"That's why my title is Dan — because I refuse to be defined," says Daniel "Danny" Hodges. Hodges is a fifth-generation farmer at Hodges Family Farm in Charlotte, NC. While he works most of the day at Charlotte Pipe and Foundry, he spends his afternoons doing various tasks at the farm.
Hodges' sons, Cameron and Eliah, often join him for farm tasks. In late November, they are working on clearing brush on the farmland to create more land for the animals to graze in rotationally. The Hodges Family Farm utilizes regenerative agricultural practices to produce fruit, vegetables, poultry, pork, and beef. The farm is known for its annual Pumpkin Patch, which runs from September 28th to October 31st.
"There's some stuff that's been out here closer to 90 years. The fence, for example." The farm cart carries all the tools needed to cut branches, vines, and small trees, clearing the way to take down a fence built by Hodges' grandfather.
Connor Newman, Hodges' cousin, is the Farm Manager. "He likes to throw quips at me 'cause I'm younger and won't understand," said Hodges, who is 20 days younger than Newman.
No day is the same. On an early December day, Hodges and Newman spent the afternoon searching for raccoon dens and pathways in the barn walls. They used a bee smoker with smoldering twine and a pinecone to attempt to drive a raccoon out of the bridal suite of the 1932 Barn.
"Got a cat tail here," Hodges said jokingly as he held a squirrel tail, left behind by a raccoon. They never found the raccoon, but they found raccoon dens in the attic of the old dairy barn.
"Within about a ten mile radius, there's a one in four chance that someone is related to us," said Hodges. Dixie Cochran is one example of this. Cochran is a relative of Hodges' who lives a few miles down the road from the farm.
"We want them to have the option," said Hodges of passing down the farm to his sons and the other children within the family. Hodges' cousin Newman added, "Farming is so different now. You don't have to do 17 hour days anymore. It's generational."
