The Farm

Green Acres Farm of Orange County is located at 7030 Woodcrest Farm Lane, 3/4 mile east of the intersection of Dairyland and Orange Grove Roads in Orange County, NC. The farm is a recent creation of Christine and Allan Green, former owners of Woodcrest Farm, now owned by their son Daniel and his wife Liza. Having retired somewhat, Chris and Allan built a small Chalet on the property they had always called "Woodcrest East", moved to it in April, 2020, and began the Green Acres adventure.

 

Farming for the Greens has always been “family farming” - which means that, in today’s agricultural market, it is too small to be profitable in the usual agri-business model. Our strategy has been to develop niche markets: organically-grown produce, a small dairy, grass-fed Dexter beef, farm-raised pork, dairy goats, and free-range poultry.

 

All of these activities can coexist, use the land gently, and be economically practical for a family farm.

 

We have found a useful model in the farms of the early 1900’s: small, multi-use, and relatively self-sufficient; this dovetails nicely with our interest in historic farming methods, skills, and rural life. Over the years we have accumulated an extensive collection of antique farm machinery and household items, and use these tools in teaching and sharing about the cultural heritage of the farm.

 

We find great joy in sharing the heritage of the land, breeds and skills unique to the Orange Grove area, where there is a sense of community and a welcoming open door.

 

 

 

 

History

Chris and Allan Green moved their large family to North Carolina from rural NYS in 1992, and a year later were privileged to purchase the Manley Snipes house and farm, an Orange Grove landmark, from the Snipes family hiers. They named the farm Woodcrest Farm after their home in NY. During the next 10 years or so, Chris ressurrected her rabbit and goat business awhile Allan owned and managed QualiNet Company, a software development consulting business.

  In 2005, Allan retired from the IT world and joined Chris as a full-time farmer. In the next few years they completely rennovated and expanded their barns and pastures, adding a blacksmith forge, a hog-house, and chicken coops. In 2008 they began raising and organically grown produce, and in 2011 they opened a small dairy.

  Chris has always been a skilled homemaker. Her knowledge extends to weaving, chair-caning, and other forgotten skills. Allan is a jack-of-all-trades and a blacksmith. Over the years, they began offering classes in heritage skills, with the blacksmithing classes being the most in-demand.

In 2012, Chris and Allan more than doubled their acreage by purchasing "Woodcrest East", 24 wooded acres 3/4 miles from the main farm. 5 acres was parceled off for building lots, one of which is owned by their son David. After clearing and fencing pastures, the remaining acreage was devoted to raising grass-fed beef.

  In 2015, Chris and Allan began building their "retirement" home at East. About the same time, their son Daniel and his wife Liza relocated to NC with a vision for one day assuming the ownership and operation of the farm. That became a reality in the summer of 2020 when Woodcrest Farm became Woodcrest Farm and Forge, owned by Dan and Liza, and Woodcrest East became Green Acres Farm.