Fueled by growing demand from both national and local retailers, Altar Cross Farms, a family-run organic blueberry farm in eastern North Carolina, has expanded its production by 63 percent this year, now harvesting from 65 certified organic acres. And the payoff is sweet: the Sykes family is celebrating its most productive blueberry season in over five years.

“This is probably the heaviest crop we’ve had in a long time,” said Roy Sykes, who co-owns the farm with his wife, Donna, and operates it with their daughters. “We’re seeing a real return on our investment in organic, both in yields and in market opportunity.”

That investment includes new acreage, mechanical upgrades and Fair Food Certification. This positions Altar Cross to meet the increasing demand for organic produce that is responsibly grown and managed. Happy Dirt, a North Carolina-based organic produce grower and distributor, handles the majority of Altar Cross Farms' sales, helping the Sykes family bring their organic berries to a wide network of wholesale and retail partners across the Southeast.

Despite its scaling success, Altar Cross remains deeply connected to its community, continuing to sell at North Carolina farmers markets and the state’s annual blueberry festival.

The farm’s growth is rooted in its natural environment. Located in Ivanhoe, NC, Altar Cross benefits from naturally acidic, sandy soil — ideal conditions for blueberries without the need for expensive amendments. Its diverse varietal mix, including O’Neal, Duke, Legacy, New Hanover and Powder Blue, supports a harvest window stretching from mid-May through August.

But what truly distinguishes the farm is its family-run foundation. “We’re still mostly family doing this,” said Morgan Sykes. “We’ve built the infrastructure to scale but kept our values the same.”

The Sykes family employs a mechanical harvester, color sorter and automated clamshell filler to ensure quality and efficiency, and its hand-applied organic fertilizer program reflects the attention to detail that defines their operation.

Its recent Fair Food Certification reflects long-standing values. “It aligns with what we already believe: treat people well, and grow food the right way,” said Morgan.

Happy Dirt has been instrumental in supporting the farm’s sales and distribution growth, offering transparency, logistics support and a reliable market outlet, without the hidden costs often associated with larger players in the produce industry.

As the organic produce sector continues to expand, Altar Cross Farms offers a compelling case study in how family-scale farms can scale up responsibly and meet the moment with both integrity and abundance.

Altar Cross blueberries will be available through August 2025.