Tape Index. 002 Jones's move to Chatham in She was originally from New York City, raised in Connecticut. Her father was from North Carolina.

Transcription

1 Tape Index Interviewee: Cathy Jones Interviewer: Rebecca Warfle Interview date: Thursday, December 2, 1999 Location: 1601 White Cross Road, at the interviewee's house in Chapel Hill, NC Counter Index Topic (side 1 of cassette 1) 001 Opening announcement 002 Jones's move to Chatham in She was originally from New York City, raised in Connecticut. Her father was from North Carolina. 010 Moved to Orange county in Jones moved to Chatham county because she was offered the job of being caretaker of a house that a dairy farmer in the county owned. 017 Jones's house has been abandoned since the Depression. Land was used to grow corn to feed livestock. Early 1970s saw a wave of young hippies from the university and surrounding areas come into Chatham. Farmer who owned the land and house asked Jones to move into house. She loved the land and

2 pond and decided to move in. 058 Jones raises organic crops peppers, seasonal vegetables, cut flowers and herbs. Originally wanted to grow herbs but there was no market. She began selling products in Sold at farmer markets. Jones tried to figure out what people wanted. Discussion of learning to grow arugula. Jones has gotten better at farming over time. 090 Jones sells at Carrboro and Fearrington Farmer's Markets. Carrboro market as the big show. Had to figure out what she was doing before started selling there. Jones got married and raised stepchild between the time she bought the farm in 1983 and the time she started selling at markets in Chatham county is so popular because it is not Orange county, but it is next door to Orange County. Chatham as a "Left Bank" county. The new people coming to live in Chatham like Carrboro and Chapel Hill but do not want to live there. Price of land was cheaper than in Chapel Hill ten or fifteen years ago. 121 Jones was not going to stay in area permanently.

3 Planned to move to mountains, but she thought Chatham was so nice that she could not leave. 134 Jones decided to buy part of the farm where she was living. Realized she liked it too much to sell it. Believes that other people who moved to the area went through similar experiences. 171 Believes that traditional farmers thought it remarkable when people started moving into the county. Some farmers did not understand why these people were moving in. New organic farmers as becoming more successful and making more money. Jones experienced good relations with her neighbors. Moved into a racially integrated area: surrounded by two white farmers and a black farmer. Because of the tolerance of the community, it was easier for a third type of person to move into the community. Believes that traditional farmers are impressed by new organic farmers. Sees herself as unusual she was not only an outsider but an unmarried woman making a go at farming. 232 Jones had little farming experience before moving to Chatham. Had a garden while in graduate school. Researched and read about farming. Experimented and made mistakes, learned from her mistakes. Found it

4 to be a cheap way to get food. Farming as a way to make new friends. 278 Jones is a full-time farmer. Had previously been a carpenter and stonemason. Was able to become a full-time farmer by selling at farmer's market. Husband was supportive of her decision. She had previously officiated collegiate softball and volleyball, but quit to farm full-time. 350 Discussion of changes in the county. Price of land has skyrocketed and there is much growth. Organic farming is no longer seen as strange in the county. Programs on sustainable agriculture have been implemented at the local community college. Extension office has an organic agent. Northern part of the county has become more suburban; closeness to Chapel Hill has resulted in change that differs from the southern part of the county. 390 Believes that growth provides a good alternative to retiring farmers who make money off their land. Does not think agriculture is threatened because most farming is done in the southern part of the county. Sees farming in Orange county as more threatened. Woodlands are being developed in Chatham.

5 419 Believes there are excellent people on the county commission. Feels protected. Enough of an old time resident base to keep county protected. Orange county does not have that kind of anchoring. Developers are trying to make money off others. Jones is optimistic about the future. She plans to spend the rest of her life here. Considers Chatham her home. 456 Jones love farming. No rush hour traffic. Can see the results of her labor everyday, visual payoff. Loves the outdoors. Loves being her own boss. Enjoys the people and other farmers. She feels in synch with the seasons; works according to the climate and conditions. Feels farming to be validated. Likes organic farming because she is creating a cleaner, better product, making soil better. Farming fits well with who she is.