Terry Hudson is one of those folks that refuses to retire even though he could. In 2000, he purchased a run down junkyard in rural Charleston, West Virginia. Over the years, Terry worked with WVU (West Virginia University) to transform the land into a viable farm with an emphasis on education and community outreach. Elementary school groups learning about food and graduate students working on agricultural experiments are a common site. The farm also hosts community dinners by local restauranteurs and chefs.

Terry also works with schools in the area installing high tunnel garden programs to connect kids back to their food sources. From the short time I spent with Terry, it's clear he sees himself more as a steward than an owner of his resources, facilitating growth both physical and spiritual in everyone around him.

An early morning at Hudson Farms.

Terry Hudson on his front porch. "A guy once told me you want to plant trees you never get to sit under the shade of.”

An integral part of Hudson Farms' organic strategy is to plant specific flowers that attract beneficial insects like bees.

Hudson Farms grows cherry tomatoes, green onions, squash, basil and more.

Chickens, nature's alarm clock.

In addition to serving on Charleston's city council, Keeley Steele also owns and operates three restaurants in downtown's East End: Bluegrass Kitchen, Tricky Fish, and Starlings Coffee & Provisions. She sources her ingredients from Hudson Farms and others close by. "The more money we spend on local farmers and ranchers, the more money stays in our state and our economy.” I photographed her and her crew preparing for dinner at Hudson Farms.

Danielle Mallory was born and raised twenty minutes from the bakery in St. Albans. She is Starling Coffee & Provision's head baker. “I have friends that say you need to leave and see the world but if I leave that’s one less person that’s going to bring something back here. I want my brother's kids to know what good food is." According to the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, West Virginia has the second highest obesity rate amongst adults second to Arkansas.

Gary Needham moved from Kentucky to work at Bluegrass Kitchen as a post retirement job seven years ago. "What drew me to the place was the fact that Keeley had these wonderful eggs. I cracked open these eggs during my interview and I said look at these deep orange yolks! And I went in the walk in cooler and saw this local produce and I was hooked."

Keeley, Danielle, and Gary resting after a long day. "There’s a big difference between surviving and thriving but from the outside they can look really similar. Nobody that has made a choice of staying in this state and opening their own business has it easy. “ - Keeley Steele