Our Story
Lewis Nursery and Farms is a third-generation family farm located in Rocky Point, North Carolina approximately 18 miles north of Wilmington, North Carolina. It was started in 1953 by Everette Lewis when he bought his uncle's farm next to the family farm of his parents. Everette grew up... returned to farming after serving his country in the Army, receiving his master’s degree in Plant Pathology from North Carolina State, and working a few years for the University’s extension service. Everette’s only son, Cal Lewis, was inspired by his father and followed in his footsteps by attending North Carolina State University studying horticulture. After gaining experience in similar realms such as soil fumigation, Cal returned home in 1982 to join his father in the family business. Today, Lewis Nursery and Farms is managed by Cal and it’s loyal and capable staff.
Over the past 60 years, Lewis Farms has diversified from growing strawberries and strawberry plants to the added production of blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Present-day production includes 35 acres of tunnel grown winter strawberries, 140 acres of standard spring strawberries, 400 acres of blueberries, 55 acres of tunnel grown blackberries. We are in the early stage of trials growing tunnel long cane raspberries. In addition to these crops produced for wholesale, Lewis Farms also has seasonal retail locations. The signature location is on Gordon Road in Wilmington, NC which has "pick your own" strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries as well as bedding plants, hanging baskets, and much more. This location also has the famous Lewis Farms homemade ice cream. There is another "pick your own" strawberry farm on Highway 117 in the Wrightsboro - Castle Hayne community near Wilmington, NC. Collectively these two retails farms produce another 10 acres of strawberries, 4 acres of blueberries, and 1 acre of blackberries for pick your own.
Lewis Farms is proud of its heritage, family-farming tradition, and with its continued growth will maintain the personal connection to customers that comes with a family-owned business. Progressive and innovative thinking has allowed Everette and Cal Lewis to discover exciting production methods over the years. Everette was the first to introduce "plastic culture" farming to North Carolina in the mid-1960s and the first to propagate registered and certified strawberry plants in North Carolina beginning in the 1950s. More recently, Lewis Farms has been a leader in tunnel strawberry, blackberry, and long cane raspberry production. Lewis Farms has been and will continue to be a leader in the production of high quality North Carolina berries, while striving to maintain its commitment to its mission:
"To produce the highest quality berries possible, in order to please our customers and to provide for our families and employees"