Farmer name: Darius and Shameeka McKoy/12:03AM Farm
Acreage: 36 acres
Location: Faison, North Carolina
Method of Access: Purchase
Year Founded: 2022
Affordability Tools: personal investment
Farm Operation: vegetable, herb, fruit
In the heart of Faison, North Carolina, Darius and Shameeka “Meeka” McKoy are cultivating a farm and a vision for community health and transformation. Meeka, originally from Detroit, and Darius, a Wilmington NC native, both share a background in service to country and community with 22 years and 20 years, respectively, in the U.S. Air Force. They recently settled on a 36 acre farm, and are embarking on a new journey in agriculture that bridges past and future, tradition and innovation.
Meeka and Darius always maintained a small-scale vegetable and herb garden. After retirement, they began deepening their farmer education to become full-time farmers. Meeka’s roots trace back to Mississippi, where her family once thrived on farms. The Great Migration, however, took her ancestors far from the fields, and much of their agricultural knowledge was lost. The McKoy family is now reconnecting with those traditions, starting from the ground up. At 12:03 AM Farm, the McKoy family believes in “around-the-clock nutrition,” maintaining that nutrition is what you put in, put on, and how you treat your body. Their focus is on growing produce and crafting a whole body experience. In addition to producing farm care packages with fresh vegetables, they also provide body care products such as loofahs, artisan body scrubs, soaps, and lip balms.
A family friend introduced them to the land they now own by connecting them with a landowner interested in selling a portion of their family land. This landowner was an aging farmer who represented the remaining lineage of his 12 siblings. The family had a legacy of livestock farming and wanted to keep the land in agriculture and owned by Black farmers. After phone calls, land visits, and conversations, the landowner agreed to sell the land to the McKoy family.
The couple’s farm is surrounded by large commercial operations like Smithfield and Burch Farms, which makes their mission even more distinct in their community. Their current projects are diverse and ambitious. They grow a variety of vegetables and fruits, and more than 350 trees dot the landscape. The farm area includes a two-acre tea garden designed for physical therapy and educational programs, and raised vegetable beds for wheelchair accessibility and sensory gardening make the space inclusive and multifunctional. They aim to expand their operations to include a grocery store and a farm school.
Meeka and Darius have completed various state and national agricultural apprenticeships and fellowships, including those focused on transitioning veterans to sustainable agriculture, and they are constantly pursuing more education. They aim to integrate additional educational opportunities on the farm, including scavenger hunts in the tea garden to create hands-on learning experiences.
Building their farm has not been without challenges. As new growers, they participate in some state and federal programs to support their operations, but have invested much of their own money in the farm. They have encountered layers of red tape and complex community relationships when working with local agricultural agents. They are still scaling up and seeking additional certifications that meet their goals, such as GAP auditing programs. But their passion drives them forward. They are fully committed to providing natural nutrition for local school systems and elder care facilities. Every step they take is about service impact, blending passion with purpose, and making a difference through their farm. Meeka and Darius are not just farming; they’re building a legacy of education, sustainability, and community care.
