Recently, I took my garden interns, Sophia and Miles, out to visit Firelight Farm and spend some time with Cory Babb. Walking onto the farm, it was immediately clear that this is a place deliberate in every detail, yet natural and unforced.

Cory didn’t come to farming the usual way. He studied Sustainable Food and Bioenergy Systems, along with business and entrepreneurship, and spent years working as a chef in Portland before managing a high-volume restaurant on California’s Central Coast. That life was intense, and over time, he and his wife Lee began looking for something quieter, more connected to the natural world. With family ties in Arkansas, they made the move and began building Firelight Farm.

The gardens themselves are concentrated, highly managed spaces protected by fencing to keep deer out. Walking through the rows, we saw carrots, turnips, lettuce, garlic, potatoes, and more, all thriving under Cory’s care. Summer crops like tomatoes and peppers were already getting their start in climate-controlled rooms, preparing for their moment in the greenhouse tunnels. There are six of those tunnels, each about 50 feet long, with multiple rows per block, creating a rhythm across the farm that feels consistent and well-managed.

Cory approaches the farm as both a craft and a system. He uses a 50x50 growing block method, where each section is standardized so irrigation, fabric, and layout can shift and adapt as needed. It’s efficient, but it also reflects the way he thinks—structured without being rigid. His commitment to soil health is evident everywhere: crop rotation, composting, and building organic matter keep the soil dark, rich, and alive. He uses white and black ground covers and shade cloth to manage temperature, protect young plants, and suppress weeds, and this year he’s experimenting with repurposed burlap coffee sacks as an additional barrier.

And then there’s the food. Cory’s chef background shines through in his line of preserved and pickled products. The harissa carrots and pickled turnips are unforgettable—I was eating turnips straight from the jar on the drive home, just as he had warned me I might. He also produces seasonal items like tomato jam and other small-batch preserves, all crafted directly from what the farm is growing at the moment.

Firelight Farm is deeply connected to the local community. Cory collaborates with other small businesses and restaurants, including The Root Cafe and Loblolly Creamery. There’s a sense that the farm is part of something larger, contributing to a delicious and thoughtful local food system.

Spending the day there, tasting vegetables straight from the soil, asking questions, and seeing Cory in his element, it felt like more than just a farm visit. It felt like stepping into a way of working and living that is careful, responsive, and deeply connected to place.

I’m so grateful we had the chance to experience it.

Follow along:

Website: https://www.thefirelightfarm.com/

Firelight Farm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefirelightfarm/

Firelight Farm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefirelightfarm