Meet FACT’s Newest Team Member: Katherine Hoke

By Katherine Hoke, FACT’s Humane Farming Program Assistant

I am excited to introduce myself as the newest member of the FACT Team.  

I am joining FACT as the Humane Farming Program and Communications Assistant after a decade of regenerative cut flower and vegetable farming in the Piedmont of North Carolina  

I graduated from North Carolina State University in 2014 with a degree in Community Engagement in Sustainable Food Systems. I fell in love with farming during an internship during my junior year with the Center for Environmental Farming Systems, which led me to change my major and pursue farming as a career. I learned to farm by working at Maple Spring Gardens, Prodigal Farm, and Bluebird Meadows before starting my own specialty cut-flower operation, Orlaya Flora. 

I sold thousands of cut flower stems a year to florists and retail customers, did floral design for weddings and events, and hosted on-farm workshops in Botanical Dyeing. Being a small business owner and a farmer requires you to be a jack of all trades. I am glad to bring my diverse skillset, adaptability, and understanding of the unique challenges farmers face to the Humane Farming Program at FACT.  

 Social equity, environmental justice and a deep love for our planet are my guiding lights. I feel incredibly lucky to be joining this wonderful team and working to improve the welfare of farm animals.