The Single Origin Peanuts Shaping a Community

March 27 2024, by Amber Chase

During the height of 2020, Hubbard Peanut Company (Hubs Peanuts) released their first ever single origin peanut, produced and nurtured by 4th generation farmer, Elisha Barnes. The response was overwhelming, selling out of the peanut within 24 hours. 

Knowing this could be something that pours back into the community, the Hubs team met with Ruth Jones Nichols, the former CEO of Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore, to explore the possibilities of partnering to combat hunger within their community. Hubs offered up their warehouse space to act as an organizational space for the backpack program the food bank spearheaded for hungry children in the region. This partnership continued for over two years. 

Noticing another gap within the community when it came to fresh produce for meals, Hubs began their fundraiser, Harvest the Vine, in 2021. This vision was furthered by the new food bank CEO, Chris Tan, Eric Majette, and Elisha Barnes, with the creation of Izzie’s Field, a partnership between Barnes and 170 partner agencies and food hubs to promote accessible produce and agricultural prosperity. The Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore leased 20 acres of land in Courtland in conjunction with Barnes, with half the land dedicated to supplying food banks and the other half left to Barnes’ own production. In the summer of 2023, the corn that was planted at Izzie’s field was harvested  by farmers and food bank volunteers for the community.  

Wanting to secure and maintain their vision with Izzie’s Field, Hubs Peanuts sought to donate many of the proceeds from their annual Homegrown Harvest Festival to the cause. In October of 2023, the Homegrown Harvest Festival was a bustling time of music and food with many performers and participants donating their proceeds to the food bank and Izzie’s Field. The festival was able to raise enough money to fund both Izzie’s Field for the upcoming year and provide sought-after scholarships to students from Franklin and Southampton High School seeking to begin careers in the culinary arts and agricultural programs through the CROP Foundation. 

As spring arrives this March, Hubs Peanuts is proud to release their 4th harvest of Elisha Barnes’ peanuts that were grown, tended to, and shocked at Izzie’s Field. For each purchase of these special cans of peanuts, two fresh meals will be donated to members of the Franklin and Southampton community in need. 

Purchase Hub’s Single Origin Peanuts here to support the vision, community, and intentionality of a rich Virginia region.