engagement with farming, rooted in sustainability and respect of both history and community. Our work is guided by stewardship first, understanding that not every season is about maximum output, but about long-term care and preservation of land and legacy.”
The wealth of knowledge that brothers Lonzo and Leroy have developed through decades of farming comes into play for a new passion project at Ballew Farms. ACES – Agricultural Community & Education Services is the farm’ s upcoming opportunity for new farmers to take part in, and is a“ hands-on farm mentorship program designed to support beginning and smallscale farmers in Eastern Kentucky,” Mykell describes.“ It reflects our belief that long-term agricultural resilience depends on cooperation, mentorship, and local leadership development.”
Angel explains the ACES project in further detail,“ It is really about providing personalized beginning farmer support. ACES is a 3-year cycle where we supply robust support for new Ag entrepreneurs / beginning farmers in the first year, gradually reducing support over the second and third year. The first year, we are dedicating three acres of our property to this ACES project, where in the first year( this year / pilot one) we are going to accept two farmers to grow a cooperative veggie garden with us; in which they would have access to profit share and they would also have access to our current customers and market, as well as some other market
channels that we have secured and are securing.
“ So, there’ s really three kinds of facets of the program for the first year, and beyond. The first one is business development: I have a partnering consultant and business coach with Mountain Association. So, throughout this year, we will be business planning with the mentees and helping them handle legalities like getting their farm service agency number. By the end of the year, once we have gone through the different parts of their business plan, they should have finished
Verlia and Lester Ballew
their first year with their finalized plan ready for funding opportunities.
“ The second facet is, of course, just the handson growing experience and the knowledge and training that it takes to run a veggie operation of this size in collaboration with another beginning farmer( for this pilot year) under the mentorship of myself and our resident generational farmers, Mr. Lonzo Ballew( my dad- Mr. Green Thumb) and also Leroy Ballew( my uncle) who, together, they are a wealth of knowledge. They( mentees) will be responsible, and in partnership with us, for really every part of the process because the goal is to give them experience- overall pad their resumes in their agribusiness experience- so that after the program, or even two years after the program, they are a viable option for any entity to invest in if they have a business plan that they really want to take off, like the farm agency loans through USCA.
“ The third facet, and final one, is really about looking towards the future for these beginning farmers. It’ s all about both land access and networking. Through the network that we already have in just being in Madison County for a long time … that kind of networking facet of ACES( the final one) is really about identifying leasing opportunities, continuation of growing opportunities, and identifying funding pockets and opportunities for their business plans.”
Ballew Farms has previously hosted some large-scale organizations including Farm Fest, Biker’ s Clubs, Blue Grass Army Depot, and others. Other future ventures planned at the farm? Angel mentions within their 5-year plan, she sees the farm possibly doing an up-scale wedding venue, and more. To find out more information on Ballew Farms events, their history, current opportunities, the ACES project, and contact information, visit their website at ballewfarms. com or go to their social media pages. A short documentary film about their family and Ballew Farms history, A Farm Called Home, produced by A Great Adventure can also be found on YouTube.
Madison Magazine March / April 2026 7