Our superheroes wear capes…. when we make them take a picture! Otherwise, they are usually cloaked in the dirt that grows sustainable organic food for the community…AND BEYOND! These modern day superheroes are known dearly to us as Joe and Daniel. Together they battle the heat, weeds, and their archnemesis, pests. These two are the real-life protectors of our food supply, and it is not a job for the faint of heart. Days are long, the sun is strong, but they carry on. They use their powers for good by providing healthy alternatives to our local community and charities like Give A Share, YMCA Mobile Market, and the Southside Kitchen.

To learn how they cultivated their skills, we checked in to find out about what motivates them, where they found their powers, and the location of their secret lair (just kidding, lair will remain undisclosed at this time). Joe Evans didn’t discover joys of agriculture until he spent a semester abroad in Costa Rica working on a coffee farm. There his passion for farming took root. When he returned to The College of Charleston, his destiny awaited him. He next headquartered in British Columbia, where he mastered his skills by working on his first vegetable farm. Afterwards, he zoomed over to the Asheville area where he interned locally. Joe then took a giant leap and started his own family farm for seven years. Finally, he landed at Olivette Farm where he stewards 4-acres of diversified vegetables for farmers markets, restaurants, and our CSA.

Daniel got an earlier start in agriculture as he picked up high school jobs, and infiltrated big tobacco, cotton, pig and chicken farms. It was not until he found a job at a Manhattan urban organic farm project, that he learned the skills of the other side.  Sustainable practices won his internal battle of good and evil. And so, his quest to master these skills began. His journey took him to California, where he fell in love with this different style of farming. He attended The School of Adaptive Farming where he met his now fiancée, and they moved to our area to continue to work on organic farms. Daniel’s powers are strengthened by his enjoyment of providing healthier options, the physicality of farming, and everyday learning. Although sometimes Joe and Daniel wish their superhero powers included controlling the weather, they both possess the right strengths to get up everyday and fight the good fight.

The definition of a superhero or superheroine is a character that possess abilities beyond those of ordinary people, who typically uses their powers to help the world become a better place, or is dedicated to protecting the public, and stopping evil. As you can see, our dynamic duo embodies all of these characteristics while having fun in the process. We are thankful that Joe and Daniel have accepted the mission of growing diversified food with sustainable practices.