Agriculture, Columbus County had 447 farms covering more than 125,000 acres, with agricultural products generating approximately $221.8 million in sales.
Behind those numbers are real families, some with agricultural roots stretching back more than two centuries.
Galloway Farm: Generations of Farming in Hallsboro
In Hallsboro, Galloway Farm is an example of how a traditional family farm can adapt while remaining connected to its roots.
The family’s agricultural story began in 1944, when the first tract of farmland was purchased. Originally centered on tobacco, the operation evolved over the years to include livestock and grain production.
Today, Jason and Alma Galloway, along with their son Walker, continue the family tradition. The farm raises beef cattle and grows crops including corn, soybeans, wheat, and hay.
But Galloway Farm has also become known for something beyond its agricultural production: giving the public an opportunity to experience farm life firsthand.
In 2011, the family introduced Maze Craze, an agritourism attraction featuring a corn maze, hayrides, farm activities, and educational opportunities. What began as a small venture has grown into a popular seasonal destination, introducing visitors and schoolchildren to the importance of agriculture.
For Alma Galloway, affectionately known as Farmer Alma, helping children understand where their food comes from has become an important part of the family’s mission.
The farm’s resilience was tested again in 2026, when drought and severe storms damaged crops and farm structures. Despite those challenges, the family continued its work and preparations for the fall season.
Galloway Farm demonstrates that preserving a farming legacy sometimes means finding new ways to share it with the next generation.
Chandler Worley Family Farms: More Than 230 Years of Agricultural Heritage
Along Highway 904, between Fair Bluff and Tabor City, Chandler Worley Family Farms carries one of the county’s remarkable agricultural histories.
The family’s roots on the land date to July 27, 1791, when Nicholas Worley acquired property that would remain connected to succeeding generations of the family.
More than 230 years later, the farm continues to produce seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelons, cantaloupes, squash, zucchini, and other seasonal produce are among the offerings associated with the operation.
Unlike farms that primarily sell through large commercial distribution channels, Chandler Worley Family Farms emphasizes selling produce directly to customers at the farm.
That connection between farmer and customer preserves a tradition that has been part of rural Columbus County life for generations.
The farm represents something increasingly uncommon: agricultural land remaining in the hands of one family across centuries of changing technology, markets, and communities.
Its continued operation is a living link between the county’s earliest agricultural history and the farmers of today.
Robinson Produce Farms: Five Generations Growing in Whiteville
For many Columbus County residents, a trip to Robinson Produce Farms means more than picking up fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s a connection to a farming tradition that has been passed down through five generations.
The family’s agricultural history traces back to John Robinson, whose love of farming began a legacy that eventually passed to his grandson, Jerry Robinson.
Today, Jerry and his wife Patricia operate the Whiteville business with their daughters Lauren and Megan and their five grandchildren.
The family grows seasonal crops and flowers on approximately 150 acres, while its market on J.K. Powell Boulevard offers produce and locally inspired foods throughout the year.
Robinson Produce Farms has also expanded beyond traditional produce sales. Its community-supported agriculture program provides customers with boxes of fresh produce, while seasonal festivals, flower fields, and family activities bring visitors closer to the farm.
The 2026 growing season has not been without challenges. A prolonged drought and harsh winter placed pressure on the family’s strawberry operation, illustrating the uncertainty farmers face even after decades of experience.
Still, the Robinson family’s commitment to agriculture continues, helping preserve a direct connection between Columbus County’s fields and the families who enjoy their harvests.
Foley Farms: Keeping Strawberry Farming Alive in Fair Bluff
Strawberries have become an important part of southeastern North Carolina’s agricultural identity, and Foley Farms is among the Columbus County operations connected to that tradition.
Located along Small Road in the Fair Bluff area, Foley Farms is listed as a member of the North Carolina Strawberry Association, with Kenneth Foley identified as its contact.
The operation represents another important side of local farming: growers whose products may reach consumers through farm markets, produce stands, and other agricultural distribution channels rather than through large public attractions.
Strawberry farming requires careful attention to weather, growing conditions, harvesting, and the relatively short window when berries are ready for market.
For growers across Columbus County, those seasonal demands are part of the work involved in delivering locally grown produce to customers each spring.
Foley Farms is a reminder that some of the county’s agricultural businesses may not be widely recognized outside the farming community, but they remain part of the region’s agricultural economy.
Columbus County Community Farmers Market: Bringing the Farm to the Community
Not every Columbus County resident has the opportunity to visit a working farm, but in Whiteville, there’s a place where the county’s agricultural traditions come together under one roof.
The Columbus County Community Farmers Market serves as a gathering place for local farmers, growers, artisans, and small business owners, offering residents an opportunity to shop locally while supporting the people who help sustain the county’s agricultural economy.
Located at 132 Government Complex Road in Whiteville, the market offers a variety of locally grown and produced goods, including seasonal fruits and vegetables, farm-fresh eggs, honey, homemade breads, jams, jellies, and other specialty foods.
But the market has become more than a destination for fresh produce. Handmade crafts, jewelry, specialty products, and community activities have helped transform it into a place where neighbors can gather, discover local businesses, and celebrate the creativity and agricultural heritage of Columbus County.
Throughout the year, the market also hosts special events, including plant swaps and family-friendly activities, creating opportunities for residents of all ages to connect with the community.
For local farmers and small producers, the market provides something especially valuable: a direct connection to customers. Rather than relying entirely on traditional retail channels, growers can share their products, build relationships, and introduce shoppers to the people behind the food they purchase.
That connection is especially meaningful in a county where agriculture has supported families for generations.
Whether someone is shopping for fresh vegetables, picking up a jar of locally produced honey, or simply spending a Saturday morning exploring the vendors, the market offers a reminder that supporting local agriculture can begin with something as simple as choosing to shop close to home.
In many ways, the Columbus County Community Farmers Market represents the future of the county’s agricultural heritage: preserving the connection between farmers and their neighbors while creating new opportunities for local producers to thrive.
A Heritage Worth Preserving
Farming in Columbus County is more than an occupation. It’s a connection between generations, a source of local pride, and an important part of the county’s economic future.
The families featured here represent different chapters of that story.
At Chandler Worley Family Farms, the land has remained connected to the same family since the eighteenth century. At Galloway Farm, traditional agriculture has found new opportunities through education and agritourism. At Robinson Produce Farms, generations of experience continue to bring fresh products directly to local customers. And at farms like Foley Farms, agricultural production carries on through the demanding work of each growing season.
At the Columbus County Community Farmers Market, those traditions find a gathering place where growers and neighbors come together, strengthening the connection between the people who produce our food and the communities they serve.
Their stories also remind us that farming is not without difficulty. Unpredictable weather, rising expenses, changing markets, and the physical demands of agricultural work present challenges that don’t disappear when the harvest is complete.
Yet across Columbus County, families continue to plant, raise livestock, harvest crops, and carry forward traditions that helped build the region.
The next time you pass a field being prepared for planting, stop at a roadside produce stand, or purchase something grown close to home, remember the people behind it.
Columbus County’s agricultural history isn’t just something preserved in old photographs or family records. It’s still growing in the fields around us, one harvest, one family, and one generation at a time.
