Since arriving to the area, Caleb and Donica Krebs were quickly smitten with what the Tri-Cities had to offer. Now residents of Carter County, the married couple are hoping to spread their love of the outdoors and the region with their own piece of “paradise” — Elysium Farm.
“We never really sat down one day and said, ‘hey, let’s start a farm.’ Through our love of nature, gardening, raising animals and being more self-sustainable, Elysium Farm was naturally created,” Donica said.
Donica and Caleb have been active throughout the region sharing their produce and other items, while looking to make an impact in Elizabethton and Carter County. Donica now serves as the market manager for the Downtown Elizabethton Farmers Market, which netted successful gains through its inaugural year.
A love of the outdoors continued to blossom and popularity across the region eventually led to the final product known as Elysium Farm.
“We like to share our produce at farmers’ markets, through local restaurants and with friends … and people started to take notice,” she said. “They started asking us questions about ‘y’all’s farm’ and that was the point we said, ‘Well, I guess we have a farm now.’ It is more like the farm grew us, not the other way around.”
When it came to the name of the farm, both Donica and Caleb decided on “Elysium,” which is an ancient Greek word that means paradise.
“We get a lot of questions about our name,” Donica said. “God planted our roots here in one of the most beautiful areas of the country, and we know we are blessed to live here in our own little paradise.”
The majority of produce that comes through Elysium includes heirloom vegetables, herbs and fruits but the farm includes the ability to raise rabbits, chickens and goats for milk. The Krebs family also dabble in baked goods, home-brewed kombucha and other non-traditional items, including growing avocado trees.
One of the biggest passions for the family is to educate the public about being self-sustainable and to grow food at home, compared to purchasing it locally.
“Eating local food reduces your carbon footprint by using less transportation to ship the food, less chemicals to produce it and less waste,” Donica said. “Every year in the United States, over 14 billion pounds of food are thrown away by grocery stores because their produce/meat took too long to ship and then sat on the shelf too long. Think of all the people we could feed if we reduced this waste. Eating local food is great for your health and for the health of our planet and fellow humans.”
Elysium is also doing its part to assist the local economy. Airbnb recently touted that the Tri-Cities was able to draw in $1.2 million through lodging in the area. To assist with the tourist-driven economy surge underway in the community, the farm hosts an Airbnb to allow visitors a way to see what’s available in Carter County and the surrounding area.
“Hosting an Airbnb seemed like a fun way to meet new people and encourage tourism,” Donica said. “Our house is in perfect proximity to Watauga Lake, Roan Mountain State Park, the Bristol Motor Speedway, downtown Elizabethton, Johnson City and close enough to the Blue Ridge Parkway that we thought it would be a great landing place for travelers who are exploring Appalachia.
“A lot of people that stay with us have also taken an interest in learning about our agriculture practices,” she continued. “They really enjoy having fresh eggs for breakfast and goat milk in their coffee. We are happy that we can be a factor in bringing more tourism to the Elizabethton area.”
While the winter months may be a bit slow as far as projects are concerned, the Krebs added there are plans underway for projects in coming months, including the ability for small groups to make appointments and visit the location.
To learn more about the farm’s agriculture aspects or to potentially book a stay, email elysiumfarmtn@gmail.com or visit the Elysium Farm Facebook page or Instagram account.