Why We Use and Support Terra Vita Farms

Dive into sustainable seafood and locally sourced produce with South Beach Grill’s delicious homegrown menu items brought to you by our remarkable, expert local vendors!

Wrightsville Beach is no stranger to fresh and sustainably produced fruits and vegetables. We are able to feature a fresh-to-table menu thanks to our unique climate and coastal surroundings, which includes farms, farmer’s markets, and proximity to downtown Wilmington.

“It’s important to source local because it has such an impact on the community; when people aren’t buying those items, it affects these people in such a huge way,” explains Chef Michael. That’s why one of our many and favorite local vendors is Terra Vita Farms.

Grown with biology!

Terra Vita Farm is a small, biologically minded farm in Castle Hayne, NC. They’re the only wholly no-spray farm near Wilmington, NC, and practice no-till farming while building soils and ecosystems.

According to the owner and head farmer, Michael Torbett, Terra Vita has “deep convictions about spraying or using any biocides, as our goal is to protect our ecosystems and keep them thriving. We are a minimal/no-till farm, meaning the only time we till is when we are breaking ground for the first time on a new plot. We plant permanent hedgerows for our beneficial insects to reside and flourish. We amend our soils with organic meals and compost, building our sandy, acidic soils into beautiful topsoil. We also use compost teas and ferments to inoculate our soils with nutrient cycling microbes. We aim to increase our native earthworm and beneficial arthropod populations. We set up birdhouses and bat houses along our property to provide additional housing for our flying friends. We focus on our whole biome, from the micro to macro, and everything in between. We want to ensure you are getting the absolute best food that will nourish and heal your body, free of any pesticides, picked at its prime, and delivered straight to your hands. Our goals are always to educate, feed, and empower people.”

With their wide array of nutrient-dense produce, such as organic microgreens, edible flowers, herbs, seasonal produce, hemp, and gourmet mushrooms, they are among the most highly touted local vendors in the area. Initially, we reached out for microgreens, but with Michael’s awesome weekly messages and an order guide full of the freshest seasonal produce around, we can’t help but indulge. We purchased everything from Microgreens to Kale, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, and beautiful Mushrooms.

Supporting local.

At South Beach Grill, we are proud to partner with local businesses to serve the freshest ingredients to our customers. “You can definitely tell in the cuisine if people are using quality, fresh products just in the flavor. There is always something missing if you’re buying bulk and get mass-produced vegetables. When you buy from a smaller scale farm, you can really taste the attention to detail and the care that goes into it,” explains Chef Mike.

We love to shop, serve, and support local. Check out Chef Michael’s visit to Terra Vita Farm to see why we love it.