Benefits of buying local: Why it pays to know where you grow

In an age when superstores and online shopping are the norm, local businesses have stiff competition. However, research shows that small businesses create communities that are more prosperous and connected.

For example, local businesses donate more to local charities, create more jobs and put more money into the local economy than national chains.

Healing Green Farms is one such local business giving back to the community in a big way, and its origins are steeped in North Carolina history.

"The farm itself has been in my family since 1937," said owner Janie Dickens. "My grandparents were tobacco farmers and over the years, family members have done different things on the land. We had a commercial nursery and because of that, we had the remnants of a big greenhouse on the property."

When industrial hemp was legalized nationwide in 2018, Dickens saw an opportunity to combine a business idea with her love of natural treatments and supplements. She started Healing Green Farms with the idea of remodeling the existing greenhouse to grow hemp plants in a controlled environment with organic practices.

With her hemp plants, Dickens produces cannabidiol oils and salves that she says have not been tainted by heavy metals or pesticide residue. Because the CBD industry is unregulated, said Dickens, customers can't know how pure products are unless they trace them back to the source.

"Our goal is to provide quality products to the local community with the transparency that only comes from knowing your local farmer," said Dickens. "Because the CBD industry is unregulated, knowing your farmer is the best way to have confidence in the product."

Dickens aims to keep her business small, so she can ensure quality products.

"My intention is not to grow 10 acres of hemp," said Dickens. "My intention is to grow a small number of plants in a controlled environment so the finished product is the highest quality possible for our local community."

"I'm right here if people want to talk to me or ask me how my plants are grown," said Dickens. "I am happy to answer any questions and give more information about our farm. My goal is complete transparency with the community so customers know they can trust our products."

Healing Green Farms produces full-spectrum CBD products in special formulas for anxiety and pain relief, and there's even a line of products designed for pets. Products come as tinctures and salves, and customers can choose their level of CBD per serving when they visit the farm or order online.

Since spring 2020, Healing Green Farms has hosted the Community Marketplace, a Saturday market where artisans, small business owners and food trucks in southern Wake County come together to sell their goods.

This marketplace proved especially crucial to local small businesses in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic meant traditional shopping centers, malls and fairs had to be closed. The all-outdoor market offered space for social distancing, and fresh air for vendors and customers during a difficult time.

One success story is Sawdust & Sage, a local furniture-making business run by a mother and son duo, Karen and Tyler Matthews. The business grew its clientele during the year by selling wares at The Community Marketplace. This year, the business returned as an anchor vendor, selling more than ever.

The Marketplace has helped the business become so successful that Karen quit her regular job to spend more time expanding Sawdust & Sage, a testament to how a small market has changed the lives of community members for the better.

For locals in the community, supporting the Marketplace not only means a connection with vendors and their goods, but it also means reaping the benefits of putting more money into the local economy, potentially creating more jobs in the process.

For both vendors and consumers, the Community Marketplace has filled a much-needed avenue for local commerce.