Putting the “Family” in Family Farm: Crooked Porch Farm

Rolling down the gravel road into Crooked Porch Farm, you can feel the energy. Standing proud at the head of the valley, you’ll find their farmstand, complete with a vegetable mural and beautiful colors. The whole place just feels alive.

Once you arrive, an army of hoop houses shows you: these folks are serious.

Hailey, Mike, Frankie, and Suzie Sowden are, to put it simply: the perfect farming family. Complete with a love story that started at the NoDa Farmers Market, these four work alongside a small staff in their fields, daily.

Hailey and Mike weren’t Hillsville natives when they found their farm—far from it! They were looking for land of their own and happened upon this flower farm that was only sort-of for sale from its previous owner. After leasing then purchasing the farm and working off-the-farm jobs for a while, they went full time in 2021 when their daughter, Frankie, was born.

“We were scared at first but we knew we could do it," Mike said about going full-time. A momentous but familiar leap for many farmers, it allowed them to stay on their land, farm, and grow the business each season.

Hailey has worked on farms since 2010 and brought Mike into the lifestyle. He worked construction before farming, which obviously proves handy at Crooked Porch.

The Sowdens love farming together, days spent in the fields with their daughters, employees, and farm dogs. It’s an ethical, fulfilling profession that never manages to get boring.

And this isn’t just some hobby farm or big operation. Everyone involved is all-in, even the kids. Raising farm kids is different than in a suburb and sometimes, you just make it work!

They sure love the Blacksburg Farmers Market

On Saturdays, you’ll find Mike here at the Blacksburg Farmers Market with tons of beautiful veggies. He and Hailey divide-and-conquer: she heads to the Cobblestone Farmers Market in Winston-Salem on Saturdays.

What advice do the Sowdens have, for farmers or for patrons of the market?

“Build a relationship with your farmer. Know where your food is grown.” That’s a common sentiment with all our farmers here at the market.

“People who live in cities don’t know what we do. How it looks. What goes on.” As farmers, you can be a great steward and educator to help people understand why locally grown food is vital.

And most of all? Take the leap if you’re ready to farm! Hailey and Mike both worked jobs off the farm, leased land, and waited until it was time. Now, they work alongside their daughters and know that they get to grow up in a way that most people will never see.

Want to learn more about Crooked Porch?

Head over to their website, Crooked Porch Farm to meet the Sowdens and get to know this awesome family.

In addition to the market, they have a farm pick-up program, online store, and more! The farm stand is open seasonally too.

And yes: the porch is crooked!