BOONE, N.C. — Amy Fielder loves the outdoors. When she was young she went to visit her family farm in the summers, so when she grew up she got her own. She has an eight-acre farm in Vilas.

“I wanted to re-create it in a way,” Fielder said.

She has chickens, an orchard and flowers that people can go to U-pick days and make their own bouquets or buy at market. She has everything at Springhouse Farm.

“When you cut them they come back. They just bring joy,” Fielder said.

She also has vegetables.

“I love the sense of community we have here on the farm,” Fielder said.

It’s a feeling created by the workers, volunteers, interns and people who go to her produce stand.

“Beautiful tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes,” Fielder said.

That is why AppHealthCare, a regional health agency that serves Alleghany, Ashe, Watauga counties, worked with her on a new project.

“They were wondering if I would help gather some farmers’ names that might be interested and help them disburse this grant money to build farm stands preferably,” Fielder said.

She will be teaching other farms to have produce stands, specifically in food deserts, meaning areas in Watauga County far from supermarkets.

“I love what I do. This is my passion and when you love what you do, you want to share it with everybody,” Fielder said.