Several rows of plants line the growing farm of Bodie Janes, a Barren County teen who calls himself the “Barefoot Farmer of Finney Holler.” And thanks to a grant he obtained a couple of months ago, his operation will grow with the addition of a greenhouse.
Janes, 15, lives with his family just outside Glasgow’s city limits in a hollow of rolling, fertile land. He spends most summer days tending to a half-acre garden and a flock of chickens and ducks – all while barefoot.
“Bodie does pretty much everything. He started when he was little, helping his father split wood, and he’s just gone on from there,” said Stacey Janes, his mother. “He’s always helped in the garden.”
The family relishes in their ability to sustain themselves. Summertime means planting, growing, and eventually canning their produce from the garden. Though somewhat non-traditional these days, it served them well during the early months of the pandemic.
The Janes family garden tripled during that time – mainly because Bodie needed something to do. He continued to work in the garden and gave away much of the produce he grew. Then he decided he could sell the items, which has been a good reason to continue expansion in the hollow at Finney.
Bodie teamed up with his mother and applied for a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to build a greenhouse. They applied sometime last year and were notified of their selection as recipients of the $16,600 award about two months ago. “There’s only been two people from this region of Kentucky that got it,” Bodie said. “So, we’re pretty proud that we got it.”
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