THE LITTLE Farm, located at 228 McDougal Rd. in Fayetteville, runs on family. Tom and Lindsay Monks have cultivated a beautiful space for farming and family connection on the land that Tom’s father, Tommy Monks, farmed before him. His father still helps out running the tractor and whatever is needed. Tom Monks has farmed the land since 1995 and is the primary farmer today. His wife, Lindsay, keeps their growing community connected online. But the adults in the family are not the only farmers — the children, Khi, 22; Ava, 15; and Cohen, 12, all play a part in managing the family business. Together, they nurture and grow fresh produce and breathtaking flowers to sell to residents of Fayetteville and the surrounding areas.
“Ava leads our mason jar floral production, while she and Cohen assist with picking, driving the tractor, and handling various tasks around the farm,” Tom said. “Sometimes you may even see their smiling faces down at the stand helping customers on a summer Saturday. The oldest of the kids, Khi, works full time elsewhere but still lends a hand on his days off, sticking tomatoes or helping harvest sweet potatoes.”
The Little Farm began as a self-serve flower stand created to teach their kids the value of hard work and entrepreneurship. The flowers were sold from a pop-up camper that had been converted into the original stand. The name came from the fact that their children were their “little farmers,” and the original logo depicts two children in a field with a flower.
“Customers operated on the honor system — leaving a payment, taking a jar, and returning the jar when they came back for more. While we’ve grown a bit since then, we’ve held on to that same self-serve approach,” Tom said.
The Little Farm expanded over the years to include growing and selling a wide variety of produce, in addition to their lovely flower arrangements. Now, the farm offers fresh strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, vegetables, watermelon, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, cabbage, pumpkins, and gourds.
“Tomatoes are a huge hit in the summer; everybody loves a good homegrown tomato, and a true local homegrown tomato is hard to find,” Tom said.
They have recently decided to add a “you-pick” flower event on designated summer nights, where customers can choose and cut their own wildflower bunches, and the kids split the earnings. Ava and Cohen love being such an active part of the process.
“I like coming up with the flower designs on my own and having the freedom to be creative,” Ava said.
Her brother, Cohen, said his favorite thing about working at the Little Farm is the time he gets to spend with his family.
“It’s more fun working with my family than with someone I don’t know,” he said.
The Little Farm family is a member of Fayetteville Main Street, a nonprofit organization dedicated to revitalizing the historic downtown district. The Little Farm also makes it a priority to donate to children in the Lincoln County school system when they are able. This past February, these community efforts were recognized in a meaningful way when Tom and the kids earned the Lincoln County FFA Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year award.
These achievements have caught the community’s attention, and in a town like Fayetteville, word-of-mouth support is everything.
“People not only come out to see us, but they share about us with others, and that means everything,” Lindsay said.
The Little Farm grows everything it offers on its farmland in Lincoln County, which sometimes leads to shortages of certain foods if it has a bad crop or is rotating planting grounds, but it is a strongly held value for the family. They said Fayetteville is home, and they would not want to be anywhere else.
“Staying true to local matters to us because it keeps things honest, fresh, and rooted in our community,” Tom said.
Lindsay said her husband carries on the farming tradition and community loyalty that his father has always held.
“Tom gives everything he has to this farm, and that shows up in every flower and every piece of produce that we grow,” Lindsay said.
Tom’s dedication to his work stems from his love for his craft and his desire to raise his children to understand its value. He said farming is more than just a job.
“I love watching things grow from the first day planted in the ground to something people can take home and enjoy. It’s a simple thing, but it means a lot,” Tom said. GN
