OUR STORY: A LEGACY OF SUSTAINABILITY AND EMPOWERMENT

Nikki Jefferies

Nikki Jefferies is a family forest owner dedicated to sustainable agriculture and preserving legacy. With experience in land management and forestry education, she collaborates with organizations to promote sustainability for future generations.

Nikki’s leadership, governance skills, and strategic thinking bring valuable perspectives to the board. She is passionate about reconnecting families with their land, fostering respect for natural resources, and empowering communities to create sustainable futures.

Edna Mills-Williams

Edna Williams is a prominent figure in Enfield, North Carolina, known for her dedication as an educator and her integral role in the operation of Fourtee Acres, a family-owned forestry, farming, and natural gardening enterprise.
As an educator, Edna’s main goal is to provide a supportive environment for those she encounters, with a particular passion for informing the community about nutritional value and practices. She finds immense joy in seeing the “sparks in the eyes” of community members and children when they are exposed to living on a farm and growing diverse vegetables. She believes in learning and providing excitement through these experiences.

Edna, alongside her husband Tyrone Williams, co-owns Fourtee Acres, a 45-acre (or 62-acre, depending on the source) minority and family-owned operation established in 1994. The name “Fourtee Acres” is a meaningful play on the historical “forty acres and a mule” promise, with the “Four T’s” representing Tyrone and their three sons, Trevelyn, Tremaine, and Tyron. The “double EE’s” at the end signify the “Energizing Effort” Edna brings to the family and the legacy of the Williams name.

Edna is described as the “backbone” of their family enterprise, which is committed to sustainability for the future. She retired professionally in 2018. She and Tyrone actively host other minority landowners on their property, speak at events, and lead seminars on how to keep land in the family, sharing their journey and insights. They are also participants in the Sustainable Forestry and Land Retention Project.

Happily transplanted from the city limits of Enfield to the beautiful countryside, Edna resides at Fourtee Acres with her husband. She is known for her involvement in the community, including being a member of ForestHer NC, a landowner group for women. She is a member of the New Bethel Baptist Church in Enfield, where she can be found working in one of the family’s three gardens or singing in the choir on Sundays.

Tyrone Williams

Tyrone Williams, a native of Enfield, North Carolina, is a key figure in Fourtee Acres, a minority family-owned forestry, farming, natural gardening and family engagement consulting operation. Fourtee Acres is a 45-acre portion of the larger Williams Family Farm, which has been in his family since 1916. The name “Fourtee Acres” is a meaningful play on words, referencing the historical “forty acres and a mule” and also representing the four male family members actively involved: Tyrone, Trevelyn, Tremaine, and Tyron.

Tyrone, co-steward of Fourtee Acres is deeply committed to sustainable practices, educating others (particularly minority landowners) on sustainable land management, and ensuring land is passed down through generations. He and Fourtee Acres serve as a demonstration farm, hosting workshops and seminars on land retention and sustainable forestry.

Before dedicating his full attention to the farm after retirement in 2014, Tyrone Williams had a 30-year career with the Employment Security Commission (now the North Carolina Department of Commerce), where he held local, regional, and state office positions, concluding as the Workforce Relations Manager. He received the Governor’s Award for Outstanding State Government Service in 2011 and the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in 2013 for his public service.

He has received numerous awards and certifications related to his work with Fourtee Acres, including American Tree Farm Certification, Forest Stewardship Certification, the “Help Save Rural America Award,” “Black Century Land Ownership Recognition Program,” and the “North Carolina Century Farm Program.” Notably, he was named as a “Farmer of the Year 2021” by Minority Landowner Magazine and the “2024 Lloyd Wright Small Farmer of the Year.” He also serves as a Public Member on the NC Board of Registered Foresters appointed by Governor Roy Cooper. Tyrone also serves on the Board of Directors for Working Landscapes. As a board member of the NC Tree Program, he serves as President-Elect.

Tremaine Williams

Tremaine is Fourtee Acres Resource Market’s Treasurer. He is an IT professional, raised in Enfield, NC and the second son of the Williams family, who owns Fourtee Acres. After completing his bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Elizabeth City State University and a Master’s Degree in Video Game Design from Full Sail University, Tremaine now resides in Raleigh, NC, where he works in IT with the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts. He has always been an advocate for helping others, especially if they are unable to help themselves. Tremaine has been a part of many volunteer efforts from assisting through Habitat for Humanity, working with his fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and mentoring students transitioning into college life at Elizabeth City State University.

Carolyn Williams

Tarie Todman

T’arie Todman leads with exceptional compassion and imparts her wealth of experience and in-depth knowledge to individuals who need it the most. After completing her doctorate in pharmacy from Hampton University in 2004, she served as a military officer pharmacist in the US Army. Later, she worked as a community pharmacist for eleven years. However, her passion for community outreach eventually led her to expand her idea of service, and in 2015, a significant career change ensued. Todman joined the Winston County Self Help Cooperative (WCSHC) as a farmer and community outreach specialist, where she works tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of America’s most vulnerable population. At the WCSHC, Todman is committed to the cooperative’s mission to “Help Save Rural America.” In fact, Todman returned to school to meet a real community need and earned a Master’s in Nutrition. She has helped the cooperative increase the number of farmers, landowners, and cattlemen they serve through her work. She focuses on educating individuals on programs and services that can assist with the community’s longevity. These services include technical assistance, education on health and nutrition, credit repair, housing, succession planning, and more. Todman’s dedication to her work is evident in everything she does, including being a wife, mother of three, and Gigi to one. If you want to learn more about her work or get in touch with her, you can reach her at ttodman@wcshc.com.

Ocie Clanton Jr.

Ocie Clanton is a proud disabled Navy veteran, dedicated husband to his beautiful wife, Dr. Diane Clanton, and a passionate advocate for building stronger, more connected communities. With over 35 years of marriage, Ocie and Diane have devoted their lives to inspiring others through their faith, resilience, and shared commitment to service.

A lover of nature, Ocie finds solace and purpose in the outdoors, which has inspired his passion for creating a retreat and glamping site to support veterans facing mental health challenges. As an active supporter of Fourtee Acres Resource Market (F.A.R.M.), Ocie is devoted to helping small, predominantly BIPOC farmers and landowners in rural Eastern North Carolina access vital resources and opportunities for growth.

Ocie is driven to help others realize the potential of their land through non-traditional opportunities like short-term rentals (STR) and glamping. He combines his love for the land with innovative ideas to create sustainable and impactful solutions for landowners and their communities. Guided by faith, family, and a deep connection to nature, Ocie is committed to empowering others and leaving a lasting lega

Wayne Demery

My name is Wayne Demery. I am the self-proclaimed favorite nephew of the family. Enfield native and born well before all 3 Ts, I provided plenty of parenting practice for the newlyweds at the time. I spent many of my childhood weekends at what is now Fourtee acres playing in the white sand that used to be prevalent at the “old house”.

Currently living in neighboring Franklin County with my partner CJ and our dog Jaxson, we are creating a true garden-to-table environment. With each passing year, the goal is to develop techniques to increase the use of our own soil for the sustenance and health of our family and community. I have 13 years of professional experience as an Ultrasound technician where I currently serve our veterans at the VA Medical Center in Durham, NC.

Mary Jane Lyonnais

Mary Jane Lyonnais is a Regional Planner specializing in Food Systems for the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments. Mary Jane received her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and her Masters of Public Health at East Carolina University. She spent the last 5 years in Northeastern NC as a Healthy Foods Coordinator for a District Health Department working to increase access to healthy foods in rural North Carolina communities. She recently coordinated a Food Systems Economic Development Project to strengthen urban-rural connectivity through food. Mary Jane is passionate about understanding the underlying causes and solutions for health and economic disparities in North Carolina and believes the food system to be a driving force to do so.

Aerhealle Chace

Aerhealle Chace is a grant writer, project manager, and sustainable agriculture advocate based in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. As the Agriculture Education Resource Coordinator for Fourtee Acres Resource Market (F.A.R.M.), she draws on multiple years of experience leading community-based agriculture programs, building partnerships, and securing funding for local initiatives. Through her business, Interaction Gardens, Aerhealle operates a micro farm and provides consultations to promote sustainable growing practices and programming. She also serves as Agriculture Director for Freedom, Org, advancing educational and community engagement efforts in Edgecombe County