Farm Pak started in 1969, as a sales team for the produce grown at Barnes Farming. The farm began when Carson Barnes decided to grow tobacco and less than half an acre of sweet potatoes in the early ‘60s. With much hard work over the past 50 years, Barnes Farming has grown to become the world’s largest sweet potato producer, managing more than 20,000 acres. Carson was instrumental in planting the seed for the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission, which increased the consumption of North Carolina-grown sweet potatoes worldwide.

In 2006, Carson’s grandson Josh began his own farm project and planted a persimmon orchard that he managed throughout high school and college career. Josh joined Farm Pak full time in 2018 and continues cultivating organic Fuyu persimmons.