Jason Craig, married and father of 8, writes and works from a small dairy operation in Western NC.  He is a first generation, part-time farmer with extensive experience with pigs, cows, and gardening.  With degrees in horticulture and theology, Jason brings together a coherent philosophical foundation for living on the land and the need to consider the cultural shift required to make the move. 

Craig Taffaro, married father of 3 (and one on the way), cut his teeth with a robust backyard homestead of bees, vegetables, and poultry.  Recently he has opened “Melvin Hill Meats,” a custom meat processing facility across the street from Jason Craig’s family.  Craig works off-farm only part time and has a wide range of knowledge in the laws, economics, and practice of homesteading.  

Tommy Van Horn, Married and father of 4,  currently homesteads with his family on 10 little acres. He is a first generation homesteader/beekeeper who made the successful transition from living in the city 13 years ago and now relies on the land for his entire income and personal sustenance via the homestead and their 600 hive beekeeping operation. 

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Jim Curely, homesteading father (and grandfather!) with decades of experience in farming.  Curely, who is a physicist by trade and even had a Catholic publishing company, is a mentor and inspiration for many.  He moved from an urban setting to Bethune, SC nearly 25 years ago and has been living primarily from 1.9 acres since then, raising pigs, veggies, dairy cows, and the occasional steer.  Jim was the original butcher for SJF events and remains a central part of its goals in his simplicity and fatherliness.