Changing Hearts and Lives at Jewels of Health Farm

This is the second year of the Young Farmer of the Day program at the Got To Be N.C. Festival. This program, sponsored by AgCarolina Farm Credit and AgSouth Farm Credit, recognizes three young farmers who work hard everyday to impact our state’s agriculture industry & blaze the trail for a strong future. Individuals either nominated themselves or were nominated by members of the community. One young farmer will be recognized each day of the Got To Be N.C. Festival, taking place May 19-21, 2023 at the N.C. State Fairgrounds!

Growing up on a farm, Julius Griffin was always surrounded by the world of agriculture, but didn’t fall in love with it until it helped save his mental and physical health in later years. Jewels of Health Farm Inc. in Louisburg has been under family operation for twenty-six years. It transitioned five years ago, however, to focus solely on producing fruits and vegetables. “Our main crops are watermelons, ginger, herbs and vegetables,” Julius said. “We also produce cold-pressed watermelon juice blends, wellness capsules and dried spices.”

For several years of his life, Julius struggled with kidney disease. During this season of life, Julius began to turn to agriculture for a cure. “I needed to heal my body and my mind, so I started researching how to grow my own food and make my own products,” he said. “Once I began eating the fresh products being grown on the farm, my kidney disease healed completely. I would like for everyone to have that experience, which is the reason why I work as hard as I do on this farm.”

Julius is well-known in the community for his work-ethic and innovative thinking. “Farming is creative and it requires patience,” Julius said. “I am currently working to use my knowledge and skills to grow this farm into both a profitable and productive business.” He loves to watch his crops grow each year and takes a lot of pride in them, as well as the other products he produces. One of the things that he loves most is the ability to have freedom but with constant vigilance on work. In other words, he is glad that his life of farming keeps him busy, but he is also thankful for the freedom it presents in being outdoors a lot and in his daily schedule.

As a young farmer of this day, Julius has big goals and aspirations that he is working toward. “My number one goal is to become one of the largest watermelon juice suppliers nationally,” he said. “I am creating the purest herbal infused watermelon juice on the market and I want to share it with the world.”

Julius is representing the N.C. Agriculture industry as the Got to Be NC Festival’s Young Farmer of the Day on Saturday, May 20th! Not only will he be featured around the grounds on that day, including a ride in the daily tractor parade, but he is also a vendor! Stop by his booth across from the Waterfall on the Midway and try his products for yourself. Be sure to congratulate him on this honor and wish him luck in all his future agriculture endeavors!