Spreading Acres

Everybody in the family pitches in on the farm. From catching fish to collecting eggs, there’s a lot to be done each day. We are the Griles family, and we’re the current owners of the farm; but the story of the farm starts before any of us were born.

In 1918, Tinsley Miah and Laura Atkins Vernon traversed hundreds of miles by wagon and train between Mount Airy, North Carolina, and the Amelia farm that has been called home by generations of their descendants.

The Vernons farmed the land for forty years, until it was bought by their youngest daughter, Mary Ruth, and her husband, Joe Griles. For another forty years, Joe and Mary Ruth farmed the land, raising beef and milk cattle, many acres of tobacco, and a variety of crops in the garden for their own table. Their sons, Jay and David Griles raised cattle together on the for the next 20 years. Jay has carried on the tradition to our family. Mary Anne, Jay’s wife, raises over 25 laying hens, and always has eggs on hand. Luke and Elijah Griles help their dad manage the land, tend the garden and work the herd of 50+ Angus, Charolais, and Hereford cows.