Get to know the fresh faces popping up at our library Farmers Markets each week.
Farmer: Brett Varner
Farm: EZE Farms
Location: Columbia, SC 29204
Find him at: Richland Library Main and Richland Library North Main (coming soon)
How did you get into your profession?
There was a confluence of factors that led me to market gardening.
The greatest of those was my faith and the desire to put that faith into action by identifying the needs of the underprivileged and assisting them in meeting those needs.
Another factor was my desire to work with my hands in a trade that improved my health. My previous job was too much sitting for me. I needed fresh air and an active lifestyle. EZE Farms was a way to combine faith and fitness.
Was it something you always wanted to do or did it develop over time? Maybe even fall into your lap?
My desire to grow vegetables started with buying a house that included raised beds. I thought to myself, "If I could do this full-time, that would be a dream.
About six months later I saw the job opening for EZE Farms, a non-profit youth development project, and knew it was my entrance into a new career and ministry.
What do you most look forward to most with your participation in the farmers market?
What I look forward to most is sharing the experience of contributing to the local food movement with our apprentices. Our apprentices are the real reason EZE Farms exists. We aim to pass onto them values and skills that will lead to an abundance of opportunities and an abundance of life.
I also look forward to building relationships with the community and making a contribution to the well-being of library patrons.
Did you know? The farmers at our market are local, sustainable farmers who use zero pesticides and organic only inputs. They will have varying produce available as the growing season progresses in SC.
