Ben Bergmann & Noah Ranells

At Market on Saturdays and Wednesdays

Products: Eggs from pastured, completely free-range hens; antibiotic- and hormone-free, pasture-raised meats (chicken, beef, pork, lamb); seasonal produce with emphasis on heirloom varieties, arugula, carrots, garlic, peppers, potatoes, swiss chard, tomatoes.

Location: Orange County, NC

History: Our 61 acre farm is about equally split among production areas (pastures, market garden), managed woodlots, and natural areas. We started Fickle Creek Farm with the objective of creating a system that has minimum impact on the environment, is sustainable, and includes humane treatment for the animals we keep. All of our fruits and vegetables are naturally grown without inorganic chemical inputs. Our eggs and chicken come from free-ranging flocks on pasture that never receive hormones, antibiotics, or animal by-products. Steers, pigs, and sheep are all raised on pasture without medicated feed, hormones, or grain finishing. We share our farm with others through farm tours, teaching (on-farm and at NCSU and CCCC), and our unique bed & breakfast experience.

Philosophy: We follow organic production practices but are not certified organic. We have chosen to not seek organic certification because we sell all of our products locally and directly to customers who are familiar with what we do and are encouraged to ask us questions.

We believe in buying and selling locally as much as possible. The farthest point we sell from the farm is the 23 miles we travel to the Durham Farmers’ Market. We also sell at the Orange County Farmers' Market in Hillsborough (The Public Market House at 120 East Margaret Lane), the South Estes Farmers' Market in Chapel Hill (http://southestesfarmersmarket.org/) and directly from the farm by appointment.