Over the last 10 years, Briley’s Farm has operated a stand at Saturday Market. Now, Briley’s Farm has expanded its niche for fresh fruit and vegetables with a full service facility in Washington on John Small Avenue.

The Pitt County based Briley’s Farm is on Old Pactolus Road between Washington and Greenville. Owner Joey Whitehurst and his employees pick the produce nearly every day, and bring the fresh fruits and vegetables to Washington in the mornings.

“It’s a good thing people can get fresh stuff that is coming from 10 miles away instead of thousands of miles away,” Whitehurst said.

Owners Joey and Rachel Whitehurst grow the majority of their produce using the plastic-culture method, which allows them to grow larger and cleaner produce.

“We grow a tomato variety called Mountain Spring, that we grow on black plastic,” Whitehurst said. “We can fertilize them as needed, and the black plastic is a whole lot cleaner than on plain dirt.”

Whitehurst says the black plastic doesn’t make them taste any different — it just helps the vegetables stay cleaner and free of disease.

The Whitehursts aren’t organic farmers, but they try to grow their food as naturally possible, according to Joey.

“We use chemicals, but we try to use them as little as possible,” Whitehurst said.

Briley’s Farm opened at the new location in Washington last Monday to what has so far been a steady success, according to Whitehurst.

“This is just fresher and tastes better than the grocery store and I would much rather buy from them since it’s grown locally,” said Brenda Russell, a customer. “This is on my side of town, and I can stop here on my way home.”
Briley’s Farm has been operating for several generations on 60-acres of land. The farm has been passed through the family tree on Whitehurst’s side of the family.

“We found a location there where we could actually do it and it just fell in place this year,” Whitehurst said. “I get it, but I don’t know how it happened, it all just kind of happened.”

Washington residents can get fresh fruits and vegetables seven days a week. Briley’s Farm also sells homemade jams and jelly.

“This is like a baby, you see stuff start with seed and grows and it matures,” Whitehurst said. “It’s like farming, in general. Sometimes your crops don’t look like they should and other times they do.”

The Washington location is at 2120 John Small Avenue next door to Pamlico Animal Hospital.