Country Farm & Home's story started in the early 1950s when the store opened as a satellite of the Central Carolina Farmers Exchange. Farmers brought their grain to be milled and railroad cars brought fertilizer, lime and coal for the farmers. In 1987 Southern States purchased the Farmers Exchange, and six years later, Dallas Hurley purchased the store, renaming it Country Farm & Home Supply. In 2014, Dallas officially retired to learn the banjo and sold the business to his oldest daughter, Melinda, who has tailored the business to meet the growing needs of our organic and sustainable farming community. Although the hammermill is long gone and the only remaining hint of the railroad is the trestle out back, we’ve worked hard to preserve the bones of this old feed store. Customers walk the original tongue and groove oak floors, smell the grain, and often reminisce about visiting similar stores as children with their parents and grandparents. Many of our long-term customers remember working here as teenagers when the feed bags were 100 pounds! As we grow and change with the needs of our community, we aim to preserve the traditions that continue to keep our store a unique destination: a friendly atmosphere, exceptional customer service, and fostering personal relationships. We’re happy to help you find exactly what you’re looking for, and if we don’t have it, we’ll try to get it for you.
Melinda Fitzgerald - Owner Operator
After thirteen years of teaching middle schoolers how to steward our air, water, and soil, I left the classroom in 2008 to join Country Farm and Home and help my father ease into retirement. My primary goal from the start was to broaden our selection of organic and sustainable farming products. What I didn't know is how enthusiastically our community would embrace my ideas and how far our reach would travel. The Country Farm and Home customer base has grown to encompass much of the Carolinas both through our in-store sales and our expanding farmer delivery routes. I am proud of my team of committed individuals who passionately work to serve our growing community. Thank you for partnering with us so we can continue to serve you for decades to come!
Lucas Howerter – Operations Manager
Luke grew up in Savannah, GA and made his way to the Triangle after living in northern California where he grew his knowledge of Sustainable Agriculture. Initially helping manage the Duke Campus Farm, he dove deep into the local sustainable farming community and through this, Country Farm and Home. Fast forward 8 years and 2 farms later, Luke started working with CF&H in the beginning of 2024 to help manage and grow the direct-to-farm delivery service. Being ever curious about all aspects of how the business runs and all the employees within it, he quickly fell into the role of Operations Manager within the business. Luke is passionate about whole farm systems, cooperative endeavors, seed production, and all things vegetables. While not at work, he enjoys cooking, gardening, hiking, running, meditating, biking, dancing, ceramics, and spending time with friends and family. He is also an avid traveler and loves learning about different people and cultures.
Marissa Fulford - Inside Sales Manager
Like many, Marissa started as a customer of Country Farm and Home. She quickly decided it was someplace she would like to work and started taking care of the plants and working with Hillary on special projects. Eventually, Marissa joined the sales team and is currently the Inside Sales Manager. She loves the community we work for and believes we have the best customers. She especially enjoys learning from her coworkers and all their varied strengths they bring to the team. While not at Country Farm and Home, Marissa can usually be found at home in her garden, tending chickens, playing with her dogs and spending time with Craig and family.
Craig Fulford - Warehouse and Yard Manager
In his prior life, Craig worked for 20 years in the military and then another 13 contracting for the military. Now he owns land in the area and is starting a homestead with his wife Marissa (she works here too!). Craig is the Warehouse and Yard Manager and loves seeing the team work together to take good care of our customers as well as organize and maintain all our products. On the homestead, he works hard to keep things running smoothly, take care of all the animals and hang out with Marissa.
Hillary Heckler - Seasonal Crops Manager and Outside Sales
Hillary was born in Pennsylvania, raised in New Hampshire and found her way home to the soils of the NC piedmont in 2005. Her early life was spent playing in her grandmother’s gardens and working in commercial kitchens. It was here that her interest in food production systems expanded into the questions of, “Where does food come from? How is it grown? How can I participate?” Once in Pittsboro, the Sustainable Agriculture Program at CCCC supported her interests in agriculture through the Associates Degree program in Sustainable Agriculture and managing the student farm for 7 years. In 2014, Hillary joined Country Farm & Home and now purchases all seasonal crop, plant, and poultry orders. Hillary can offer assistance with crop production questions and troubleshooting, irrigation systems and general animal husbandry. In her free time, Hillary tends her home garden, foraging for what’s in season if it’s not in the front yard, cooking, knitting, staying limber with some yoga and spending time with her given and chosen family.
Kyle Sandorse - Purchasing and Receiving Manager
Kyle hails from New Jersey where he spent time working with a local beekeeper that got him interested in agriculture. From there, Kyle found his way to North Carolina and eventually the Sustainable Agriculture program at Central Carolina Community College. After taking classes and working at various local farms that raised livestock, field crops and honeybees, Kyle settled into Country Farm and Home in 2017. Kyle has an affinity for poultry, especially ducks, and honeybees. Here at Country Farm and Home, you’ll likely find Kyle behind the scenes ordering all kinds of products for the store to keep the shelves well stocked and full. He also helps customers get set up with hive equipment, tools and guidance, if needed. If you can’t find Kyle, he is down the shore, fishing the river, noodling around in a pond or crashing a kiddie pool (in a pinch). If he is not in the water somewhere, Kyle enjoys spending time with his family at their home in Liberty.
Erica Womble - Inside Sales Assistant Manager
Erica started her journey with Country Farm and Home as a tutor to Melinda’s son Aidan, and shortly after, began watering the plants in the greenhouse and garden center. Eventually, she began working behind the counter in the showroom. Along with being out where she loves interacting with our customers, vendors and farm community, Erica handles our Instagram account. You can often find her behind her camera capturing our days and events. Away from all the fun of Country Farm and Home, Erica is hanging out with friends and family and exploring all her varied interests including photography.
Victor Arias - Warehouse and Yard Assistant Manager
Victor came to the United States as a young child from Mexico. He attended school in Pittsboro and as a high school student started working at Country Farm and Home part time. After graduation from Northwood High School, Victor became a full-time staff member. By then, Victor knew most of the customers and could start pulling orders from memory when a customer pulled into the parking lot. Victor can help with all types of fencing and has some landscape experience as well. If he is not in the warehouse, he is somewhere listening to music, spending time with family or coaching the Sand Lee Soccer League. He loves spending any other free time visiting the mountains of Western North Carolina.
Evan Slusher - Delivery Driver and Marketing Team
Evan joined the Country Farm and Home team in the late spring of 2024. He spent most of his career as a chef in the restaurant industry, leading teams of culinary and service professionals. His passion lies in bringing people together through food and hospitality, creating experiences that play an active role in a thriving food system and community. Currently Evan supports in writing our weekly newsletter, supports in all of our delivery services, and helps at the counter when needed. During his time off, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife, Sabrina, and dogs, Piper and Finn, hiking, paddle boarding, playing music and gardening.
Hale Henry - Inside Sales Team
Hale came to Country Farm and Home in 2024 with a strong background in livestock management and an interest in learning more about sustainable agriculture and horticulture. They currently work with the inside sales team working at the counter, helping customers, and keeping our showroom fully stocked and showroom ready. Hale enjoys working side jobs on local farms, fishing and reading in their spare time.
Summer Fitzgerald - Inside Sales Team
Summer, along with her brother Aidan, represent the next generation of Country Farm and Home. As part of the inside sales team, she quickly picked up working the register and is very interested in learning the business. She loves meeting all our customers and getting to know them at the counter as well as being a very supportive co-worker to the inside sales team. When she is not working, you can find Summer involved in one of her many activities including hanging out with friends, reading, cooking, creating art, theater camp and of course, school.
Lance Walters - Warehouse Team
After a decade of working on farms in California, Lance moved to the area and was looking to continue his journey in horticulture and found Country Farm and Home. In Lance’s words, “found the only grower supply store with organic products and is community focused”. Lance can be found in the warehouse where he enjoys helping people find organic gardening solutions and assisting customers in home irrigation projects. He really appreciates the opportunity to meet like-minded people and share knowledge of horticulture. Away from work, Lance can be found gardening, doing irrigation side projects and spending time with his dogs and family.
Luke Spiller – Warehouse Team
Before Country Farm and Home, Luke worked at Lowe’s Foods but wanted to try something new. Knowing he liked to work outdoors, he sought out employment that would allow for that, but also get him more involved in the community, too. Luke likes learning new things, meeting new people, and telling jokes and stories. He gets to do all of that while working in the warehouse restocking our inventory and loading bags for our customers. Outside of CFH, Luke has developed an interest in gardening and creating an outdoor living space at his new home. He also plays video games and hangs out with family and friends whenever he can.
Chase Foushee - Warehouse Team
In between his farm chores and working on a hay farm, Chase and his family have been regular long-time customers at Country Farm and Home. Chase began as a part time employee during high school and continues to work part time while attending college at CCCC. You can find him in the warehouse helping customers or pulling products for our delivery orders. Occasionally, you can even find him in the truck helping with our delivery routes. Chase generally always has a smile on his face and kind words for coworkers and customers alike. When he has some free time, Chase likes to play golf and hang out with his friends.
Aidan Fitzgerald – Warehouse Team
Aidan has been a part of Country Farm and Home since he was knee high. He and his sister, Summer, are the next generation of Country Farm and Home. When his schedule permits, Aidan works in the warehouse where he helps load customers and offers product advice. Aidan is currently at Northwood High School where he runs, wrestles, plays baseball. You can frequently find him on stage at Temple Theater in Sanford and at Northwood’s theater productions.
Cole Squires – Warehouse Team
Cole joined us the summer of 2024 and continues to work Saturdays while at Northwood High School. You can find him in the warehouse helping load up customers so they can get their goods home safely. When not at work, Cole likes to watch movies.
Ethan Haggerty - Farm Delivery Route Driver
Like so many of the employees, Ethan found Country Farm and Home as a customer first. He and his dad discovered our non-GMO layer feed for their flock of chickens and became regular visitors to the store. Ethan enjoyed the atmosphere and looked for employment after his 6-month journey on the Appalachian Trail. He is our very dedicated delivery driver having been on many of the routes since the very beginning of our delivery service. Ethan has made many friends along the routes and enjoys the visits with them and their farms. When he is not learning all about sustainable agriculture from the many farms he sees, he loves to rock climb, hike and enjoy the great outdoors.
Chris Squires - Local Deliveries and Equipment Maintenance
Growing up in Pittsboro, Chris, also known as Bubba, found his way to Country Farm and Home two years ago. Chris serves as the company mechanic, servicing and repairing all of the equipment. In addition, Chris often assists in fulfilling the store’s local deliveries and feed runs. When not at the store, Chris serves as lieutenant and mechanic for the Carrboro Fire Department, spends time with his family, and fixes his own equipment.