The Hendersons

Written by Emily Henderson, guest writer and farmer in Cumberland County, NJ

Hi, we are your farmers, Emily and Jake Henderson.

Emily and Jake Henderson along with their two young children (third, and youngest, is not pictured here)

We are both South Jersey born and raised. We spent the first 6 years of our marriage living in Charlotte, North Carolina. We moved back to South Jersey 3 years ago out of the desire to be closer to family and to pursue our homesteading dream. We purchased 14 acres of farmland that has been in my family for over 100 years.

Technically, we are first-generation farmers. I come from multi-generation farming families on both sides, while my husband Jake has no farming experience. Even with no family history of farming, Jake is the most passionate about it.

My mother’s family farm has been in the family since 1761 (yes, before the Declaration of Independence was signed!). The Garrisons of Pittsgrove were known for their potatoes, but farmed many other things as well. It is still being farmed today by my grandfather’s brother, Doug.

Same family, under the same tree - just generations apart.

My father’s family farm has been in the family for about 100 years. The Simione farm in Forest Grove was known for its early sweet potatoes and pork. They grew other crops and livestock as well. It was being farmed by my grandfather’s brother, Frank, until a local farmer leased the land, and we bought it.

Being a young first-generation farmer in South Jersey is hard because we are getting into a field that, unfortunately, is dwindling away with the older generation. The land is being sold off to the highest bidder, property taxes here are some of the highest in the country, and regulations make it nearly impossible to sell the food you grow.

It’s no surprise that family farms across America are disappearing at an alarming rate.

So why are we choosing to step into a declining profession, especially in one of the hardest states to farm?

There is a growing movement of people returning to their roots and seeking out better-quality food.

Maybe getting a 9-5 job in the office isn’t as great as it was advertised. Maybe the food on the grocery store shelf is actually causing your autoimmune disease. Suddenly, the age of convenience isn’t all that attractive and comes with a cost you don’t want to pay anymore.

We want to spend more time together as a family and eat food without the extra chemicals. Farming was the answer for us. We know where our food comes from and get to do it alongside our kids. We are growing our produce without pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Our livestock is raised on rotational pasture. Regenerative agriculture not only produces more nutrient-dense food but also helps restore soil health and ecosystem - the ultimate farmland preservation.

Affordable access to land in South Jersey doesn’t exist anymore. We are grateful that we were able to purchase my family land to keep it in the family. With this blessing, we want to provide affordable access to nutrient-dense food. There are food deserts across South Jersey, but we are in the heart of the Garden State. It shouldn’t be that way. We want our customers to know how their food was grown and who grew it.”

Emily highlights her farm and homestead activities on her website, Facebook (The Henderson's Homestead) and instagram (@the.hendersons.homestead.nj). She will be at many of SJPs Farmers Markets this season, so be sure to look for her!

To support Emily, be sure to follow her story and watch her farm and family grow!

https://thehendersonshomestead.com/