Meet the Farmer: James Harvey Winslow

In Perquimans County, James Harvey Winslow is steadily building a farming operation from the ground up. Based in Hertford, he farms 130 acres, raises pigs, and works full-time as a mechanic at Southeast Ag Equipment.

James Harvey’s journey into farming began in 2021 with just two pigs and a vision shaped by family history. His grandfather had been deeply involved in row crop farming and the hog business until the late 1980s. Although James Harvey never experienced that era firsthand, the legacy left a lasting impression. After his grandfather passed away in 2019, James Harvey felt even more driven to build something of his own.

He began building his operation using secondhand equipment and long hours of work. One of his first major investments was an old feed mill so he could grind his own feed. Along the way, he added more pigs and rebuilt equipment pulled from fields and brush lines. His first tractor - a John Deere 4440 that had been sitting idle for 15 years - cost just $2,500. He got it running and used it to plant his first 10 acres of cotton in 2023.

By 2024, James Harvey had expanded into soybean production and doubled his sow herd while continuing to work full-time. “I’ve worked 80-plus-hour weeks since I graduated high school to get here — no vacations, no toys, just pure hard work,” he said. “I’ve got a long ways to go, but no matter what happens, I can say I did it.”

Outside of farming, James Harvey also volunteers with his local fire department and serves on the North Carolina Soybean Producers Association board of directors.

When asked what message he would share with consumers, James Harvey encouraged people to support local producers. “I encourage you to buy small,” he said. “The little man selling vegetables on the roadside or the man with a few cows — buy from them. It means more than people realize.”

He also offered encouragement to others chasing a dream: “It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. Hard work still pays off. You just have to dig deep.”

Through it all, faith, family, and perseverance remain at the center of his work. “It brings me closer to the Lord each year seeing all the things He can do,” James Harvey said. “Every pass on the tractor, every baby pig born, reminds me of my grandad that I miss dearly.”